Statement by the Public Constitutional Council

Novaya Gazeta, 11.03.2020

The decision on Putin’s irremovability as President of the Russian Federation, adopted at his proposal by the State Duma today, represents usurpation of power. This decision is unconstitutional.

The cancellation of the presidential terms of Vladimir Putin, that is, allowing Putin to be in the post of President for another 12 or 16 years under the pretext of amending the Constitution, is nothing more than a gross violation of the current Basic Law and cynical neglect of Russian laws.

The very process of “submitting” this initiative – the proposal to “reset the term” of the presidential powers, voiced by MP Valentina Tereshkova, as well as the immediate consent of Vladimir Putin to this represent a tragicomic performance.

If the decision on the virtual irremovability of power in the Russian Federation is finally adopted, it will mean the destruction of the entire legal basis of Russian statehood in order to preserve the nomenclature clans that were formed and the authoritarian, deeply corrupt system as a whole.

The Public Constitutional Council and the Yabloko party insist that the ongoing reforms of the public administration system are unlawful and express a resolute protest.

We urge the citizens of Russia to express their disagreement with constitutional arbitrariness and lawlessness in all forms envisaged by law.

Yevnegy Gontmakher

Leonid Nikitinsky

Vladimir Ryzhkov

Grigory Yavlinsky

Marina Agaltsova

Ivan Bolshakov

Valery Borschyov

Yevgeny Bunimovich

Boris Vishnevsky

Valentine Gefter

Alexander Gnezdilov

Gennady Gudkov

Lev Gudkov

Yelena Dubrovina

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Yuri Korgunok

Yuri Kostanov

Arkady Lyubarev

Andrey Medushevsky

Grigory Melkonyants

Igor Nikolayev

Vadim Prokhorov

Nikolai Rybakov

Emilia Slabunova

Viktor Sheinis

Lev Shlosberg

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It should be noted that it is the Public Constitutional Council that develops alternative amendments to the Constitution, which have been and will be submitted by deputies from Yabloko to the regional parliaments.