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Ecology
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| Protection
of Environment and Environmental Safety |
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Documents
Press releases
Publications |
Press
releases and Publications |
| YABLOKO
conducted a picket by the Russian Atomic Energy Agency
against construction of nuclear power stations abroad
on the Russian federal budget money
Press Release, April 26, 2013
Every year on April 26, the anniversary
of the Chernobyl disaster, YABLOKO has been conducting
an action by the Russian Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom)
to commemorate those who died, express sympathy for
those who got sick in this tragedy and remind everyone
of the consequences of nuclear energy sector.
The danger of explosion has not been the only issue
for the past years, the topic of distribution of budgetary
funds by Rosatom has also been touched. This time
YABLOKO has protested against Rosatom’s plans
to spend billions of dollars of budget money on construction
of nuclear power plants’ abroad.
Rosatom plans to invest USD 20 billion in the economy
of Turkey to construct and operate the Akkuyu nuclear
power plant. Turkey’s economy will receive this
colossal amount of money from Russia’s taxpayers
without any counter profit for Russia. Rosatom also
plans to construct a nuclear power plant in Vietnam
which will cost USD 10 billion. India, China, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Egypt and even Bangladesh with its unstable
situation and some other countries are next in turn
for Russia’s budgetary funds via Rosatom...
|
| The
authorities in Kemerovo feared Acad. Alexei Yablokov’s
lecture
Press Release, April 4, 2013
On April 3 Acad. Alexei Yabloko, Chair
of YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction and member
of YABLOKO’s Political Committee, delivered
a public lecture "Environmental problems of Russia"
in the Kemerovo business center and held an informal
meeting with representatives of public and scientific
organisations during his trip to the Kemerovo region.
Alexei Yablokov’s visit aroused
concern of the local authorities: a formal invitation
to deliver two lectures on environmental issues in
the Kemerovo State University was withdrawn, as the
“lecture halls were occupied”. The second
public lecture by Alexei Yablokov "Ecology and
Health" scheduled at the Business Center for
April 4 was cancelled a few hours before it had to
begin due to the "collapse of the ceiling in
the conference room"...
|
| YABLOKO’s
inspection: construction of the country cottage of
ex Defence Minsiter Serdyukov in a natural reserve
is almost finished, the second country cottage of
Governor Tkachyov will be built soon
Press Release, March 22, 2013
Today YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin
has held a public inspection of the so-called "Serdyukov
cottage" in the Big Utrish natural reserve area.
The inspection was held within the framework of Mitrokhin’s
visit to the Krasnodar region. Alexei Yegorov, leader
of the Anapa branch of YABLOKO and candidate for the
Mayor of Anapa, and Andrei Rudomakha, leader of the
regional branch of YABLOKO also participated in the
inspection.
The participants of the inspection have personally
observed that construction of the cottage in a natural
reserve went on despite the resignation of Anatoly
Serdyukov fromk his ministerial post. In 2009, the
site was transferred to the Ministry of Defence for
"placement of a navigation station" there.
However, mysteriously, construction of a luxury villa
instead of a radar began at the site. The contractor
was Serdyukov’s son-in-law Valery Puzikov. Presumably
the villa is being built for him...
YABLOKO also carried out an inspection of another
plot of land: not far from "Serdyukov’
villa" there may soon emerge the second villa
of Governor Tkachyov. According to the activists of
the regional branch of YABLOKO, the site in the natural
reserve Big Utrish was transferred into property of
the Stroibeton company. Most likely the owner of the
cottage will be Governor of the Krasnodar Territory
Alexander Tkachyov. Such a scheme – transfer
of land into property of some firms controlled by
him – Tkachyov had already used in the construction
of his first summer cottage in the Blue Bay.
Sergei Mitrokhin is visiting Anapa to support Alexei
Yegorov, YABLOKO’s candidate for the post of
the city mayor. The elections will be held on March
24. Sergei Mitrokhin appealed to the Central Electoral
Commission so that the Commission ensure lawful voting.
|
| YABLOKO’s
Maxim Petlin is a political prisoner
Press Release, March 21, 2013
"Maxim Petlin can be considered
a political prisoner," YABLOKO leader Sergei
Mitrokhin commented on the sentence to Maxim Petlin,
leader of the Sverdlovsk Region branch of YABLOKO
and deputy of the Yekaterinburg City Duma.
"We believe that the sentence is based on a case
fabricated by the investigators with gross procedural
violations. Petlin’s activities targeted at
exposing corruption launched his prosecution,"
said Mitrokhin.
According to Mitrokhin, the court acts "in the
interest of the clans controlling the city and influencing
not only on the city, but also the regional Federal
Security Service departments, the prosecutor's office
and the court"...
|
| Mitrokhin
on the attempted murder on Cossack chieftain Nesterenko:
shooting of those fighting against criminal authorities
has begun in the Krasnodar Territory
Press Release, February 22,
2013
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin believes
that the attempted murder on Nikolai Nesterenko, Deputy
Ataman of the Anapa City Cossack Community, demonstrates
a qualitatively new stage of confrontation between
public activists and criminal authorities of the Krasnodar
Territory.
Attempted murder on Nikolai Nesterenko was committed
in Anapa on February 22. A killer opened fire on the
car of the Cossack. Nesterenko was wounded and his
driver Viktor Zhuk was killed. Nikolay Nesterenko
is one of the leaders of the civil society in Anapa.
