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GEORGIA FILES A SUIT AGAINST RUSSIA WITH THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
ZAAL ANJAPARIDZE,
Political analyst, Tbilisi
Eurasian Home: “Why did the Georgian government file a suit against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), thereby, deteriorating its relations with Russia?”
Initially, the Georgian authorities under plausible pretexts had refrained from filing a suit against Russia. The action was brought to the European Court of Human Rights only four days before the deadline, which indirectly shows that Tbilisi has been intensely examining that issue.
There are several reasons why Georgia brought the action against Russia to the ECHR and thereby deteriorated its relations with Moscow. Firstly, the Georgian authorities publicly pledged to file a suit after several thousands of Georgians, including those legally residing in Russia, had been deported from the country in an uncivilized way, to put it mildly. As you know, 5 people died during the deportation because of the cruel treatment. The Georgian establishment and Georgia’s Western allies expected Tbilisi to bring the action against Russia to the ECHR and the Georgian authorities had to live up to those expectations.
The opposition was criticizing the authorities for backtracking on their promises and betraying the interests of their fellow countrymen. This damaged the ruling party’s rating that was already law enough and this undermined the authority and public image of Mikheil Saakashvili. Apart from that, when bringing the action to the European Court of Human Rights Georgia once more showed the international community that it is a true sovereign state asserting its citizens’ rights. I believe that this step taken by Tbilisi will be appreciated by its West allies, first of all, in the USA, at its true value. The U.S. Senate approved the bill on admission of Georgia to NATO just before the action was brought. Besides, the action against Russia was brought after the helicopters, which were probably Russian, had bombed the Kodori gorge (Georgia-controlled part of breakaway Abkhazia). This also aggravated relations between the countries. All those factors contributed to making the Georgian authorities file a suit. The political dividends, which Georgia and its government will get if the case is won, will be of much more important than the avoidance of deterioration of Georgia’s relations with Russia that are bad enough anyway.
Eurasian Home: “Does Georgia hope to win the case or will the Georgian authorities be happy with the public effect of the anti-Russian campaign in the West?”
The anti-Russian rhetoric and brinkmanship with Russia have become almost a hallmark of the policies of Saakashvili’s government. One can say that as long as this policy brings political and propaganda dividends both domestically and abroad, it will be pursued with recurring ups and downs. Bringing of the action perfectly fits into that scenario. Symptomatically, the Georgian officials emphasized that through their statements. Europe and the USA would help Georgia to win the lawsuit
Eurasian Home: “Does the action mean that the position of Georgian “hawks” (adherents of the worsening of the relations with Russia) has strengthened?”
The so called “hawks” exist in any government and the Georgian government is not an exception from the rule. They have existed before as they do now. After the main “hawk”, former Ministry of Defense Irakly Okruashvili, who by his clumsy actions was rather harmful than helpful to Georgia, had left the government, the “hawks” in Saakashvili’s entourage began to act in more refined ways. And, in my opinion, the action under discussion is a good example of the new tactics.
March 30, 2007
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