Steady State

Culture of Democracy in Georgia

July 17th, 2008 by jibs

A big question hangs over the quality of democracy in Georgia. On the paper all looks good: the country is governed by the champion of the democratic revolution and an erudite western educated lawyer Mikheil Saakashvili. There are institutions that are supposed to safeguard collective decision making and ensure justice in the society. There is also free media and opposition…

There are however serious shortcomings. A word or two on what Georgia’s leadership thinks of the quality of democracy:

Take the only independent TV channel in the country: Kavkasia TV that broadcasts only in the capital — a clearly pro-opposition channel. Although open to the authorities’ participation in frequent political debates, invitations usually remain unanswered.

Recently the management of the TV station (a handful of workers all together), have complained that the authorities pressure the businesses to withdraw advertisements so as to choke the channel financially. Georgia’s Public Defender Sozar Subari, too, has alleged that the authorities are working to undermine the channel — but unlike killing off the Imedi TV using SWAT forces a few months ago, Kavkasia TV is targeted in a less obvious way.

Here comes the part with democracy: the journalist of Kavkasia TV was able to ask president Saakashvili himself on why authorities are trying to shut down the channel, which surprised the president:

What kind of problems? What kind of problems does the Kavkasia TV in particular face?… all the illusions about restriction of freedom of expression or as if there was some tabooed issues, have disappeared… We have no experience of democracy culture and we should work much over it.

In other words, problems with the Kavkasia TV and in general, media in Georgia, have something to do with the culture of democracy… Not very clear, but, fine… young democracy in it’s baby steps is sure to have problems with media — although, it would be hard to find similar “problems” with media in the Eastern Europe. Anyways — a few weeks later, Saakashvili backtracked on his critical remarks about the democracy he is building himself, calling it Georgia’s main “wealth“:

The fact that the Georgian people managed to hold two elections democratically, the fact that the Georgian people managed to overcome the crisis in a dignified manner, gives us today our major weapon for protection; our major weapon is not tanks and cannons – we can not compare in this regard with those people who threaten us – our major weapon is that we are a democratic and successful state.

Therefore, Georgia’s main weapon against the ill-wishers is democracy; just it lacks culture. Interestingly, other officials within the Georgian administration see problems the country faces externally through the lenses of democracy’s ideological struggle with authoritarianism and dictatorship — take Nika Rurua, deputy chairman of the parliamentary Defense and Security Committee, explaining Russia’s aggressive stance towards Georgia:

Russia remains a country that is afraid to have free and democratic states as its neighbors. And, in fact, what is suitable for the entire civilized, free world, is not suitable for Russia. Progressive countries of the world see NATO expansion as an expansion of democracy, free space, transparent and open societies. Russia is afraid of this.

[Let’s pretend this is not usual mumbo-jumbo to attract the “West’s” sympathy and support…] When transparency, freedom and justice comes under attack back home, the same authorities explain it with the absence of culture of democracy… Also, it’s the same guys who came to power through street protests and help “of the most democratic people”.

Speaking of culture of democracy, a few days ago, the parliament finally agreed to listen to the public defender’s annual report on the human rights condition in Georgia — postponed last year due to “lack of time to read the report”.

Like the parliamentarians, I have not read the entire report, only the highlights. But, in short, the report is extremely critical of the November 7 crackdown on the opposition rallies, elections, media, etc.

Like in all democratic countries, the parliamentarians listened to the report, but unlike in the “cultured democracies” the public defender was slandered, called “incompetent” and told to go do something more productive then accumulating citizens’ complaints.

Normally, not only the parliament should take note of the Public Defender’s report, but also act on his recommendations. If the Georgian authorities were indeed to do this, they would be investigating cases against themselves, which of course, they are not going to do… So, the best way, is to say the public defender is lying, that he is incompetent and bases his reports on rumors. Problem SOLVED.

It’s just the lack of “culture of democracy”, otherwise such things would not happen. And it’s this type of democracy which is our best weapon against the evil doers and which will attract EU, NATO, breakaway territories and shift the global geopolitical center to Georgia.

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