Fighting corruption and punishing corrupt individuals are not the same thing.
After the meeting with the security chiefs I arranged lunch for the “sharashka think-tank”: a Nobel laureate and two anti-corruption fighters. They explained the difference between a system and a reprisal. I know it myself: I was corrupted by force so I could be removed when convenient. Then I phoned my wife and hinted about the mustachioed Georgian: he needs to go home urgently, it’s dangerous here.…
Money is a formality. What’s needed is political will and guarantees of independence. We’re not here for a salary but for the chance to shape reforms. The price of this man is the leadership’s trust.
While we chase rats, the system stays the same. Whoever is in the spotlight is punished, and the rest learn to hide their schemes deeper.
The referendum is set, replies are in, guests are arriving. Electronic voting is canceled, observers have their transparency back. But the double already understands: handing out gifts is easier than handing out truth. Soon comes St. Andrew Hall, two crowns, and an unexpected quarrel between a rabbi and a patriarch.
Read the complete story in “Putin in Freezer.” This page contains only a short excerpt; the book has the rest.
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