General, General… Meeting

Dr. Emzar Djgerenaia

I would like to make an apology for the late publication of the first magazine number in 2002. Yet, I would like to say that our magazine still keeps to its principles and ideals – despite the tension in the economic and political situation.

As before, we try not to serve anyone’s interests, not to be anyone’s
apologist, and we try to consider all viewpoints no matter whether they are radically different from our own opinion .
Scientific political pluralism is a credo of our existence. The magazine has been and it will be serve as a stage for young economists and a tribune for famous scientific experts. We want to serve a worthy country – Georgia; to the only and the most favourable country for us; to the worthy, educated and cultural people in the whole world.
One “official” has lately been removed. He at once “rushed” to summon a “general meeting” of inhabitants of his region, then “general meeting” of inhabitants of my corner (I am from Abkhazia). There has recently been a “general meeting” of pedagogues. Now malicious gossips go about that there will be a “general meeting” of Parliament members, meeting of religious minorities”, “meeting of reformers”, “meeting of peasants”, etc. Finally, there will be a “general meeting of all meetings”.
We turned Georgia into a country of meetings and demagogue.
Organizers of these very meetings are well aware that it is nothing else but show of strength. We must show the President and western countries that we have strength – and people will follow us. This is the main thing – we do not care about the problems of simple people. Moreover, this is no more but demagogue. No one speaks of real mechanism. Where can we raise additional dozens of millions for delegates of the meeting in such economic conditions? We promise people to raise their salaries and pensions, to overcome corruption and establish democracy – is it other but demagogue? On the other hand, we officially say, “we are not interested in business”. However, business and businessmen must interest us because, in reality, they feed the country. Any policy must serve business and businessmen!
It is a good thing when people wish to reach welfare at the expense of business, but not at the expense of bribes. If one does not care for better life, then what does he aim at? Why spending so much money? What is all this Pharisaism for? Capital is “worshipped” in the whole world. Yet, we proclaim bolshevist ideas with our left-wing orientation, words and business in Georgia. According to the data of the World Bank, 522 millions of people in South Asia, 291 millions of people in Africa, 271 millions in East Asia, 78 millions in Latin America and 24 millions in central and east Asia have income of less than 1 dollar per day. More than half of the world population (approximately 1 milliard two hundred thousands) has income amounting to less than 60 GEL per month. Yet, we want the minimal salary in Georgia to equal 80 GEL. Therefore, we mislead illegal economy to greater illegality. We are well aware that it is unreal in the given stage; we are well aware that business and private property in Georgia is not yet well developed. So what? People still prefer sweet lie and we prefer votes.
Politics and business, moreover illegal businesses are inseparable. Tell people about it! Tell them that facts like “Enron” bankruptcy occur even in very democratic and civilized countries such as the USA. “Enron” is one of the largest gas traders in America that financed both Clintons and Bushs and made money by means of purposeful machinations. This company has spent approximately 6 billion US dollars in the Congress Committees. In 1989-2000, both parties have spent 10 billion dollars on elections. Where, in which country is “pure business” made? All of us remember corruption scandal in the Euro Commission. No one in Brussels is surprised at bribes. Three years ago the whole leadership of Euro Commission and the head of the Commission Jacque Santer retired because of the Dutchman Paul Van Buite Enenli (he was the main accuser). Twenty thousands collaborators were accused of bribery then. Such scandal is now foreshadowed. The member of Anti-corruption Council of Euro Commission, German Gabriel Stauner said in his interview that nothing has been changed in Euro Commission and bribery is still a usual thing there. Experts in education system discovered a non-existing contract financed by the Euro Commission. We do not try to defend anything. Yet, the only way of struggling with corruption is introduction of market economy principles, development of business and transparent regulation of economy and budget. There is no need in describing business as fire stripping Draco and businessman as a profiteer. However, we do not want to have anything in common with the so-called business made by “the Red directors” and state officials that do not create anything new. After coming in an office under the Government, they start to delegate state functions to private firms.
