Protesters stormed the Parliament of the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia on Friday to challenge a bill that would allow Russians to buy property in the region. Abkhazia President Aslan Bzhania accused protestors of attempting a coup, noting that the government remains in control despite protesters’ seizure of some government buildings.

The region’s parliament was scheduled to discuss the ratification of the measure on Friday but was postponed due to large protests outside Abkhazia’s Parliament and President’s Office. In response to the turmoil, Bzhania announced plans to withdraw the investment measure from consideration.

The agreement was signed last month by Russia’s Minister of Economy, Maxim Reshetnikov and his Abkhazian counterpart, Kristina Ozgan, with opposition leaders raising concerns that the deal could push locals out of the property market. They added that these protests were not aimed against the relations with Russia but were mainly concerned with addressing local impacts that the deal could have.

Opposition leaders and protesters have demanded the resignation of the President and other government officials. Bzhania initially rejected the calls to resign, but later stated that he is ready to leave if the protesters cease their occupation of government buildings.

Earlier on Saturday, Bzhania had a phone call with the President of South Ossetia, Alan Gagloev, another breakaway region of Georgia, in which Gagloev offered support to the Abkhazian government.

Abkhazia unilaterally declared independence from Georgia following a conflict that ended in 1993, and Georgia subsequently lost control over the region after a brief war with Russia in 2008. While most of the international community recognizes Abkhazia as part of Georgia, Russia considers it an independent state.