State of emergency in Georgia nearing end

TBILISI, Georgia, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The declared state of emergency currently in place in Georgia should be lifted within days, President Mikhail Saakashvili said Saturday.

While meeting with a group of Georgian businessmen, Saakashvili said he will cancel the state of emergency once his country is stable and there are no further signs of tension, Itar-Tass reported.

"The state of emergency will be canceled within days," the president said. "But this will not happen on the demand of any forces inside Georgia or outside the country. I'll take such decision as soon as I see that all signs, which may lead to new tension in the country, are removed."

Meanwhile, exiled tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili criticized Saakashvili's government and announced his plans to run in upcoming presidential elections.

Citing the recent series of demonstrations against Saakashvili and the resulting state of emergency, Patarkatsishvili said the administration had lost the trust of its people.

His announcement that he is joining January's elections comes as the tycoon is being investigated for allegedly planning to overthrow Saakashvili, the BBC said.

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