For many years he has been fighting against unlawfulness,
violation of citizens’ rights and abuse of power by
businessmen and officials in the city.
"Earlier they have exerted pressure
on public activists in different forms, including
their unlawful conviction on trumped up criminal cases,
but now we can say that, that they begin shooting
the most active public figures who do not let them
to do lawlessness," said YABLOKO’s leader... |
| After
YABLOKO’s rally acting Governor of the Moscow
Region sent the General Plan of Balashikha Development
back for revision
Press Release, February 21,
2013
Andrei Vorobyov, acting Moscow Region
Governor, agreed with the demands put forward during
YABLOKO’s manifestation and rally and sent the
General Paln of the Balashikha City Development for
revision.
He made such a statement at his meeting with residents
of the city. The manifestation and rally organized
by the YABLOKO party were in the city in the past
weekend. Participants of the rally marched in the
centre of the city. "The new General Plan is
a shame of Balashikha" was written on the banner
carried in front of the column.
"The Plan aroused outrage of the city residents
by its absolute negligence of the needs of citizens
and its cynical approach to the urban policy,"
Vladimir Konnov, the leader of the Balashikha branch
of YABLOKO said at the rally...
|
| Environmentalists
on the Sochi Olympic Year loudly announced by the
governments
Press Release, February 10,
2013
On February 7, the
day of celebration of the "Year of the Olympic
Games" in Sochi, environmentalists from the Kudepasta
village opposing the construction of the Kudepsta
thermal electric power station in the area and YABLOKO
activists of the Sochi branch of YABLOKO conducted
an action targeted at drawing public attention to
the environmental problems in the region and maintaining
of healthy environment...
|
| YABLOKO
collects signatures against destruction of a unique
Sochi park
Press Release, February 6,
2013
The Sochi branch of the YABLOKO party joined
the campaign for collection of signatures under an
appeal to the federal and regional authorities to
preserve the unique park Southern Cultures, as an
asphalt concrete factory is being built by the park.
The construction site is located within
the buffer zone of the park. A walk among 60 rare
trees enlisted in the Red Book which has become a
place interest in Sochi is used now as a road for
trucks. And cutting of trees has been going on.
In 2012, the Federal Property Management
Agency (Rosimuschestvo) transferred the Southern Cultures
Park to the Ministry of Natural Resources. However,
in the process of transfer it turned out that a 250-meter
walkway connecting the park with the sea shore, was
not part of the park any more and was in the disposal
of the city administration...
|
| Sochi
2014 Winter Olympics: A Celebration of Human Body
and Spirit or Complicity in Crimes?
North Caucasus Environmental
Watch. Open Letter to the International Olympic Committee
(IOC), February 11, 2013
...A unique environment is being damaged
irreparably over a large area. According to our information,
functionality of approximately 2000 hectares of the
Greater Sochi had been radically changed; radical
land expropriation, destruction of natural landscapes
and appearance of anthropogenic landscapes have taken
place. First of all, this concerns the Mzimta river
valley (deforestation) in the area of construction
of a combined railroad and highway Adler – Alpinka
Service and Imeretinskaya valley, where substantial
agricultural lands and wetlands were replaced by compensation
housing construction and by transportation infrastructure
and storage facilities. Some of the territories of
the Western Caucasus (UNESCO World Heritage site)
were removed from World Heritage protection, natural
heritage sites are being destroyed, and crushed-stone
quarries are mined in the reserve areas of the national
park. That is, diverse ecosystems were damaged practically
irreparably. New threats of landslides, erosion, avalanches,
and mudslide have appeared on the slopes of mountain
ridge Aibga as a result of continuing deforestation
and construction of ski trails, chair lifts and other
objects. Disappearance of specific natural habitats,
even when there are analogous remote natural habitats,
of numerous plant and animal species in Sochi is reaching
critical levels and is leading to local extinction
of the species, which, in its turn, is leading to
impoverishment of biodiversity. This is a consequence
of the inability of the affected species to migrate
across regions unfit for their survival... |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin: Moscow Mayor Sobyanin must sack Chief Architect
of Moscow who advocates abolishing of public hearings
Press Release, January 15,
2013.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed
his satisfaction with the call of Moscow Mayor Sergei
Sobyanin to the deputies of the Moscow City Duma to
preserve the institute of public hearings on different
construction and development projects in Moscow. Earlier,
the Public Advisory Council of Political Parties under
the Moscow City Duma severely criticized the amendments
introduces by the ruling United Russia and targeted
at cancelling of public hearings.
Mitrokhin also noted that the "attempt
to cancel public hearings has clearly revealed the
utter incompetence of the Moscow City Duma which is
ready to obey any orders from the Moscow government,
no matter how senseless and harmful for the Muscovites
it could be"... |
| YABLOKO
demands actions from the Krasnoyarsk government on
the Boguchanskaya Hydroelectric Power Station
Plotine.net, December 21,
2012.
On December 20, representatives of
non-parliamentary parties spoke to the deputies of
the Krasnoyarsk Region Legislative Assembly. Oksana
Demchenko, Chair of the Krasnoyarsk regional branch
of YABLOKO, urged the lawmakers to oblige the owners
of the Boguchanskaya Hydroelectric Power Station to
evaluate and compensate for the damage caused to the
environment and local people, as well as conduct an
environmental assessment of their further development
of the Lower Angara River area.
