Gorbachev raises a warning
by Irene CarpinteroMikhail Gorbachev, writes in an op-ed piece for the New York Times, that Russian risks a return to the dark days.
Russia will progress with confidence only if it follows a democratic path. Recently, there have been a number of setbacks in this regard. For instance, all major decisions are now taken by the executive branch, with the Parliament rubber-stamping formal approval. The independence of the courts has been thrown into question. We do not have a party system that would enable a real majority to win while also taking the minority opinion into account and allowing an active opposition. There is a growing feeling that the government is afraid of civil society and would like to control everything.
Weve been there, done that. Do we want to go back?
