Financial Times: Saakashvili’s choice

Financial Times published an editorial entitled “Saakashvili’s choice” . According to it Ever since he came to power in Georgia’s “Rose revolution” in 2003, Mikheil Saakashvili has generally basked in western approval .
In a region cursed with corrupt and authoritarian governments he has taken a different path, seeking to turn what was only recently a near-failed state into a modern European democracy.
The pace of change has been such that Mr Saakashvili even dreams of anchoring his country one day in the EU and Nato. But on the eve of crucial elections, his halo has slipped.

The release of videos showing prisoners being tortured and sexually abused by their guards has been timed to cause maximum damage. That does not make them any less serious. Rumours of harsh practices in jails have long circulated, but even hard-bitten Georgians were shocked. After the opposition produced the films, Mr Saakashvili scrambled to limit the fallout, removing two ministers, sacking prison guards and promising prosecutions. However, his actions have not stemmed street protests – especially in the capital, Tbilisi.
In part, these reflect wider concerns about Georgia’s judicial system. Since the revolution, the country has operated a system of institutionalised rough justice. The courts have a near 100 per cent conviction rate, and the prison population is among the largest per capita in the world. Many cases are settled by plea bargain, with the accused preferring to pay fines rather than face the courts.
All this was once justified by the need to combat Georgia’s mafia-riddled society. Now, critics claim, they exist to allow an increasingly authoritarian regime to bear down on opponents. The opposition has sought to use this disquiet, citing allegations of unfair treatment at authorities’ hands. If true, Mr Saakashvili is playing a dangerous game. A botched poll would be meat and drink to his critics in Russia, while making it harder to reach out to the provinces Georgia lost after the 2008 war.
Whatever the truth of specific allegations, and the president denies opposition claims, he must lay such concerns to rest. The jails scandal must be investigated thoroughly and judicial reforms delivered. Most importantly, the election must be free and fair.
In its enthusiasm for Mr Saakashvili’s achievements, the west has sometimes overlooked blemishes in his regime. A more vocal approach is needed now. If Mr Saakashvili is to realise his western dreams, he must be held to the standards he claims to embody.