Opposition leaders at the rally called on President Saakashvili to resign and said they would wait for a response for next 24 hours and then would announce further action plan.

“The society which gathered here demands from him: to act property and fulfill the people’s will. This is the last chance for the government to stand above its own interests,” an appeal read out at the rally says.

Protest rally was also held in Batumi, Adjara Autonomous Republic, which was led by former PM Zurab Nogaideli’s opposition party.

Lawmakers from the ruling party said the opposition should chose “language of dialogue, instead of language of ultimatums.”

Meanwhile, Eka Zguladze, deputy interior minister, told journalists that protest rallies were peaceful. She said police estimated around 25,000 protesters at the rally – the number, however, was higher than the official figure, but less than opposition’s estimation of over 100,000.

The Interior Ministry has strongly denied detention of 60 opposition activists in Shida Kartli region. Nino Burjanadze’s opposition party said earlier that its activists were arrested in Shada Kartli region.

The Georgian government has set up a special press center for foreign journalists in Marriott Tbilisi Hotel, close to the Parliament. Briefings for foreign journalists are held by the deputy interior minister Eka Zguladze. The government has also turned to a social networking websites Facebook and Twitter (www.twitter.com/govtofgeorgia) to deliver its message about the ongoing developments.