Thousands Protest Georgian Government (anti-Saakashvili)

By MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI
The Associated Press
Thursday, March 9, 2006; 4:13 PM

TBILISI, Georgia -- About 8,000 Georgians took to the streets Thursday for the capital's biggest anti-government demonstration since President Mikhail Saakashvili was swept to power after leading the Rose Revolution protests more than two years ago.

The crowd gathered outside the parliament building on Tbilisi's main street, the site of much larger protests that helped prompt the resignation of longtime leader Eduard Shevardnadze in 2004.

Thursday's protesters criticized the government and in some cases called for Saakashvili's resignation. Many at the rally, organized by the political opposition, were traders and small-business owners angry over new rules requiring them to use cash registers in a bid to bring the "gray market" economy under control and improve tax collection.

Demonstrations also were held in other towns, and the size of the protest in Tbilisi reflected disillusionment with Saakashvili's rule following the high hopes for improving the economically troubled former Soviet republic at the time of his election. <snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/09/AR2006030901279.html