The protests against Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili by the opposition has gone on for months now, and it seems like it will go on awhile longer. The opposition leadership turned down an offer by President Saakashvili to share power with them and to allow them to help reform the constitution. They say they will now take the protests, formerly held in the capital city of Tbilisi, nationwide.
The opposition to President Saakashvili’s regime has been growing since last August’s shelling of the South Ossetian capital, which provoked a disastrous war with Russia that destroyed much of the nation’s military and led both South Ossetia and Abkhazia into de facto independence.
The two sides stand in stark opposition to one another on almost every issue. Saakashvili intends to serve out his term until 2013 and has reportedly asked the opposition to end the protests. The opposition still demands new elections in light of the growing opposition to the current government and has promised to continue the protests. Though today he sought reconciliation, Saakashvili has previously accused the opposition of being controlled by the Russian government.