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Georgia's opposition prepares for new rallies in central Tbilisi

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TBILISI, March 5 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's opposition is preparing to take to the street in central Tbilisi on Sunday to demonstrate against the country's January 5 presidential polls.

The protests will take place in front of the Georgian parliament, opposition leaders said they have applied for permission to the Tbilisi mayor.

"We are discussing organizational issues. We will bring Georgians from the country's regions if we have money," said Zviad Dzidziguri, leader of the Conservative Party.

The opposition is demanding a recount of the results of the country's presidential elections which returned President Mikheil Saakashvili to office.

Protesters are also pressing for electoral reforms, press freedom and the release of more than 40 'political prisoners' ahead of parliamentary polls in May.

Western monitors said Georgia's elections were generally fair, although they admitted there had been a number of violations.

The U.S.-educated Saakashvili has moved to integrate the country into the European Union and NATO since he came to power in 2004, but has been criticized recently for authoritarianism, corruption and economic failure.

His brutal crackdown on protesters in early November triggered public anger and criticism from Georgia's Western allies.

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