Thousands of anti-government protesters on Tuesday temporarily blocked Tbilisi rail station, paralyzing traffic at the strategic railway artery between the energy-rich Caspian region and the West.
The move marks a new spiral in Georgia’s political turmoil after daily opposition protests since April 9 to demand President Mikheil Saakashvili’s resignation mobilized more than 50,000 supporters at a Tuesday rally.
“We are determined to continue our struggle until Saakashvili resigns,” said Eka Besselia, leader of the Movement for United Georgia party, as the opposition leaders and groups of protesters standing at the track prevented a train from leaving the station.
PHOTO: EPA
She said the blockade was “of warning and temporary character” and that the opposition “considers different options such as blocking railway, key highways in Georgia and the road towards the Tbilisi airport” to force Saakashvili to resign.
Police kept a low profile and did not intervene with the protest.
The blockade lasted for several hours and protesters dispersed peacefully.
Saakashvili said opposition protests hit the economy and vowed not to allow disruptions to the railway.
Cargo transportation through the Georgian railway decreased by 35 percent since the opposition protests started, Georgian Railway CEO Irakli Ezugbaia said on May 20.
“Statements about blocking the railway become frequent. As a result we now witness reduction of cargo transported ... even by such strong companies as Chevron and Exxon,” Ezugbaia said.
Opponents accuse Saakashvili of mishandling the conflict with Russia and of becoming increasingly autocratic since he came to power after the peaceful 2003 Rose Revolution.
Saakashvili, whose mandate expires in 2013, has rejected the resignation calls, instead offering talks on democratic reforms, and has suggested that Russia is financing the campaign against him.
An opinion poll conducted by Washington-based Greenberg Quinlan Research between May 1 and May 9 showed increased public support and better personal ratings for Saakashvili since late March.
“As our poll revealed, the public says that replacing Saakashvili with someone new would most likely worsen the situation in Georgia,” pollster Jeremy Rosner said.
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