Georgian protesters demand President Saakashvili resign

Opposition leaders have promised to demonstrate daily outside parliament in Tbilisi until Saakashvili quits, accusing him of monopolizing power and stifling reforms promised in the 2003 Rose Revolution that swept him to power.Â

 

War in August, when Russia crushed a Georgian assault on the breakaway South Ossetia region and sent tanks to within 40 km (25 miles) of Tbilisi, emboldened critics who say the president has made too many mistakes to stay in power until 2013.

 

But analysts say they doubt the opposition's strength of leadership, unity or the level of support it commands beyond the capital to force Saakashvili out.

 

"We have no other way out but to stand here until the end, until the Judas of Georgian politics resigns," former presidential challenger Levan Gachechiladze told the crowd.

 

Speakers complained of government pressure on the media and judiciary, and last year's lost war.

 

"Today is referendum day in Georgia," said Irakly Alasania, Georgia's former U.N. ambassador and one of several senior figures to defect from Saakashvili citing serious errors of judgment.

 

Diplomats say Saakashvili's position remains strong despite the war, the defections and repeated cabinet reshuffles that have fuelled questions over his leadership style.

 

Many Georgians are tired of political bickering in the capital and are sympathetic to government calls for stability as a global economic crisis deepens.

 

Perceived as brash and impulsive, Saakashvili's handling of the war has come under some scrutiny among Georgians. But he draws support from the prevailing consensus in the country that Russia was to blame.

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Activists held?

The West -- drawing oil and gas through Georgia from the Caspian Sea -- is watching for a possible repeat of a November 2007 crackdown, when police firing teargas and rubber bullets dispersed the last major demonstrations against Saakashvili.

 

Police denied allegations they had detained around 60 opposition activists overnight in the town of Rustavi southeast of Tbilisi. Fire crews and hundreds of police in riot gear entered the courtyard of the parliament overnight.

 

Saakashvili's young, mainly Western-educated team came to power blessed by former U.S. president George W. Bush as a "beacon of liberty". But the light has faded and diplomats say Barack Obama's administration will be less forgiving of any crackdown.

 

"I have not seen such unity among Georgians for a long time," said protester Elene Gabriadze, a 47-year-old unemployed woman. "We will stand here until the end."

 

Thursday's rally was timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of a bloody crackdown by Soviet troops in the twilight of the Soviet Union against Georgian protesters demanding independence for the republic of 4.5 million people.

 

Early in the morning prior to the demonstration, Saakashvili had joined hundreds of people in front of the parliament in a quiet vigil to remember the victims. "Georgia today, as never before, needs unity and firmness," he told reporters. "We are a democratic state and people have different opinions."

 

Fear of unrest has been fed by the authorities, who in March said they had uncovered a plot to overthrow the government by men with suspected links to the opposition. The opposition accused the authorities of conducting a smear campaign.