Press release, 1.07.2016
The 19th Congress of the YABLOKO party has launched the electoral programme of the party today, on July 1.
“The party programme is addressed to all the citizens of Russia and represents a coherent and convincing alternative, the way out of the deadlock. One of the fundamental and distinctive features of our electoral programme is that YABLOKO is “the party of peace”, YABLOKO Chair Emilia Slabunova noted.

According to Emilia Slabunova, another distinctive feature of YABLOKO’s programme is “the European choice for Russia”. By the European way of development YABLOKO means integration with the European society, development of democracy and tough anti-corruption legislation.

The 135 pages document contains 10 points, each point was developed by professionals, both party members and non-party experts.

“A person who lives in Russia stands in the centre of all our proposals,” Chair of YABLOKO Federal Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky said. In practice such policy means the ability to think how your decisions influence the lives of real people.

“Respect for a person is a programme code to the future. The ability to realize this code is the moving force of all the changes. There will be no democracy without respect, there will be no effective economy without trust, there will be no modern Russia without respect and love,” YABLOKO leader said.

The programme proposes an alternative concept of patriotism based on security, well-being and respect for the people.

The party intends to make serious amendments to the distribution of powers between the party branches. This way, YABLOKO claims that presidency must be limited by two terms in office, the term limit of a president and State Duma deputies must be cut [from 6 and five years] to 4 years; the Council of Federation (the upper House of Parliament) must be elected directly. The authority to prepare the budget and form a government should be transferred to the parliament.

According to YABLOKO, the judicial system should be reformed as well. The programme contains a point on the appointment of magistrates by elections and appointment of federal judges by the Council of Federation.

YABLOKO insists that the vote threshold must be lowered [from 5] to 3 per cent.

The document declares the principle of demilitarization of the country: military cutback to 800 thousand [servicemen] and transition to a contract based system, legislative limitation on budgetary defence expenditure to 3 per cent GDP. YABLOKO proposes to increase expenditures on education to 5 per cent GDP, on culture to 1,2 per cent GDP, on basic science to 2 per cent GDP at the expense of defence spending reduction. YABLOKO intends to change the tax proportion given to the federal budget by the the regions and republics: according to the delegates, half of the levy must remain in a constituent territory of the federation.

In case YABLOKO enters the parliament, the party will insist on holding an international conference on Crimea, lifting anti-sanctions and carrying a dialogue with the European Union on visa regime abolition. YABLOKO insists on empowerment of Russia’s participation in international organisations and return to the Group of Eight (G8).

YABLOKO will introduce a bill on a single compensating tax to overcome the consequences of the unjust privatisation of the 1990s and provide guarantees of  inviolability of capital. YABLOKO also plans to realise “Land-Housing-Road” programme developed by Grigory Yavlinsky.

As for the cultural sphere, the programme suggests that officials and religious figures have no right to interfere with art.

The programme has a point on environment protection. YABLOKO opposes the construction of new nuclear power plants stressing the importance of financing alternative ways of power production. The programme contains a point on cancellation of garbage incineration: the party proposes to go over to the separate collection of waste and waste disposal instead of the hazardous technology.

YABLOKO also proposes that 3,5 per cent of the defence expenditure must be spent on the space exploration.

The party intends to build up relations with the other states and media in a different way. This way the party activists claim that there must not be no state mass media, therefore today’s holding companies must be transferred into private hands.

Moreover, the party if going to legalize crypto-currency in the territory of the Russian Federation.

The 19th Congress of the YABLOKO party takes place from July 1 to July 3. The Congress is to nominate the party’s candidates for deputies of the State Duma and assign the electoral concept of the party,