Tbilisi: Georgia teetered on the brink of chaos today (Nov 22), with President Eduard Shevardnadze declaring a state of Emergency and an Opposition leader claiming the interim Presidency.

"I am declaring a state of Emergency," Shevardnadze said in live televised comments an hour after protestors demanding his resignation stormed Parliament. "We have to bring order to the country."

Meanwhile, the Opposition declared Nino Burjanadze, Speaker of Parliament before the disputed 2 Parliamentary elections that has sparked weeks of protest, as interim President.

"Under the Constitution, Nino Burjanadze is the President of the country until new Parliamentary elections and new Presidential elections are held," Mikhail Saakashvili, who has orchestrated the nearly daily protests since the election, said at a press conference.

The Opposition says the election, which was declared won by Shevardnadze's party and supporters, was rigged. They have demanded Shevardnadze's resignation and called for new elections.

The demonstrators forced the door of the Parliament and marched in, waving red and white Opposition flags.

Shevardnadze, who was delivering a televised speech at the time, was led out of the chamber by a back entrance, surrounded by a phalanx of bodyguards.

Outside he again rejected the protestors' demands for his resignation.

Agencies