BENDUKIDZE’S ‘BENDUNOMICA’ IS ENDANGERING THE COUNTRY, WARNS ANALYST
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 8 2007
Political analyst Soso Tsiskarishvili has severely criticized the
State Minister for Reforms Coordination, Kakha Bendukidze.
Coining the term ‘Bendunomica,’ he explained the dangers of
Bendukidze’s approach.
Bendunomica, he says, interprets the phrase "welfare for everyone"
as "welfare for the elite," which usually reads as "welfare for me
[Bendukidze]." Likewise, "shock therapy economy" becomes "surgery
without anesthesia," putting the public in great pain.
Bendunomica can be summed up by the slogan "sell everything without
a conscience," Tsiskarishvili continues, adding it does not consider
the strategic value of Georgian assets, but only the money.
Tsiskarishvili warns of encroaching Russian influence in the South
Caucasus as strategically important assets are sold to Russian
companies, suggesting that a Russian "liberal" empire is slowly
forming.
The most visible result of Bendunomica, says Tsiskarishvili, is the
level of poverty in Georgia.
Leading economist and former economy minister Lado Papava expressed
similar reservations.
He argues that it is dangerous for Georgia to have such high-level
Russian and Kazakhstani investment. Russia has already absorbed
Armenia into its "liberal" empire, he suggests, and is trying to
create a unified economical space by co-opting Georgia. He believes
Kazakhstani investments have the same political goal.