According to Demchenko, the creation of powerful new
industries in the area (an aluminum plant, a timber
complex and wood-chemical and pulp and paper mills)
is impossible without a strategic environmental assessment,
otherwise the present practices of development of
the territories will inevitably lead to an imbalance
between the industrial development and the environment.
"The lack of a strategic environmental assessment
of the investment projects does not allow to create
a model of a rational use of natural resources in
the region," she said in her speech. Oksana Demchenko
also recalled that six weeks ago, the federal Political
Council of the YABLOKO party sent a special message
to the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk region,
noting disturbing examples of negligence of the standards
of social and environmental responsibility in the
Lower Angara area...
|
| We
demand that prosecution of Suren Gazaryan be stopped
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
December 21, 2012.
The Russian United Democratic Party
YABLOKO expresses a categorical protest against the
prosecution of Suren Gazaryan and putting him on the
federal wanted list. Suren Gazaryan is a well-known
environmentalist, an organizer of public actions against
outrageous environmental violations in the Krasnodar
region, the initiator of the resonance investigations
of unlawful construction of permanent facilities in
the natural reserves, Gazaryan plays an important
role in the socio-political life of the region and
criminal prosecution of Gazaryan represents nothing
but a revenge of the authorities to him for his civil
and political activity...
Considering the prosecution of Suren
Gazaryan politically motivated, the YABLOKO party
demands from Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigative
Committee of Russia, to check the actions of his subordinates
in the Krasnodar region who have been fabricating
the second criminal case against Suren Gazaryan on
absolutely fictitious grounds.
YABLOKO calls on all opposition forces,
all the honest people to switch into the campaign
in defence of Suren Gazaryan. Let us not allow the
authorities to imprison him!
|
| A
picket in support of Suren Gazaryan held in Kazan
Press Release, November 27,
2012.
On Saturday activists of the YABLOKO
held a picket in support of YABLOKO’s Suren
Gazoryan facing several years of imprisonment for
standing up against Governor Tkachyov’s unlawful
seizure of public lands in the Black Sea Coast.
About 15 people participated in the
picket in Kazan. Nailya Biktimirova, representating
of the Social-Ecological Union, said that this summer
she met with Gazaryan in Moscow at the award ceremony
of the Presidential Council for Civil Society Development
and Human Rights. At that time Gazoryan was sentenced
to three years of probation for graffiti and “damaging”
of the fence around Governor’s cottage built
on public land. However, a new case against Gazaryan
may lead to his imprisonment, as accordikng to the
investigators, YABLOKO’s activist had allegedly
threatened to kill the three guards of the so-called
Putin’s Palace.
"I think any environmental activist
may be imprisoned now, as the authorities have been
trying to defend the territory they did not have any
right to sale and develop,” said Naila Biktimirova...
|
| Sergei
Mitrokhin: Governor of the Krasnodar Territory Alexander
Tkachyov much be charged with negligence in the case
of a flood in Krymsk resulting in many victims
Press Release, November 27,
2012.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin said
that not only officials from district and city governments,
but also officials from the Krasnodar Territory Administration
and Governor of the Krasnodar Territory Alexander
Tkachyov much be charged with negligence in the case
of a flood in Krymsk resulting in many victims.
“I am satisfied with the fact that a charge
was brought against the local authorities, but this
is not enough. We have convincingly shown that the
regional authorities have failed to implement their
duties, however, none of the officials incurred the
responsibility. Why Governor Tkachyov guilty of criminal
negligence should remain in his post for another five
years endangering the population of his territory?
“ Mitrokhin said...
|
| The
authorities want to put YABLOKO’s candidate
to the Mayor of Krymsk into prison
Press Release, November 23,
2012.
Yugeny Vitishko, a renowned environmentalist
and civil rights activist, member of the Regional
Council of the Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO and member
of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch, is running
for the post of head of the Krymsk District in South
Russia (the district which suffered from a large flood
this summer) from the YABLOKO party. The elections
will be held on December 9.
This summer, Vitishko was sentenced due to fraudulent
evidence to three years probation for the "damage
to the fence" around the Governor Tkachyov’s
cottage. The lands under the cottage and the fensed
beach nearby still registered as public are virtually
in the Governor’s property. Now new charges
are invented so that to withdraw a strong candidate
from the election campaign. The authorities threaten
to replace a suspended sentence by a real imprisonment...
|
| YABLOKO
and Muscovites inspected Ostankino park
Press Release, November 19,
2012.
Activists of the YABLOKO party, led
by party leader Sergei Mitrokhin, together with the
residents of the Ostankino district, Moscow, held
a public inspection of natural and historical park
Ostankino.
The inspection revealed a large number of violations
of environmental legislation in the interests of unknown
businesses and officials from the administration of
the park and the city authorities...
|
| Do
not write on a non-existing fence
Gogol.tv,
November 19, 2012
Suren Ghazaryan, PhD, is a speleologist
and biologist studying bats in the Institute of Ecology
of Mountain Territories of the Kabardino-Balkar Research
Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member
of the Northern Caucasus Environmental Watch non-governmental
prganisation. His and Yegeny Vitishko’s participation
in the public campaign against the seizure of forest
and coastline at the Black Sea (near the village of
Dzhubga) by Governor of the Krasnodar Territory Alexander
Tkachyo resulted in criminal prosecution against Ghazaryan
and Vitishko and three years of a suspended sentence
for the "damage to property" ("This
is our forest", "Alexander is a thief!"
was written on the fence around the Governor’s
cottage).
