(19 Apr 2013)
1. Various of opposition rally in Tbilisi centre
2. Mid of Georgian flags
3. Various of National Movement Party speaker addressing the crowd
4. Various of rally
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Bakradze, member of opposition United National Movement party:
"We act as a responsible and firm opposition with the objective to control the government and that is the basics of democracy. So, the idea of this meeting is to make Georgian democracy better, to ensure that government starts implementation of its own commitments and to ensure that Georgia continues its development."
8. Mid of policemen
9. Wide of rally
10. Mid of policemen
11. Wide of flags with church in background
STORYLINE:
About 10,000 supporters of embattled pro-Western President Mikhail Saakashvili gathered for a rally in Tbilisi on Friday testing their strength ahead of October's presidential vote.
Saakashvili's United National Movement lost last year's parliamentary election to the Georgian Dream bloc led by Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who became prime minister.
Saakashvili's authority has been further weakened by a constitutional reform that has shifted powers from the presidency to Parliament and the prime minister.
"The idea of this meeting is to make Georgian democracy better, to ensure that government starts implementation of its own commitments and to ensure that Georgia continues its development," party member David Bakradze said at Friday's rally.
Saakashvili has been on the defensive since the parliamentary vote and some of his top lieutenants have faced abuse of office charges.
Ahead of Friday's rally, Ivanishvili's party levelled new accusations against the president, accusing him of wasting government money on foreign trips.
Saakashvili has rejected the criticism, saying that it helped boost the ex-Soviet nation's prestige and attract investment.
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