Recipe for disaster

States of emergency after popular dissent seem to be trendy among oppressive nations these days. I will only quote Burma and Pakistan as examples where a power-hungry elite (or individual) just won't recognize that it's time to put itself to the test of public opinion (i.e. vote). Or it won't give in to public pressure to change course.

This trendy dish is typically served with a condiment of media gagging and arrests of oppositioners, mostly by placing them under house arrest or through timely unearthing of allegations of corruption, coup-staging or any other crime. Sprinkles of skillful case-tailoring are supposed to add that aftertaste of legality that no-one really spots, and same goes for other accompaniments of institutional endorsements that smell a little foul.

This dictatorial recipe book is unfortunately still quite popular. What should worry us is the fact that it's being discovered in places that we either placed trust in or that are too close to our borders.

Today Georgia's parliament approved UNANIMOUSLY the state of emergency imposed by president Saakashvili in the wake of brutally dispersed protests against his allegedly dictatorial rule and abuse of justice. I don't think this sounds right. Considering there are arrests of opposition leaders and indictment of a prominent businessman on counts of staging a coup, the picture looks pretty familiar. With elections looming, I doubt anyone can consider them fair if the leaders of the opposition are under investigation, exile or arrest.

I hope to be wrong, but I detect a whiff of farcical politics. The infamous cookbook might be making a comeback. Kindzmarauli wine, anyone?