However, earlier environmentalists
had got several answers from the Public Prosecutor’s
Office where the latter had been denying the existence
of any fence around the Governor’s cottage located
at unlawfully seized public lands... |
| A
Russian Deja-Vu. The Political Development and the
Objectives of the YABLOKO party
Sergei Mitorkhin's
lecture in the British Parliment. London,
November 12, 2012
...Soon it will turn a year since
the beginning of mass protest rallies in Russia. For
many people these rallies meant hopes for rapid democratic
changes. Frankly speaking, I have never shared such
an optimistic point of view.
For me, it was clear that Vladimir
Putin would consider the awakening of the society
as disorders and side-affects of the "liberalization"
carried out by ex President Dmitry Medvedev. And this
meant that Putin’s only possible response to the mass
protests could be "tightening the screws"
or, in other words, increase of reprisals.
This is how Vladimir Putin’s regime
tries to avoid the fate of his Middle Eastern counterparts.
Obviously, Putin has been very concerned of the fates
of his colleagues from the Arab world, and this makes
him take up preventive measures against the Arab Spring
scenario in Russia... |
| On
YABLOKO’s initiative the Congress of European
liberals condemned reprisals against Russian opposition
Press Release, November 10,
2012.
The Congress of the Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) adopted an urgency
resolution “On reprisals against YABLOKO activists
and dissenters in Russia”.
The resolution was submitted by YABLOKO
leader Sergei Mitrokhin who was delegate of the Congress.
ALDE (the earlier name ELDR) joins
together all the European liberal and democratic parties.
The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO has been
full member of ALDE since 2006. The ALDE Congress
is held in Dublin, Ireland, on November 8-10, 2012.
The resolution marks a new wave of reprisals in Russia
against opposition activists and all dissenters against
the present government’s policies against the
backdrop of the curb on human rights and freedoms;
suppression of the freedom of speech; use of the law
enforcement and the judiciary as a tool for reprisals”.
The ALDE Congress called on the ALDE groups to raise
the issue in the European Parliament and the Council
of Europe and draw the attention of the Russian government
to the inadmissibility of persecutions for criticism...
|
| On
reprisals against YABLOKO activists and dissenters
in Russia
Urgency Resolution submitted
by the YABLOKO party and adopted by ALDE Congress
on November 9, 2012
ALDE
Noting
- a new wave of reprisals in Russia
against opposition activists and all dissenters against
the present government’s policies against the
backdrop of the curb on human rights and freedoms;
suppression of the freedom of speech; use of the law
enforcement and the judiciary as a tool for reprisals;
- persecution against YABLOKO activists
and candidates to the regional parliament Suren Gazaryan
and Yenegy Vitishko, who have been charged with a
criminal offence that could lead to their imprisonment
for criticising Krasnodar Region Governor Alexander
Tkachev for his unlawful seizure of public lands and
their fight for human rights and environmental safety
in the region
Calls
- On the ALDE groups to raise the
issue in the European Parliament and the Council of
Europe and draw the attention of the Russian government
to the inadmissibility of persecutions for criticism,
in violation of Russia’s obligations relating
to its membership of the Council of Europe and in
direct contrast with the statements of the Russian
authorities on adherence to democratic values;
- On the Russian government to stop
the reprisals against Gazaryan and Vitishko and revoke
the unlawful court decisions against them and punish
those guilty of giving false evidence and prosecutions.
|
| YABLOKO
leader spoke at the Moscow Perspectives forum
Press Release, October 27,
2012.
On October 27, YABLOKO leader Sergei
Mitrokhin participated in the socio-political forum
Moscow Perspectives organized by the Democratic Choice
party. Other reports on the prospects of Moscow development
were made by representatives of the Moscow Mayor Office,
political parties, as well as research centres and
business associations.
Vladimir Milov, organizer of the Forum
and leader of the Democratic Choice party, told about
the need to involve Moscow residents in the solution
of the different tasks. Milov stated that municipalities
lacked real power and bureaucratisation of the city
prevented development of small and medium businesses
and, consequently, the middle class – the major
contributor to the city budget. According to Milov,
there is a need of a dialogue between the society
and experts with the city administration so that to
create a strategy of Moscow development. "Moscow
can set the right direction to the rest of Russia",
said Vladimir Milov...
"The Moscow government in Moscow should create
a platform for a dialogue with the public about the
development of the city. Public hearings are a good
method here. But the chief architect of the city and
Sergei Sobyanin [the Moscow Mayor] government apparently
believe that Muscovites are not ready for this and
do not conduct hearings on the most important issues
of Moscow development, " Mitrokhin stressed...
|
| Police
are trying to disrupt the meeting of Sergei Mitrokhin
and YABLOKO’s candidates for the forthcoming
elections with the residents of Ilsky village
Press Release, September 28,
2012.
A meeting of YABLOKO’s candidates
to run in the regional and local elections (the voting
day on October 14) with the residents of the Ilsky
village, the Krasnodar Territory, is taking place
now. According to YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin,
provocateurs from the local administration and the
police are trying to disrupt the meeting.
