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Protesters in Georgia harry Saakashvili over speech | Protesters in Georgia harry Saakashvili over speech |
(35 minutes later) | |
Scuffles have broken out in the Georgian capital Tbilisi as protesters sought to stop President Mikheil Saakashvili from delivering a speech. | Scuffles have broken out in the Georgian capital Tbilisi as protesters sought to stop President Mikheil Saakashvili from delivering a speech. |
Politicians loyal to the president, including MPs and the mayor of Tbilisi, were assaulted outside the national library, where he was due to speak. | Politicians loyal to the president, including MPs and the mayor of Tbilisi, were assaulted outside the national library, where he was due to speak. |
Mr Saakashvili, who chose the library after being prevented from speaking in parliament, had to abandon the attempt. | Mr Saakashvili, who chose the library after being prevented from speaking in parliament, had to abandon the attempt. |
His office said he would try to speak from the presidency instead. | His office said he would try to speak from the presidency instead. |
The protesters accuse Mr Saakashvili, whose party lost last year's general election to a bloc led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, of flouting human rights and stifling dissent. | The protesters accuse Mr Saakashvili, whose party lost last year's general election to a bloc led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, of flouting human rights and stifling dissent. |
Mr Ivanishvili, now prime minister, said earlier this week that he would boycott Mr Saakashvili's annual state-of-the-nation speech, accusing him of lying. | Mr Ivanishvili, now prime minister, said earlier this week that he would boycott Mr Saakashvili's annual state-of-the-nation speech, accusing him of lying. |
Members of the government want the president to agree to constitutional changes, which would strip him of the power to sack the government, the BBC's Damien McGuinness reports from Tbilisi. | |
The pro-Western president must by law step down in October. | The pro-Western president must by law step down in October. |
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