TBILISI, DFWatch–Four fired doctors on Wednesday ended their week-long hunger strike after learning that the director of the emergency service where they worked has been removed from his position.

The doctors started their protest March 6. They said had they had been fired without a formal reason, and claimed that the real reason they were fired was that they had criticized the director for how he ran the department.

The four, who were joined by one more doctor, demanded that the director, Kakha Chikhradze, was fired and to have their jobs back.

Chikhradze Wednesday left his post and the doctors decided to end the hunger strike and solve their problems through the courts. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry set up a council which will manage the emergency service until the court cases are finished.

Levan Lomsianidze, one of the fired doctors, says he will file a court case on Thursday and end his hunger strike in order to be healthy enough to continue fighting for his rights.