The main issue of the meeting is the
discussion of the situation around environmentally
unfriendly Ilsky refinery, which is a factor of serious
pollution in the area. Expansion of the plant and
violation of environmental standards have led to a
sharp increase of morbidity in the area and growth
of the death rate. All this provokes fair indignation
of the local population. The residents of the area
demand that unlawful expansion of refinery should
be stopped. |
| A
leader of public movement against the construction
of the Kudepstinskaya thermal plant dies under unclear
circumstances
Press Release, September 12,
2012.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed
condolences to the family and friends of Anatoly Makhnovsky,
Chairman of the Territorial Council of local self-government
for Kudepsta residential district, who suddenly died
yesterday.
Makhnovsky, aged 70, died on September
11 about 1 p.m. under unclear circumstances.
According to one of the versions,
he was talking to a local woman at a bus stop, stumbled,
fell down, hit his head and died. However, there is
additional information: two police officers were standing
next to him and their role was unclear. Moreover,
a folder with documents on the disputed Kudepstinskaya
thermal plant he had with him during the accident
suddenly disappeared.
It is not ruled out that Makhnovsky’s
death was connected with his fight against the construction
of the Kudepstinskaya thermal plant...
|
| Over
500 people participated in a rally against Kudepstinskaya
heat power plant
Press Release, September 10,
2012.
On September 9, a rally against construction
of a thermal power plant in Kudepsta near Sochi brought
together over 500 residents of Sochi. YABLOKO leader
Sergei Mitrokhin asked the developer to submit the
permission documentation.
Local residents oppose the construction of environmentally
hazardous industrial facilities, the operation of
which will result in air pollution, noise and other
factors posing a serious threat to the health of tens
of thousands of residents and holiday-makers in Sochi.
Sochi administration and the Olympstroy company plan
to locate the thermal plant in the centre of a densely
populated resort area...
|
| Sergei
Mitrokhin to Governor Tkachyov: after a terrible flood
in South Russia money should be allotted to creation
of the alerting system, not only to cleaning of rivers’
beds
Press Release, August 30,
2012.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin said
that measures scheduled by the regional administration
for prevention of floods in the Krasnodar Territory
are insufficient. Yesterday Governor Alexander Tkachyov
announced that regional administration was going to
allot 3 billion rubles for cleaning and deepening
of rivers’ beds, however, he did not say anything
about creation of a system which would alert the population
in case of a coming flood...
...YABLOKO has been demanding resignation
of Alexander Tkachyov who bears full responsibility
for the consequences of the tragic July floods leading
to numerous human victims. The party is seeking a
thorough investigation into the Governor's actions. |
| YABLOKO’s
environmentalist Suren Gazaryan faces several years
of imprisonment due to a new case launched against
him
North Caucasus Environmetal
Watch. Press Release, August 30, 2012.
Russian authorities have launched
a new criminal probe against environmental activist
Suren Gazaryan after he led an inspection of a public
shore near what we believe is President Vladimir Putin's
Black Sea dacha for violations. The proceedings are
an attempt to stop the activist's efforts to expose
illegal palaces built on public funds or land and
cutting off access to a public shore...
Suren Gazaryan is required by police
to attend a session of questioning regarding the alleged
death threat on September 4. He can be kept in custody
before trial which has turned into a common practice
for persecution of Russian opposition activists. |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin: "Vladimir Putin's promise to evacuate
residents from the flooding area in Krymsk has remained
unfulfilled"
Press Release, August 26,
2012.
On August 25, YABLOKO leader Sergei
Mitrokhin held a series of meetings with the residents
of Krymsk area which suffered a terrible
flood in July.
The meetings had to identify the cases
of non-fulfillment by the authorities of their obligations
to the residents who lost their property in the flood.
People reported red tape in
getting compensation for lost property and money for
repairs, continuous “losing” by officials
of their documents submitted in order to get a compensation
and small size of compensations insufficient for repairs.
The residents resented such bureaucratic formalism
when people were denied compensation...
The police tried to debar Mitrokhin
from meeting the residents. Also several cars with
representatives of local administration followed YABLOKO
leader at the meetings. At the end Mitrokhin managed
to make the local officials cooperate in the solution
of the problems of the Krymsk residents. |
| YABLOKO
activists conducted pickets for resignation of Governor
of the Krasnodar Territory Alexander Tkachyov
Press Release, August 3, 2012.
Today YABLOKO activists conducted
a series of pickets for the resignation of Alexander
Tkachyov, Governor of the Krasnodar Territory. The
action was held by the Permanent Mission of the Krasnodar
Territory in Moscow. YABLOKO activists were standing
in turn by the Mission with slogans “Tkachyov,
go!”
“After the tragic flood in Krymsk,
[South Russia], Tkachyov have to resign. The liability
for the failure to alert the residents of the coming
flood lies directly on the government of the Krasnodar
Territory. I am ready to stand here 24 hours a day
until Tkachyov leaves post,” told Sergei Sokolov,
participant of the action and the deputy of Municipal
Council Konkovo... |
| YABLOKO:
Governor Tkachyov and government of the Krasnodar
region should be held liable for the tragedy in Krymsk
Press Release, July 31, 2012.
Governor of the Krasnodar Territory
Alexander Tkachyov, his deputies and officials of
the regional Emergency Ministry Department should
be included into suspects in investigation of the
causes of flooding in Krymsk, South Russia. Such a
statement was made by YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin
at today's press conference, which drew up the first
results of YABLOKO's investigation of the causes of
the flood.
