Ah yes, Russia, now in the Enlightened Era

[Blues Fairy]

It is even more amazing claiming free press does not exist. For which papers were those murdered journalists writing in Russia ? If there was no free press they would be unable to spread their message.
As for massive voter fraud, just check the reports on recent elections in Holland where similar frauds was comitted. Not exclusive to Russia or any other country.

Shadow you should read some internet blogs and Эхо Москвы, in addition to the state-run TV programming.  The Internet in Russia, luckily, is not yet shut down or heavily censored.  Although attempts to do so are already recorded - one district prosecutor in the Far East, e.g., has successfully sued to make an ISP block access to Youtube and a bunch of other websites on the grounds that "extremist" content is made available to citizens through these websites.  Free speech as is. 

As for Russia not being the only corrupt country - does that really sound like a valid excuse for continuing corruption?  BTW what was done regarding the discovered election fraud in Holland?

I don't have a particularly high opinion of the state of the freedom of speech and democracy in Europe, for that matter.  Nanny state and political correctness is pervasive. 

[Shadow]

Shadow you should read some internet blogs and Эхо Москвы, in addition to the state-run TV programming.  The Internet in Russia, luckily, is not yet shut down or heavily censored.  Although attempts to do so are already recorded - one district prosecutor in the Far East, e.g., has successfully sued to make an ISP block access to Youtube and a bunch of other websites on the grounds that "extremist" content is made available to citizens through these websites.  Free speech as is. 

Which was given plenty of time in the Russian news for being absurd.
Guess you are not watching the Russian news, hence your assumptions about it not being free.

As for Russia not being the only corrupt country - does that really sound like a valid excuse for continuing corruption?  BTW what was done regarding the discovered election fraud in Holland?

Votes were recounted and all was covered up. Just like in Russia.
As for continuing corruption, it is not just the peope who ask bribes, it is also the people who pay them that need to change.
If you are stopped by road police and you have a choice of:
A. paying 1000 rubles and go on your way
B. Taking a day off to go to the court, stand in line for 3 hours and pay 300 rubles
What is the logical thing people do ?

I don't have a particularly high opinion of the state of the freedom of speech and democracy in Europe, for that matter.  Nanny state and political correctness is pervasive. 

For what I have seen of it, it does not limit to Europe.