Georgia opposition celebrates

By Natalia Antelava
In Tbilisi

Tbilisi protests turned into celebrations on Saturday. Thousands of Georgians gathered in front of the parliament, shouting that they had already ousted President Eduard Shevardnadze's regime.

The opposition says it has been a "velvet" revolution

Mr Shevardnadze has said he will only resign by constitutional means, but that seems to matter little to those who filled the parliament and State Chancellery.

Thousands stormed the president's office in the evening, saying they would not leave until his resignation became formal.

So far the only victim has been a chair brought out to the street from the president's office.

"He has sat on it for more than 30 years, now he is gone," shouted one of the demonstrators as he helped others to tear the chair apart.

But it seems as if the opposition has so far lived up to its promise of a velvet and violence-free revolution.

It took only minutes for the opposition supporters to get through the cordons of buses and riot police that blocked their way towards the government buildings.

Cheers

"You are part of us, we are fighting for your future too," pleaded the demonstrators as they raised their hands to show the soldiers they were not armed.

The troops put down their arms and shields and let the demonstrators through.

Crowds cheered the police, hugging and kissing them as they marched towards the State Chancellery.

But there were some scuffles as emotions ran high

"Go get him," the soldiers shouted. A couple of hours later, the soldiers drove away from the demonstration waving opposition flags. Some of them held roses given to them by student activists and demonstrators.

"It's not even a velvet revolution - it's a flower revolution," one of the demonstrators laughed.

"I just wonder where he (Shevardnadze) is hiding from us now," he added.

According to the local media, Mr Shevardnadze was in his Krtsanisi residence in Tbilisi.

After the government buildings were stormed, President Shevardnadze appeared on television only once, saying that a military coup had taken place in Georgia.

"Those responsible will be punished," he said.

President vows to stay

The days events had moved quickly. As thousands shouted for him to step down over what many say was a rigged parliamentary vote, Mr Shevardnadze was opening the first session of the parliament.

But the session was interrupted before it even started - opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters broke into the parliament.

President Shevardnadze was shoved away from the parliament and out to the street, where he faced his supporters from the western region of Ajaria who have been keeping a vigil in front of the parliament for the past few days.

His hands were shaking as he addressed the crowd for five minutes.

"I will only resign by constitutional means," Mr Shevardnadze repeated twice.

He hardly had time to finish his speech. Crowds of pro-opposition demonstrators broke the cordons of police, swarmed over the crowd of Shevardnadze supporters and broke into the parliament.

The president was driven away from the angry crowds in his armoured Mercedes.

Those who are celebrating on the streets in Tbilisi say that he is never coming back.