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TBILISI: Saakashvili's Latest Address Could Set Worrying Precedent

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  • TBILISI: Saakashvili's Latest Address Could Set Worrying Precedent

    SAAKASHVILI'S LATEST ADDRESS COULD SET WORRYING PRECEDENT

    The Messenger, Georgia
    Sept 4 2006

    The road to a democratic, rule of law based state is a bumpy one,
    and Georgia's roads have more than their fair share of potholes anyway.

    However on August 31 President Saakashvili announced that Georgia
    would be temporarily taking an unscheduled right hand turn.

    In a speech broadcast live from a vineyard in Kakheti, Saakashvili
    announced that "for the first and last time" the government "will
    exert a bit of light racketeering" on Georgian businesses. Speaking
    to some of the country's leading business figures he asked them to
    each buy at least ten tons of grapes, in order to help Kakheti's
    farmers out of the problem of lack of demand for their produce,
    brought about by Russia's continued embargo on Georgian wine.

    Saakashvili is of course right when he says the wine ban is a
    politically motivated tactic which aims to discredit the government
    and sow social unrest in Georgia. However, by strong-arming businesses
    in this way, and dressing it up in ill-conceived patriotic colours,
    he is causing far more harm than good.

    One of the priorities of the Saakashvili administration has been to
    re-brand Georgia, to present it as a transparent business climate,
    where property is respected and the state does not interfere with
    private enterprise. It is to the government's credit that they have
    largely been successful in this, and have received good marks from
    various international bodies. Forcing private business to buy grapes
    has put a large question mark over the government's commitment to
    these principles.

    Saakashvili said in no uncertain terms that "we should not make our
    enemies [meaning Russia] happy...We should not let our enemies see
    our wine-growers protesting," and though undoubtedly many in Russia's
    political establishment would rub their hands in glee at the sight of
    grape farmers on the streets in Tbilisi, equally important for the
    government is that potential opposition voters don't get swayed by
    these possible protests in the run-up to the October 5 local elections.

    Although Russia is very far from a reliable or helpful neighbour,
    it surely doesn't help matters to dismiss the idea of holding
    negotiations. Saakashvili, however, thinks "there is no reason to have
    talks with a predator." By playing the Russia card so vigorously,
    Saakashvili is attempting to instil a kind of 'Blitz spirit',
    which is understandable; more worryingly though, he is playing a
    with-us-or-against-us game, and thereby playing with fire.

    In suggesting that the closure of the Zemo-Larsi customs checkpoint is
    an attempt by Russia to encourage Armenia to "jointly plot against
    Georgia" he runs the risk of inflaming ethnic tensions-exactly
    what some in Russia would love to see-especially in the volatile
    Samtskhe-Javakheti region of southern Georgia, where the desperately
    poor Armenian population are already alienated and isolated from
    Georgian society.

    However, the most worrying part of the address was when the president
    accused the opposition, and the media which disseminate opposition
    statements as being "allies of Russia."

    "Parties that say that the Georgian government has closed the Russian
    market to Georgian peasants are allies of Russia...as are media sources
    that disseminate this information. Those media sources that will
    start propagating the idea that there is a problem with the harvest
    because the government made mistakes, will be [Russia's allies],"
    said Saakashvili, as quoted by online news source civil.ge.

    This attempt to portray the opposition as traitors is especially
    worrying in light of the much discussed possible law on 'political
    extremism' which, according to some ruling party MPs, would outlaw
    statements and protests that could be deemed as against state
    interests. Although it was not the Georgian government's fault that
    the Russian market was closed, it does not make one an ally of Russia
    to point out that mistakes have been made which probably made it
    harder for Georgia to re-enter that market. Defence Minister Irakli
    Okruashvili's now infamous statement that "even faeces will sell in
    Russia" is one such mistake.

    The government should not be afraid of criticism, or that criticism
    being reported by the media. Diverting from the path of free debate
    can only harm Georgia. Also, the government should realise that, by
    forcing businesses to help it out of a temporary crisis it is only
    creating problems for itself down the road.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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