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Report Highlights A Democratization Decline In S. Caucasus

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  • Report Highlights A Democratization Decline In S. Caucasus

    REPORT HIGHLIGHTS A DEMOCRATIZATION DECLINE IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
    Deidre Tynan

    EurasiaNet
    June 30 2008
    NY

    States in the South Caucasus are following a trend in the former
    Soviet Union, under which abundant energy wealth is helping to grease
    the wheels of a decline in democratic values, according to an annual
    report prepared by the democratization watchdog group Freedom House.

    The report, Nations in Transit 2008, establishes benchmarks for
    democratization progress, with ratings based on a scale of 1 to 7,
    with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the
    lowest. As with the five states of Central Asia, Freedom House found
    that authoritarian practices are making headway in the Caucasus. [For
    background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

    According to the report, Azerbaijan exemplifies a brasher approach
    to governance. In an interview with EurasiaNet, Christopher Walker,
    Director of Studies at Freedom House, said Azerbaijan's energy-driven
    boom had emboldened the political elite in Baku in a new way. "I think
    the experience has been that these countries feel liberated from not
    only international pressure to reform, but from domestic pressure to
    reform. That's one of the byproducts of this 'paradox of plenty,'"
    Walker said.

    There were no elections in Azerbaijan in 2007, and no progress in
    efforts to increase the participation of the opposition parties in
    the electoral process either, the report stated. "The lack of any
    significant changes on the legislative or policy environment leaves
    Azerbaijan's rating for electoral process unchanged at 6.50."

    Azerbaijan's rating for independent media also stagnated at 6.25 with
    journalists facing harassment, arrest, fines and imprisonment. The
    report added; "local governance in Azerbaijan is not democratic, as
    the government continues its practice of directly appointing local
    administrators." The country's score in this category remains 6,
    as does the country's overall democracy score.

    Azerbaijan made efforts towards creating a more transparent society
    in 2007 but the report says more time is needed to determine if
    the government's initiatives are setting a "long-term trend that is
    sustainable independent of international pressure." Political control
    of anti-corruption investigations remains tight. The country's rating
    for corruption was 6.25.

    The rating for judicial framework and independence remained at
    5.75. Judges continue to enforce trial processes that violate civil
    and political liberties and in turn, the government holds "substantial
    authority" over the judiciary.

    Armenia, with an overall score of 5.21, saw its rating for electoral
    process for 2007 slightly improve, but it saw stagnation or decline
    in every other category. The score for electoral process rose to 5.50
    on the back of improved parliamentary elections in May 2007 although
    there were still "significant shortcomings."

    According to the report, changes to the electoral code allowed for
    a fairer electoral process. "However, some parties exploited unclear
    legislation related to campaign financing to their advantage, and the
    counting and tabulation of votes remained problematic," it said. The
    violence associated with Armenia's 2008 presidential election will be
    taken into account in Freedom House's 2009 findings. [For background
    see the Eurasia Insight archive]

    Cronyism and rampant corruption hamper democratic reforms in Armenia
    the report said. The President's grip on power is still steadfast while
    a series of new laws for improved governance wait to come into effect,
    the report says. Armenia did not take "concrete steps toward a more
    accountable political system and more even distribution of the balance
    of power." Armenia's rating for national democratic governance stays
    at 5.25, its rating for judicial framework and independence declined
    slightly from 5.00 to 5.25.

    Georgia's democratic credentials took a significant beating in 2007
    exposing weaknesses in its institutions, report says. Its democracy
    score fell from 4.68 to 4.79. President Mikhail Saakashvili's handling
    of widespread popular discontent last year is roundly criticized
    and as a result, Georgia's electoral process, independent media and
    national democratic governance ratings all fell. [For background see
    the Eurasia Insight archive].

    Opposition protests followed by a state of emergency in November
    and ongoing territorial disputes reveal Georgia's inherit
    instability. "Reflecting the political crisis caused by mass rallies
    and the resulting setback to Georgia's unbalanced system of governance,
    the rating for national democratic governance is downgraded from
    5.50 to 5.75," the Freedom House report stated. The nine-day state
    of emergency and the temporary closure of Imedi TV were also serious
    setback. The rating for independent media in Georgia falls from 4
    to 4.25.
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