"Any actions against authorities could now easily be classified as a conspiracy to topple the legitimate government of Georgia," says Gennady Sysoev.
Photo: Vasily Shaposhnikov
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Saakashvili’s Pyrrhic Victory
The Price of the Question
Mikhail Saakashvili has already announced himself winner in this round of political confrontation in Georgia. But the price of the triumph may be too high for him personally and for the country in general.
Indeed, Mr. Saakashvili has plenty of reasons to celebrate. First, his major opponent, the former defense minister, has been thrashed. Irakly Okruashvil has not only publicly denied his own accusations against the president but also repented of his crimes.
Second, Georgia’s one of the richest (meaning, the most independent from authorities) men Badri Patarkatsishvili has been dubbed the Kremlin’s agent by efforts of the president’s entourage and media. Any actions against authorities could now easily be classified as a conspiracy to topple the legitimate government of Georgia.
Finally, Georgia on Wednesday was swept in a powerful anti-Russian wave, also prompted by official Tbilisi. Authorities and opposition are competing who will shrug off accusations of ties with the Kremlin most convincingly and will be most successful in smearing the opponent of this damning link. In this situation, any criticism of authorities will be considered as working for the aggressive Northern neighbor. Moscow only helped Tbilisi in that with some actions and statements.
It seems that everything gives Mikhail Saakashvili grounds to feel like the winner. But Georgia will have to pay a dear price for it.
Mikhail Saakashvili rose to power in fall 2003 on the wave of the Rose Revolution as a young democrat who ousted the old corrupted bureaucratic team. This is how he was perceived in his country as well as in the West. A lot has changed in the four years, though.
The president’s team has lost plenty of its key figures. Some leaders could have potentially competed with the head of the state. Zurab Zhvania, called “brain of the revolution”, died under mysterious circumstances. Salome Zurabishvili who has excellent ties in the West walked out with a scandal. Finally, the president was hasty to say goodbye to Irakly Okruashvili, the most charismatic personality in Georgian leadership.
Mikhail Saakashvili may have indeed strengthened his power. The strict vertical of power that he built has not moved Georgia any closer to the goal of uniting the country. There is an even more important point. The strengthening of the presidential power put the whole Rose Revolution on the line. Now its adversaries have a good argument: Look, who is doing all these velvet revolutions.
This is how Mikhail Saakashvili has made an invaluable service – though probably unwillingly – to those who distrustful of color revolutions. However, it is still too early for Moscow to celebrate, too. The Kremlin will also have to pay a high price for recent developments in Georgia as a Russia-friendly politician won’t assume power there in the nearest future.
Gennady Sysoev, columnist
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 11, 2007
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