Judicial McMafia

Misha Glenny says in "McMafia" that the collapse of Communism has led to exponential growth in organized crime around the world. The crime lords, he says, are good capitalists and have expanded like McDonald's, Nike or Shell. The most sought-after destinations of the Russian oligarchs and organized-crime syndicates were Poland, the CR and Hungary, he notes, in part because they were fast-tracked to join the EU. Organized crime and corruption flourish in regions and countries where public trust in institutions is weak, Glenny says. Without the help of the police and courts, organized crime can't flourish. Public trust in institutions in the CR is indeed weak, and the existence of a judicial mafia has now been confirmed by a court. Politicians concerned about the rule of law would see last week's court decision as an opportunity to make inroads against all mafias, but the initial reaction of the ruling politicians suggests that their interests lie elsewhere.