Activists from the North Caucasus
Environmental Watch, Andrei Rudomakha, leader of the
Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO, Yugeny Vitishko, chairman
of the Tuapse branch of YABLOKO and Yugeny Pimkin,
resident of Volgograd region whose son died in a flood
in Gelendzhik trying to save people, also participated
in the press-conference. According
to YABLOKO's activists, a natural calamity coupled
with negligence of the governments lead to such a
large number of casualties in Krymsk. No system for
public notification in case of emergency had been
created in the region prone to flooding. Possible
negative consequences of economic activities in the
region that may lead to flooding had been also neglected.
The governments learned nothing from the experience
of the disaster in 2002, when a flood in Krymsk killed
62 people... |
| YABLOKO
leaders about their investigation of the causes of
dramatic flood in South Russia
Press Release, July 26, 2012.
On Tuesday, July 31, YABLOKO will
conduct press conference “Who is liable for
the catastrophic flood in Krymsk: the disaster or
the governments?” The conference will take place
in the Independent Press Centre. YABLOKO leader Sergei
Mitrokhin and leaders of the Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO
will tell about the results of their investigation
of the tragedy taking the lives of many people in
South Russia.
The participants of the press-conference:
Sergei Mitorkhin, Chairman, YABLOKO
Andrei Rudomakha, head of the Krasnodar Region branch
of YABLOKO;
Yugeny Vitishko, head of the Tuapse branch of YABLOKO.
The press-conference will begin at
1 p.m.
Address: Kropotkinskaya metro station,
Prechistinka 17/9, ground floor.
Accreditation: tel: +7 495 780 30
19 or by e-mail press@mosyabloko.ru
|
| YABLOKO
leader Sergei Mitrokhin: Governor Tkachoyv should
be among those suspected in negligence inflicting
deaths of people in the flood in South Russia
Press Release, July 22, 2012.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed
his opinion that regional government officials and
Alexander Tkachyov, Governor of the Krasnodar Region
and top officials of the regional department of the
Ministry of Emergency Situations, should be made liable
for the negligence resulting in mass victims during
the recent flood in the Krasnodar region...
In his blog Sergei Mitrokhin analysed
the legal acts related to the prevention of emergencies
in the Krasnodar region and came to the conclusion
that regional authorities did not fulfill the responsibilities
entrusted to them by law.
In particular, Governor Alexander
Tkachyov did not commission any of his deputies to
supervise the implementation of the regulations "A
system of warning and informing of the public about
the threat of emergencies". After publication
of the regulations in 2005, the control over its implementation
was entrusted to A. Ivanov, however, now there is
no such a Deputy Governor with such a name.
In addition, for the past seven years
the regional government has not allotted any funds
for creation of a system for alerting citizens about
emergencies. This should have been made from the regional
budget, however, each year, the regulations of 2005
did not contain such a clause. Also since 2005 they
have prolonged the regulations of 2005 without including
a clause on funding of the system.
"In any normal state an official
responsible for such criminal negligence would be
immediately dismissed. Only in Russia such an official
can retain his gubernatorial post for another five
years presenting a threat to millions of people living
in the region governed by him," Mirokhin wrote
in his blog. |
| Three
villages in the Krymsk District were flooded due to
uncontrolled activities of the Private Hunters’
Club
Press Release, photographs
by Andrei Rudomakha, July 19, 2012.
..."There is no doubt that economic
activity of the Private Hunters' Club played a negative
role in the flooding of Armyansky, Sheptalsky and
Novoukrainsky villages," noted EcoWatch experts.
These villages located in the valley of the Psyzh
River are outside the influence of the flood from
the Adagum River affecting Krymsk abd Nizhnebakanskaya
and Neverdjayevskaya villages. However, these three
villages were also serely affected. In addition to
destruction and damaging of housing the flood led
to human victims there.
On July 16 YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin
demanded from Yury Chaika, Public Prosecutor General,
to bring to justice the officials whose negligence
and lack of action led to flooding of three settlements
in the Krymsk district. |
| YABLOKO's
congress appealed UNESCO in view of endangered "The
Western Caucasus" World Natural Heritage Site
Press Release, June 18, 2012.
On June 17, the 17th Congress of the
YABLOKO party unanimously adopted an appeal On the
threat of the destruction of unique natural complexes
of the World Natural Heritage Site "The Western
Caucasus". The appeal is addressed to the UNESCO
World Heritage Committee that will meet for a session
in St.Petersburg in the end of June. The draft appeal
was submitted to the Congress by Andrei Rudomakha,
head of the Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO and Sergei
Mitrokhin, YABLOKO Chairman.
YABLOKO called the World Heritage
Committee to pay special attention to the critical
situation in the field of preservation of World Natural
Heritage Site "The Western Caucasus"...
|
| On
the threat of the destruction of unique natural complexes
of the World Natural Heritage Site "The Western
Caucasus"
The 17th Congress of YABLOKO,
June 18, 2012.
The Russian United Democratic Party
YABLOKO calls the World Heritage Committee at its
forthcoming session, which will be held in St.Petersburg
in late June, to pay special attention to the critical
situation in the field of preservation of World Natural
Heritage Site "The Western Caucasus".
