FROM THE EDITOR
Dr. Emzar Djgerenaia
It started!
It started even earlier than we expected. The golden autumn in Georgia reeked of political demagogue.
No, we can not say we have not expected it as our politicians-forecasters and populist surveyors have long made logical forecasts saying that a show that will start in Georgia before elections will even make Moulenrouge feel jealous of. Besides, it would develop in accordance with such a tragicomic script that would even overshadow Molier. Yet, reality has surpassed our expectations as we have not anticipated such a mixture of the elements of sophism and scholastics.
I called to mind one childish anecdote: a child goes along the street and comes across a hooligan. The hooligan asked the boy to give him cigarettes “Prima”. The child answered he did not have them because he did not smoke. The hooligan got angry and beat the boy. Next day, the same hooligan meets the child again. The child gives him a package of cigarettes hoping he would not be beaten again. This time the hooligan was angry because the child did not have filter-tipped cigarettes, and he beat the boy again. On the third day the boy came across the hooligan again and gave him filter-tipped cigarettes, but then the hooligan wanted matches and beat the boy because he did not have matches. Finally, the boy put matches in his pocket and went in his usual way. When the hooligan saw that the boy had everything, he struck him because he did not have his hat on.
Yesterday, all of us criticized the government (it does not lack criticism) because it accumulated so many external debts that would become a burden on our generation. Now we and our creditors understood that notwithstanding the benefits granted to us after reconstruction under Houston terms, we will not be able to repay neither 160 million next year nor 500 millions in 2004 in the existing economic and political situation. The government started to give a thought to the way of having our debts written off. I think we are losing the sense of reality.
No, the thoughts of developed countries have really changed as they started to think of a new approach with regards to Argentina (it is considered a polygon for successful experiments of World Financial Organisations). Now a question of country’s bankruptcy is raised. It will not be tantamount to default. According to true sources, England, being the most important member of Parisian club of creditors, and large investors of the century projects in Georgia raised a question of forgiving our debts as it was in Poland. Yet, these are only suppositions and nothing else. We have started agiotage too early. It, probably, is a part of pre-election show. Today, there is hunting for broad topics ofcriticism. Debates in the Parliament have become more sharp (hand-to-hand fighting that would even Kandelaki feel jealous of, and bawdry). Political groups unite frequently, but life does not become better. Oppositional forces do not approve of anything. Moreover, the government itself becomes oppositional. And even we do not like anything. Yet, it is the best sphere for business. Think up a broad topic for criticism, and we will help to realise it at commission prices!
One will, probably, ask: what does economy have to do with it? There is no time for economy with there being terrorists in Russia, a sharp-shooter in America and nearing elections in our country! By the way, my driver has recently asked me about the debt: “What do you think about struggle for debts on TV and Houston-Nepal variant? Which is better?” I ask: “And what do you think?” He answers: “If you are interested in my opinion, .I would say that Nepal is closer to us. We have much in common with Italians. That is why I think Nepal is better”. Who knows? The driver might be right, his opinion is competent. But, really, why did not the boy have his had on in that autumn?