Press Release, 06.06.2017

On 5 June, activists of the Pskov branch of Yabloko gathered for a rally in support of the legislative initiative (put forward by Yabloko’s Lev Shlosberg) to return citizens of Pskov and Velikiye Luky the right to independently elect their own city mayors.

Residents of Pskov brought to the rally subscription lists and put signatures in support of the bill during the rally.

Speaking at the rally Lev Shlosberg, leader of the Pskov Yabloko and MP of the regional Assembly, noted that the introduction of the regional law on direct election of the heads of the administrations of Pskov and Velikiye Luky was one of the pre-election promises of the regional team of Yabloko in the 2016 parliamentary elections, and he fulfilled this commitment.

Lev Shlosberg recalled that in 2006 the team of Pskov Yabloko managed to conduct the first and so far the only city referendum in Russia on the structure of local self-government. On July 16, 2006, over 81 per cent of residents voted for direct elections of the head of the city administration, but the turnout low – a little over 8 per cent.

On 5 June, Shlosberg sent letters to all his colleagues in the regional parliament with a request to support the bill. “Among the deputies of the regional parliament, most live in Pskov and Velikiye Luky, and this bill gives them the opportunity to protect the electoral rights of their fellow citizens and their own,” Lev Shlosberg said.

He also added that the heads of Pskov and Velikiye Luky refused to support the bill, and did not take it out for discussion at city parliaments sessions.

However, Shlosberg’s bill got a positive a positive conclusion from the legal department of the Assembly and the regional prosecutor’s office.

The politician also said that the decision of the regional Assembly would be determined by the position of the ruling United Russia party and its parliamentary faction, which gathered for a meeting simultaneously with the rally.

“United Russia is afraid to introduce direct elections of heads of those cities where elections are more transparent, political competition is higher and where is less opportunity for fraud in voting,” Shlosberg noted.

“We will not cease our efforts, regardless of what decision the regional Assembly will take tomorrow. Sooner or later, direct elections of the heads of Pskov and Velikiye Luky will be returned,” Shlosberg stressed and thanked everyone who put and collected signatures.

Dmitry Permyakov, Deputy Chairman of the Pskov Yabloko, said that he was a volunteer during the 2006 referendum. He noted that the results of voting at the session of the Pskov Regional Assembly would most likely be negative, as United Russia would not let Yabloko’s bill to pass through. “But we will not leave this issue and will try to return direct elections of the mayor,” he said.

On the evening of 5 June, about 600 citizens of Pskov and Velikiye Luky put their signatures in support of the bill on the return of direct elections of city mayors.

The Pskov Regional Assembly will consider the bill of Lev Shlosberg on Tuesday, 6 June.