Jan 20, 2012
Putin accuses Boris Akunin of being an “ethnic Georgian”
by Inge SnipBoris Akunin, a well-known Russian writer whose real name is Grigory Chkartishvili (who has also written under the pseudonyms Anatoly Brusnikin and Anna Borisova), has been one of the main leading opposition figures in the recent protests. As one of the leaders of the recently created cultural-oppositional collective ‘League of Voters’, Akunin has been a powerful voice in condemning the election results and a fierce promoter of openess in the democratic process.
In a recent article by Akunin on TOL, he argues that although he is not a politician, merely a writer, he nevertheless believes he should stand up for free and fair elections:
I think that in 2012 Moscow (and Russia as a whole) will be the most interesting and important place on the planet. Just as a quarter century ago, during Perestroika, the eyes of the world will be upon us. The battle between a newly awakened civil society and an authoritarian regime is a thrilling spectacle to observe.
Two Russias will fight it out – the democratic and the “arrestocratic.”
Obviously, our beloved Vladimir Putin has not been charmed by the organisation or its goals, even going so far as insulting the members of the group. Or, more specifically, Boris Akunin.
At a recent press conference Vladimir Putin, enraged by a question from Echo Moskvy, made a rather long comment on the fact that Akunin, as an ‘ethnic Georgian’ would have other motives to be against the regime.
You know there are various motives based on which people act, [...] For example, we all love writer Akunin. He writes very interesting things… As far as I know, he is an ethnic Georgian.
Oh no, he is an ethnic Georgian? Brrrrr!
But, oops, Mr Putin (to channel the singular Governor Rick Perry): while Boris Akunin’s real name might be Georgian — his father is indeed Georgian — he himself was born in Russia and his mother is a Jewish-Russian. Would you hold that against him too? Or, as Akunin said himself: “Perhaps I am also a Jewish agent?”
Don’t get them started, Bora.
Related posts:
- Vladimir Putin Reads Evolutsia.Net
- Abkhazia, Georgia, and Creating Majorities by Ethnic Cleansing
- Very Mature Politics by Vladimir Putin and his BFF Yulia Timoshenko
- Georgian Wine and a Russian Boycott
- Georgian spycraft