What a cynicism it is to tell people that you live on a salary of 140 GEL with you paying 50 GEL for electricity, 20 GEL for gas, 10 GEL for water, and 60 GEL for telephone? Do you mean that you eat nothing?
What a cynicism it is to promise pedagogues a real increase in salaries and pensions knowing the state of our economy.
What a cynicism it is to blame someone that mass media created nervosity that made man commit a suicide whereas no one could excel you in casting aspersions on people that are not to your liking; no one could excel you in setting journalists at them. These are journalists of the “free channel” controlled by you. They describe you as an angel and all others as corrupted agents of Russia, enemies of the West and your own country. At the same time, you level with the ground those who are more superior, more decent and cleverer than you with the support of mass media. By doing so, you try to find favour in the eyes of the western friends so that they could see who really “destroys the country”, who has pro-Russian orientation and who I, “your noble knight”, fight with. Yet, you are ready to have all your political opponents eliminated, to drag your country through the mire, to inspire the Georgians with deficiency complex as if we are brute cannibals, cowards, corrupted and treacherous people. If there were a chance, you would even blame the Almighty in corruption by allegedly appealing to the discredit information.
You will launch and finance such a campaign in press that would even make Jesus Christ go through crucifixion for a second time! Who are you, cynical directors? Are you the kind of people who think about one thing, say another things and do other ones. Yet, it is a main game rule. It is a policy – the more virtuously you play and act as a Pharisee the more success you will have in politics. Policy has its own purposes and people – it is just means of achieving them. I beg your pardon, gentlemen, if I showed up your rules.
People need the truth! This truth must be imparted to them by those who have moral right to it. More than 80% population in Georgia as well as in all other developed countries of the world lives on illegal income. It has repeatedly been said. Therefore, talk about legal life must start from you, but not from tax declarations. These tax declarations are aimed at paying off political scores. Even today we appeal to the names of our opponents without having any reason for it (with rare exception) just to show the West that these very people live illegally and that these very people are opponents of reforms. In view of it, we would like to remind you that in 1946 Barni Siegel founded Los-Vegas city with the population of 5 million people at the expense of Los-Angeles Mafia. “Hilton Flamingo” founded by Barne Siegel brought him one thousand hundred millions worth profit. Just imagine how much he contributed to the budget of Nevada State and federal budget. In that desert, all population was employed in services industry. This is the very West where “Watergate”, “Enrongate”, “Irangate” and other Clinton’s donatives saw the light. We should not be cynical towards our own people – we should not publicly abuse things that we serve, things that are our life-style. We should abandon Pharisaism. No one can excel us in casting aspersions on people, in making a mountain out of a molehill and in laying information on your own country to the West. I swear to God, you are ——
Have mercy to people! This is the very people that wrote its history in golden letters even in time of misery and managed to live up till present days not by means of hostility and dissention, but thanks to the example of Tsotne Dadiani. God will punish you!
Freedom must not be a unilateral movement. I have not seen anyone preaching freedom be loyal to criticism. On the contrary, if anyone criticizes freedom, he is either “corrupted” or he is a “spy”. Why is it so “dear” and “desirable” for us? Do you really need 1000 GEL of president salary? Abandon Pharisaism!
My reasonable people, way to salvation lies through conceptual, purposeful, strategic economic program, steady political will, tireless labour and torments, unification of all nation in settling Abkhazian issue and in the idea of creating market economy. If you chance to meet a Satan in your way to the Mosaic “land of promise”, who will try to tempt you into easy settlement of problems and into quick creation of Georgia, do not even listen to him, just drive him away,.
Georgia is a country of Pharisees and “general meetings”. The death of Nugzar Sajaia will probably help us to awaken. “Both the God and the land need blood of “Peculiar People”.- wrote K. Gamsakhurdia at the beginning of last century. Perhaps, someone shed this blood for us.
Georgian economy is more like a train that ran out of fuel and rushes forward along the rails without any brakes. It is in great difficulty now. Careful, my Pharisees, do not forget that you are in the same train, too. You might become a machinist of this train that will fall into abyss leaving rails and pipeline behind.
Georgia has been country of Pharisees and “general…general…meetings” up to now.