Georgian opposition politicians have wasted no time in trying to undermine Mikheil Saakashvili, the president, who remains broadly popular in Georgia but is still widely perceived in the country as having started the war with Russia.

Levan Gachechiladze, Mr Saakashvili's former campaign manager, who ran against him in January's presidential elections, said Georgia's political opposition would campaign for elections to be held "at the earliest opportunity", perhaps within two months.