This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7993844.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Daily protests planned in Georgia | Daily protests planned in Georgia |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Georgia's opposition has begun a campaign of daily disruption in the capital Tbilisi in a bid to oust President Mikhail Saakashvili. | Georgia's opposition has begun a campaign of daily disruption in the capital Tbilisi in a bid to oust President Mikhail Saakashvili. |
| Activists blocked off major roads in the city for six hours and said they would repeat the closures between the same times each day. | Activists blocked off major roads in the city for six hours and said they would repeat the closures between the same times each day. |
| They accuse Mr Saakashvili of leading the country into a disastrous war with Russia and provoking a crisis. | They accuse Mr Saakashvili of leading the country into a disastrous war with Russia and provoking a crisis. |
| The president insists he will serve out his full term in office, until 2013. | The president insists he will serve out his full term in office, until 2013. |
| He was speaking as the opposition held a new rally but the number of protesters - about 20,000 - was sharply down on the 60,000 reported on Thursday. | He was speaking as the opposition held a new rally but the number of protesters - about 20,000 - was sharply down on the 60,000 reported on Thursday. |
| Some pelted the presidential residence with carrots and cabbages which they explained was "rabbit food" for a "cowardly" president. | |
| The opposition announced a "national disobedience campaign" with roads to be blocked between 1500 and 2100 daily (1100-1700 GMT). | The opposition announced a "national disobedience campaign" with roads to be blocked between 1500 and 2100 daily (1100-1700 GMT). |
| Correspondents say traffic in central Tbilisi was paralysed on Friday afternoon by marching demonstrators. | Correspondents say traffic in central Tbilisi was paralysed on Friday afternoon by marching demonstrators. |
| 'Ultimatums every month' | 'Ultimatums every month' |
| As night fell on Friday, hundreds of protesters remained outside parliament. | As night fell on Friday, hundreds of protesters remained outside parliament. |
| Mr Saakashvili's critics say his style of government is autocratic | Mr Saakashvili's critics say his style of government is autocratic |
| "We will stand here until the opposition's demands are met and we support these demands", Nino, an opposition supporter, told Reuters news agency. | "We will stand here until the opposition's demands are met and we support these demands", Nino, an opposition supporter, told Reuters news agency. |
| "The president must resign, there can be no dialogue with him," said another protester, Guka Kvantaliani, speaking to AFP. | "The president must resign, there can be no dialogue with him," said another protester, Guka Kvantaliani, speaking to AFP. |
| "He must resign because he lost our territory, he is not interested in the people and there is no justice in Georgia." | "He must resign because he lost our territory, he is not interested in the people and there is no justice in Georgia." |
| Rejecting the calls to quit, Mr Saakashvili said he was ready for a dialogue with the opposition "on strengthening [Georgia's] democratic institutions". | Rejecting the calls to quit, Mr Saakashvili said he was ready for a dialogue with the opposition "on strengthening [Georgia's] democratic institutions". |
| "I've been listening to ultimatums every month for the last five years... My term expires in 2013," he told reporters. | "I've been listening to ultimatums every month for the last five years... My term expires in 2013," he told reporters. |
| Opposition leaders have appealed to the government not to use violence to break up mass protests. | Opposition leaders have appealed to the government not to use violence to break up mass protests. |
| Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to break up the last mass protests in Tbilisi in November 2007. | Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to break up the last mass protests in Tbilisi in November 2007. |
| Are you in Georgia? Are you going to attend protests? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Georgia? Are you going to attend protests? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |