TBILISI, May 26 (RIA Novosti) - In a statement issued on Tuesday Georgia's opposition called on the international community to help resolve the situation in the country and end the stalemate following around six weeks of protests.
"We are calling on our Western friends to use all their available resources to stop an escalation in events in the country. The people should be given a chance to make a free choice and change the authorities through peaceful means," a statement read by the opposition in Tbilisi on Independence Day said.
A RIA Novosti correspondent reported that some 50,000 opposition supporters had gathered at the Dynamo stadium in the Georgian capital to continue protests against President Mikheil Saakashvili's rule.
A total of 14 leading opposition parties and groups first took to the streets in Tbilisi on April 9 calling for Saakashvili to step down over his failure to carry out democratic reforms and last August's disastrous war with Russia.
Last week the opposition shifted its focus to the regions and held a number of rallies in Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Telavi and Gurdzhaani to mobilize supporters for a "Civil Parade" on May 26 Georgian Independence Day.
The opposition on Tuesday started its parade with a "minute's silence" in commemoration of all those who have fought for Georgia's freedom and independence.
