Opposition leaders in Georgia have said they will protest around-the-clock in an effort to push their country's president from power, as demonstrations continued into a fifth day.
Thousands of people gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi, the capital, for Monday's protest, demanding the resignation of Mikheil Saakashvili.
Thousands of people gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi, the capital, for Monday's protest, demanding the resignation of Mikheil Saakashvili.
Protest leaders said they would move their demonstration to outside the president's offices in an attempt to increase pressure on Saakashvili, who has flatly refused to give in to his opponents' demands.
"Unfortunately our large-scale protests have not been enough for the president to resign," Kakha Kukava, a leader of the Conservative Party, said on Monday.
"So we have taken a decision to move towards the presidency where a protest will continue on a round-the-clock basis," he said.
Helena Bedwell, a journalist in Tbilisi, told Al Jazeera that protesters plan "to continue a permanent rally outside the presidential palace and the parliament".
"They decided to put up some tents here [outside the presidential offices] meaning they want to stay overnight. They also plan to put up so-called 'prison cages' to symbolise imprisoned democracy," she said. Demonstrators are angry at Saakashvili's handling of last year's Russia-Georgia war and accuse him of failing to run a democratic government.
"So we have taken a decision to move towards the presidency where a protest will continue on a round-the-clock basis," he said.
Helena Bedwell, a journalist in Tbilisi, told Al Jazeera that protesters plan "to continue a permanent rally outside the presidential palace and the parliament".
"They decided to put up some tents here [outside the presidential offices] meaning they want to stay overnight. They also plan to put up so-called 'prison cages' to symbolise imprisoned democracy," she said. Demonstrators are angry at Saakashvili's handling of last year's Russia-Georgia war and accuse him of failing to run a democratic government.
Call for dialogue
The protests began in Tbilisi last Thursday when 60,000 people took to the streets and rallied outside parliament, waving flags and chanting "resign".
But the numbers of demonstrators dropped away over the weekend, with only 4,000 gathering on Saturday.
Saakashvili has vowed to serve out his second term, which ends in 2013.
Saakashvili has vowed to serve out his second term, which ends in 2013.
He has urged opposition leaders to enter talks with the government.
Opposition leaders are unhappy with Saakashvili following last year's conflict with Russia, in which Georgia lost territory as separatists and their Russian allies took full control of the breakaway regions odf South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Critics have also accused him of not implementing political changes that he promised during a revolution in 2003, in which the president came to power.
They say Saakashvili has monopolised power and exerted pressure on the judiciary and the media.In November 2007, riot police used rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters, a move that prompted condemnation of Saakashvili's actions.
Opposition leaders are unhappy with Saakashvili following last year's conflict with Russia, in which Georgia lost territory as separatists and their Russian allies took full control of the breakaway regions odf South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Critics have also accused him of not implementing political changes that he promised during a revolution in 2003, in which the president came to power.
They say Saakashvili has monopolised power and exerted pressure on the judiciary and the media.In November 2007, riot police used rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters, a move that prompted condemnation of Saakashvili's actions.
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