"The Western Caucasus" based on the Caucasian
Nature Reserve is a unique natural area, that is not
only a national treasure of Russia, but also the natural
heritage of all the mankind. Throughout the period
since 1999 up to the present, when "The Western
Caucasus" was included in the list of the UNESCO
World Natural Heritage Site this object has been endangered
by different projects that could destroy it... |
| YABLOKO
leader Sergei Mitrokhin to visit Omsk
Press Release, June 9, 2012.
...On June 11, Mitrokhin will participate in the conference
of the regional branch of YABLOKO.
On June 12, he will meet students,
political scientists and other citizens in the conference
hall of hotel Tourist at 11:30. The topic of the meeting
is "Omsk on the threashold of mayoral elections".
Address: Str. Broz Tito, 2.
Then YABLOKO leader will join the
rally in support of Moscow's March of the Millions.
A public inspection on problematic
sites of the city will take place at 15:13: Ptichya
Gavan (Birds’ Harbour) – Zyelyoniy Ostrov (Green Island)
- Metro – Silicon plant.
On June 13 (at 15:00) Sergei Mitrokhin,
Alexander Korotkov, YABLOKO's candidate for mayor
of Omsk, and Tatiana Ovcharenko, renowned expert in
the field of protection of citiznes' rights in the
housing and utilities sector, will participate in
the press conference "Challenges before Omsk
on the Threashold of the Mayoral Elections".
The press conference will take place in the press
center of the Komsomolskaya Pravda paper. |
| No
to cutting of a city garden under construction of
a new parliament’s building!
Statement by the Moscow branch
of the YABLOKO party, June 1, 2012.
The State Duma Commission on construction
of a new parliament’s center announced the plans to
cut apple-trees garden at Kutusovsky prospect in the
centre of Moscow under a construction site.
YABLOKO together with the residents
of this Moscow district have repeatedly repulsed the
attacks on this old unique garden in Moscow.
The intentions of the Duma deputies
once again demonstrate that they are ready to eliminate
gardens and parks worsening living conditions of Muscovites
or take children’s playgrounds for the sake of their
own comfort.
The Moscow Regional Branch of YABLOKO
states that it and the citizens will spare no effort
so that to defend the apple garden from the deputies...
|
| Muscovites
dismantle the fence around an unlawfully seized beach
at Serebryanniy Bor
Press Release, May 30, 2012.
A meeting of the residents of the
West and North-West of Moscow who oppose unlawfully
seizure of Moscow beaches will take place in Serebryanniy
Bor on Thursday, May 31. The residents will dismantle
un unlawfully erected fence.
On May 28 YABLOKO’s public inspection
which also included environmentalists and journalists
managed to get inside the fenced territory of the
beach. (See the photo report here.) The guard of the
fenced beach was unable tell the name of the “owner”
of the beach, but said that the place was a "barbecue
site" for Federal Security Service and Interior
Ministry officers and their families...
|
| Forum
"Environmental Problems in the Political Context"
held in the Moscow Region
Press Release, May 29, 2012.
"The Green Forum: Environmental
Problems in the Political Context" was held on
the initiative of YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction in
the Moscow Region on May 28, 2012.
Representatives from 64 environmental
organizations from 35 Russian regions from Kaliningrad
to Kamchatka participated in the Forum so that to
discuss the political and environmental situation
in Russia.
YABLOKO leader Grigory Yavlinsky and
the leaders of the Green Russia faction (Acad. Alexei
Yablokov, Alexander Nikitin and Olga Tsepilova) participated
in the Forum. The discussion was also attended by
leaders of environmental organisations such as Greenpeace
Russia, the Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund,
the International Socio-Ecological Union, as well
as a number of influential regional organisations
such as Dodo, Nizhni Novgorod, Ecodefence, Kaliningrad,
Plotina.Net!, Krasnoyarsk, Bellona, St. Petersburg,
Siberian Ecocentre, Novosibirsk, the Far East Fund
for Environmental Health, Vladivostok, the Kamchatka
League of Independent Experts, the Union of Moscow
Environmental Organisations, the Union of Bashkirian
Environmentalists and the Green Branch, Yaroslavl...
|
| Pickets
in support of Gazaryan and Dutlov take part in different
Russian cities
Press Release, March 17, 2012.
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin who
is now in Novosibirsk on a working visit participated
in a series of pickets in support of the Suren Gazaryan
and Viktor Dutlov. Young activists also joined the
action in Novosibirsk.
Solidarity actions with the detained
environmentalists took place all over Russia. In Moscow,
the police detained dozens of picketers, including
four members of YABLOKO – Galina Mikhalyova, deputy
head of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO, and activists
Maya Zavyalova, Gleb Sitnikov and Oleg Rumyantsev...
|
| Maxim
Petlin, Chair of YABLOKO’s branch in Ekaterinburg,
is granted bail
Press Release, March 16, 2012.
..."I am certainly glad that
such a decision was adopted. We know that President
Medvedev whom I handed the documents on Maxim facilitated
the adoption of such a decision. These documents clearly
demonstrate that the case was framed up," Mitrokhin
said. He also added that imprisonment was an "inadequate
measure showing that the case was purely political".
