SUKHUM, May 28. /ITAR-TASS/. The parliament of Abkhazia failed on Wednesday to hold an extraordinary session on the recent anti-government protests in the republic as many lawmakers did not show up for the debates on the settlement of the situation.

An ITAR-TASS correspondent reported from the scene that the majority of lawmakers attending the session were from the opposition parties. The republic’s parliament currently works on the Address to the People.

Thousands of protesters gathered on Tuesday in central Sukhum, the republic’s capital, demanding the government’s resignation over alleged corruption, mismanagement and stagnation in the republic.

President of Abkhazia Alexander Ankvab earlier announced that Tuesday’s protests were an attempt to overthrow the government by force.

Abkhazia’s Security Council Secretary Nugzar Ashuba said on Wednesday that Russia’s presidential aide Vladislav Surkov and Security Council Deputy Secretary Rashid Nurgaliyev were expected to arrive in the republic later in the afternoon to help mediate the settlement of the situation.