That the West can

It turns out that the West can still something. Obviously, the decision to free Khodorkovsky was due to Western pressure. Pressure long and not weakened throughout these ten years. And although Germany played the main role in this campaign, a country that seems to have a special relationship with Russia and its president personally, it was clearly visible behind the surprisingly unified position of the vast majority of democratic countries.

And the Americans, the French, the British, the Germans, the right, and the left, and the centrists - were all united in their attitude to the "Khodorkovsky problem." What is the matter? Not in an individual, of course, although Khodorkovsky won worldwide respect with his courage. Supporting it all these years, the West showed how concerned about the quality of Russian justice and relations of the state and personality in Russia. That the West considers them a big problem, and by no means not only domestic -Russian, but global. What the West understands: this case is by no means an exception, and a bright illustration of the general state of cases with the courts, law and human rights.

After all, Russia is a too big and too important country so that you can just forget about it. The lack of a right in such a state means the inability to have normal economic, financial and investment relations with it. And from the point of view of international security, this regime is also incomprehensible and unpredictable, a big headache. It is necessary to worry all the time about whether he will make something unexpected if he wishes the left heel of the supreme ruler. The situation within such a country is fraught with shocks, the threat of social explosions, unrest, new redistribution of property. Stability - apparent, short -term.

Most observers both in Russia and abroad believe that it was important for Putin to improve the country's image in front of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. May be. But David Cameron is not going to go to Sochi no matter what. True, the British premieres almost never go to the Winter Olympiads, because the British are not too strong in the appropriate sports, and such trips associate with the task of supporting their team, and only last, and then indirectly, with international politics.

On the other hand, some of Cameron expected him to make an exception and go from diplomatic politeness, since Putin came to

In Russia, a vertical system remains the former in which the sacred power of personal power replaces the sacredness of the law

London for the 2012 Summer Games. But no, it did not happen. Other leaders of large states, including presidents of the United States and France, refused to go to Russia. Almost every case for such a refusal is of plausible explanations-whether politicians or other circumstances are with employment ... Angel Merkel will not decide to go or not. Obviously, she would like to show that Putin’s gesture-the liberation of Khodorkovsky-was appreciated to some extent. But on the other hand, Merkel shares a common position. And she would like to say: we do not want an open quarrel, after which it will be difficult, if not impossible, to play back, to return to a trusting relationship. They would like to give some chance, the door remains unlocked.

But it is still impossible to open this door wide, since the vertical system remains the same, in which the sacred power of personal power replaces the sacredness of the law. This is what does not allow Russia to be a full partner. Only the pardon of Khodorkovsky and amnesty is not enough for this, we need changes in the essence of the system, and not disposable gestures.

Andrey Ostalsky - London political commentator

Opinions expressed under the heading "Law" may not reflect the point of view of the Radio Liberty editorial