LYON (euronews) — Georgia and Russia have blamed each other for the outbreak of protests and unrest in Tbilisi which was sparked by the visit of a Russian MP to Georgia’s parliament. In an interview with Euronews, Georgia’s president Salome Zourabichvili has called for a “de-escalation” in the protesters’ standoff with her government.

The call came as protesters gathered for a third night in the capital.

Zourabichvili had earlier blamed Russia for the unrest, suggesting a “fifth column” loyal to Moscow had stirred up trouble. However, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev dismissed her claim as a distortion of reality.