Mikheil Saakashvili, the embattled president of Georgia, on Friday vowed to serve out the rest of his term in office defying tens of thousands of anti-government protesters who thronged the streets of Tbilisi demanding his removal.
Demonstrators slammed Mr Saakashvili for failing to alleviate poverty and for abusing power despite his claims to have introduced democracy after the Rose Revolution of 2003. But few were willing to criticise his handling of the war with Russia last August when Georgia lost control of about 20 per cent of its territory and Mr Saakashvili shot to international prominence.
