Russia Lost the Case to Georgia, but...
Op-Ed
Georgia is rejoicing at the recent big news, but the celebration might be a little premature. The grand chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on January 31 in favor of Georgia against Russia. Good news, right? But Russia has no intention whatsoever of footing the bill: bad news! Based on the precepts of international law, Russia is legally obligated to transfer the court-imposed payment of $11.5 million to the Georgian government’s coffers for further compensation of damages suffered by the Georgian citizens who were massively, forcefully and unlawfully deported from Russia in 2006.
The expulsion of more than 1500 Georgians has served as one of the many reasons for the exacerbation of relations between the two countries right before the Russian-style blitzkrieg against her territorially beleaguered smaller neighbor. Notably, Europe’s universally respected top rights court made the final judgment based on the voting ratio of sixteen to one, that one being, unsurprisingly, the Russian judge.
Georgia filed the case against the Russian habitual belligerency and won the case, which is wonderful for us, and materially and morally devastating for the giant (which now finds itself totally flabbergasted and frustrated in the face of its international condemnation – how dare those conceited European phony justice-doers defy the authority of Russia and take the side of a nonentity like Georgia!)
Sorry, our dear former bros, but we have won the case and you have to deliver the dough before the deadline catches you napping. We also understand that it’s hard to face this obnoxious music, plus fairness of thought and logic of action go totally against your grain, but alas, sometimes you have to take reality as it is: unaltered, unaffected, untouched! This is not in your nature, we know this, but could you once, in your lifetime, take it easy and pay? The answer is no, we are aware of this too! Do you guys think the ECHR will ever make a wrong judgment and damage its good name by losing trust and face for this minor juridical effort? What is EUR 10 million for Russia after all? But Russia would not be Russia if she made the due payment in good time.
Russia is now digging into every possible constitutional passage or other legal byway to either eschew the recently imposed unexpected fiscal burden or to at least delay the final triumph of the winning side. But they do not know that procrastination is only a thief of time. Gosh, Russia can’t take it easy and she feels like killing the joy. The presumption is that Russia will not pay a dime even if she knows that she cannot escape the nasty conviction. She would rather bend over backwards to make the payment of the terribly unsavory monetary penalty null and void. Noblesse Oblige, after all – who is Georgia, this tiny piece of nothing, to make Russia legally compelled to prop up its budget? Never!
On the other hand, one might well imagine that it is not only a question of prestige for Russia. Russia might well be so broke that the payment of a misery EUR 10 million has become too heavy for her. Poor old Russia! Hey Georgians, shall we forgive? This would only boost the famous Georgian generosity. Russia needs help. The Russian pockets are no longer as deep as they once were. The well-known natural resources seller is no longer making that much money, and on top of that, the recently reinstated arms race in the expectation of the newly invented cold war era might cripple Russia financially so much that not only will she not pay us the due recompense, but she might actually ask for help. Oh no, God, don’t do this to Russia, please because, based on our nature, we might not be able to refuse. There might be another trick up the Georgian sleeve though – how about trading our occupied territories to waive the debt?
By Nugzar B. Ruhadze
The ECHR. Source: 02varvara.wordpress.com