Georgia's President Eduard Shevardnadze declared on Saturday a state of emergency in the country after the opposition took the control of the parliament.

"I am declaring a state of emergency," Shevardnadze said on TV. "We have to bring order to the country."

Earlier, the Georgian president's office denounced the opposition seizure of the parliament as a "coup d'etat".

"A coup d'etat has occurred in Georgia," it said in a statement.

Georgian opposition leader Nino Burdzhanadze, the speaker in the last parliament, has claimed the interim presidency of the country.

"I, as chairman of the Georgian parliament, in accordance with the constitution, will take on the functions of the president until such time as it becomes clear whether he has the ability to continue," Burdzhanadze told reporters.

Opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters earlier broke into Georgia's parliament building and seized the speaker's podium, interrupting a speech by President Shevardnadze who vowed not to resign.

Shevardnadze left the chamber accompanied by armed guards.

"I will not resign. I will resign when the presidential term expires, according to the constitution," he said before leaving the parliament.

Saakashvili, head of the leading opposition party National Movement, said:" The velvet revolution has taken place in Georgia."

"We are representatives elected by the people and we are against violence," he declared.

Saakashvili ordered all pro-government legislators to leave the parliament, and handed over the podium to Burdzhanadze.

Burdzhanadze urged Shevardnadze to step down.

Shevardnadze "no longer possesses the moral rights to remain as the president," she said.

"Shevardnadze bears the entire responsibility for what has happened in Georgia. We have been doing everything for more than two weeks to prevent a standoff but it was useless. Georgia will not tolerate a parliament appointed by the president." She said.

Burdzhanadze expressed her gratefulness to the security forces for their not having suppressed people's activities.

She warned that those who attempt to sabotage the stability will be punished and called on the Defense Minister David Tevzadzenot to use military forces against people.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters ousted a pro-government rally from the square in front of the Georgian parliament and occupied the square, with no serious clashes having been reported.

The protesters were chanting "Misha, Misha", the pet name of Saakashvili, while celebrating their victory.

The three-week-long political turmoil in the ex-Soviet Caucasus republic was triggered by the Nov. 2 parliamentary elections, which is accused by opposition parties of being rigged in favor of the pro-government bloc led by President Shevardnadze.

The opposition forces have staged nationwide protests, demanding the president's resignation and nullification of the "fraudulent" elections.

Despite the pressure from the opposition, the Georgian Central Electoral Commission validated the controversial elections Thursday.

According to the results, published by the commission, For A New Georgia, Georgia's main pro-president party, won a victory in the poll with 21.32 percent of the votes. Its ally, the Union of Democratic Revival, was in the second place with 18.84 percent.

Saakashvili's National Movement was in the third place with 18.70 percent.

The opposition parties, however, refused to take part in the work of the "parliament appointed by Shevardnadze."

They have vowed to continue rally until Shevardnadze steps down and the new parliamentary elections are held.

On Saturday in the largest opposition protest since the Nov. 2 parliament elections, demonstrators marched in the capital city, surrounded the parliament building and urged Shevardnadze to step down.

Earlier in the day, Saakashvili set a deadline for Shevardnadze to step down while addressing thousands of his supporters on Freedom Square.

"We are giving the president one last chance. Within one hour, either he comes to the people or the people will come to him," he said.

Shevardnadze had said he was ready to hold dialogue with the opposition, but "without any ultimatums."

"Parliament was elected and ... parliament should begin work today," said the president, who opened the first session of the new parliament despite the opposition protest.

Opposition supporters stormed the parliament shortly after the parliamentary session began.

(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2003)