Georgians call on president to step down

Georgian protesters enter their fifth day of anti- government demonstrations

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/181716.html

In Georgia, thousands of opposition supporters have continued their protests for the fifth consecutive day, demanding the resignation of President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Georgian opposition leader, Nino Burjanadze says that the country's future would be determined on Wednesday, promising to occupy another central square in the capital of Tbilisi after five days of protests, AFP reported.

The supporters of Burjanadze are hoping to enjoy the same success as other countries in the Arab Spring.

Demonstrators have blocked the city's main street near the Parliament chanting anti-government slogans.

Georgians are protesting against the government's failure to improve the living conditions as well as the country's unemployment rate.

The fifth day of protests comes a day before the government's plans to carry out a military parade marking Georgia's Independence Day on Thursday.

The country's former defense minister's arrest helped spark mass protests after he turned against the Georgian president in 2007.

The opposition National Assembly has accused officials of detaining scores of government opponents and seizing hundreds of activists' cars before the rallies.

The Georgian interior ministry, however, said the allegations were "completely untrue."

Georgians call on president to resign

Georgian opposition rallies against incumbent President Mikheil Saakashvili

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/181123.html

Thousands of Georgian protesters have taken to the streets of the capital Tbilisi, calling on President Mikheil Saakashvili to step down.

Protesters led by former Saakashvili ally and parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze marched along Tbilisi and staged their rally at the central Freedom Square.

Georgian police fired rubber bullets at opposition protesters in Tbilisi in an attempt to disperse the demonstrators after they reportedly attacked a car and beat its passengers.

Meanwhile, hundreds of other protesters marched through the Black Sea resort of Batumi, where their demonstration was broken up by police after protesters tried to break into a local television station, AFP reported.

"We are fighting for democracy and against neo-Bolshevism," Burjanadze went on to say.

"We demand Saakashvili's resignation in order to hold democratic elections," she noted.

The opposition has accused Saakashvili of monopolizing power and losing large parts of Georgian territory during the country's brief war with Russia in 2008.

The Saakashvili government is also being blamed for failing to tackle poverty.

"We will fight to the end together with you. It is the final and decisive fight for all of us and we are not going to make any steps back," Burjanadze told the crowd.

The opposition National Assembly also accused the officials of detaining scores of government opponents and seizing hundreds of activists' cars before the rallies.

The Georgian interior ministry, however, said the allegations were "completely untrue."

US tells Russia to leave South Caucasus

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=133559§ionid=351020406



US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticized Russia for establishing military bases in Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

At a joint press conference with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili in Tbilisi on Monday, she urged Moscow to abide by the ceasefire agreement with Tbilisi and to end its military presence in the country.

"We continue to call for Russia to abide by the August 2008 ceasefire commitment… including by ending the occupation and withdrawing Russian troops from South Ossetia and Abkhazia to their pre-conflict positions," AFP quoted her as saying.

"The United States is steadfast in its commitment to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," she added.

Georgia was the final stop of Clinton's five-day tour of the region.

Political analysts have been quick to point out that Moscow views many of Clinton's recent remarks as meddling in the affairs of a region Russia calls its near abroad.

Russia and Georgia fought a brief but destructive war in 2008 following Tbilisi's assault on South Ossetia.

After the war, Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

Russia also built permanent military bases in the breakaway regions and stationed hundreds of soldiers and border guards in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.