According to Mitrokhin, obvious inability
of Maxim Petlin’s family to pay such a bail is the
vest evidence that there was corruption in Petlin’s
actions, and this also another indirect proof that
the accusation in corruption was absurd...
|
| Maxim
Petlin, Chair of YABLOKO’s branch in Ekaterinburg,
is granted bail
Press Release, March 16, 2012.
Judicial Board on Criminal Cases of
the Sverdlovsk Regional Court refused to extend arrest
for Maxim Petlin, leader of Ekaterinburg YABLOKO,
and granted him bail amounting to RUR 5 million. Petlin
will come out of prison after the bail will be at
the account of the Investigation Committee of the
Russian Federation in the Sverdlovsk region.
Maxim Petlin took an active part in
the fight against illegal construction of a recreational
centre in the place where a city park was. The fight
between YABLOKO and civil activists with the developer
- Forum Group - had loud public resonance. Maxim Petlin
was the victim of a provocation on the part of the
Forum Group and was accused of extorting bribes...
|
| Environmentalist
Suren Gazaryan and lawyer Viktor Dutlov get ten days
of imprisonment on a framed-up case
Press Release, March 14, 2012.
Tuapse. On March 14 Suren Gazaryan,
environmentalist and YABLOKO member, and Viktor Dutlov,
lawyer, YABLOKO member and activist of the North Caucasus
Environmental Watch, detained by the country cottage
of Governor of the Krasnodar Terriroty Tkachyov a
day earlier, got ten days of administrative arrest
for “non-obeying to the lawful orders of police”.
The judge refused to call the witnesses of the defence,
as well as to consider audio and video recordings
proving innocence of Gazaryan and Dutlov.
On March 13 Gazaryan and his attorney
Dutlov approached the Governor’s cottage so that to
inspect the “damages” (graffiti) they had allegedly
made to the fence. Such inspection was required for
their defence in court (as they were accused in damaging
the fence) and was sanctioned by the investigator.
When activists approached the fence, the guards came
out and put handcuffs on the activists. Gazaryan was
beaten by one of the guards... |
| On
the creation of a pro-Putin pseudo-green party
Statement by the Green Russia faction of the Russian
United Democratic Party YABLOKO, February
16, 2012.
On February 12, 2012, Russia's environmental
movement The Green decided to once again form an environmental
party. Its first public action was the decision to
support Vladimir Putin's candidacy at the presidential
elections in Russia. Also prior to its self-liquidation
this party had already declared its support to Vladimir
Putin. This party had also supported the decision
to import foreign radioactive waste into Russia. Obviously,
the revival of the party is aiming at supporting the
government in their fight against ecologists, rather
than change of antiecological policies in Russia.
The newly released government’s report "On the
Situation with Environmental Protection in the Russian
Federation in 2010" confirms that the quality
of environment in Russia has been deteriorating, and
respectful international ratings give Russia one of
the lowest ratings in the world as of the trends of
its environmental changes...
|
| Road
police tried to obstruct YABLOKO’s rally in the centre
of Moscow
Press Release, November 18,
2011
Road police prohibited to a private
transport company to transport participants of the
rally against building of a freight airport in Stupino
(a city near Moscow), threatening the company with
annulment of its licence. Consequently, the participants
of the rally had to go to Moscow by train being late
for the rally for half an hour, also some participants
were unprepared to go by train and stayed in Stupino.
Nikolai Kuznetsov, leader of the Stupino
branch of YABLOKO, told that they could find a transport
company only in another town, as the local companies
received a ban on transportation of people to the
rally...
|
| Putin
Awards Opposition Journalist. By Alexander Bratersky
The Moscow Times, November
2, 2011
...But the government needs to punish
the attackers to prove it is serious, said Beketov's
supporters, including Yabloko party leader Sergei
Mitrokhin and Yevgenia Chirikova, who heads the campaign
in defense of the forest.
"If they can give Misha back
his leg and the third of his brain that got smashed
away, I'm all in favor," an indignant Chirikova
said Tuesday, according to Gazeta.ru.
"But if this is just a way of
saying, 'Oh, what a nice Misha!' by the people who
have created the system that crippled him, then this
is cynicism, pure and simple," she said.
Mitrokhin said by phone that he was
sad the authorities didn't think about Beketov until
it was too late.
"The government didn't care about
him when he was lying there dying in a Khimki hospital,"
said Mitrokhin, who helped to transfer Beketov to
a better medical facility after the attack...
The
original publication by the Moscow Times
|
| Charges
brought against Eugeny Vitishko, YABLOKO candidate
to the State Duma
Press Release, October 31,
2011
Eugeny Vitishko, candidate to the
State Duma from the YABLOKO party and leader of the
Tuapse branch of YABLOKO, detained in Tuapse during
environmental action on November 30 faces charges
of violation of the border regime and violation of
the navigation rules. YABLOKO considers the detention
and the charges unlawful, as the detention of candidate
MP was held without the mandatory approval by the
Prosecutor. YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin is going
to appeal against such actions in court...
|
| Eugeny
Vitishko, candidate to the State Duma from the YABLOKO
party, arrested in Tuapse
Press Release, October 30,
2011
Eugeny Vitishko, candidate to the
State Duma from the YABLOKO party and leader of the
Tuapse branch of YABLOKO, and Eugenia Chirikova, leader
of the Movement in Defence of Khimki Forest, were
detained in Tuapse during environmental action on
November 30. Chirikova has been released by now. YABLOKO
considers the detention unlawful and demands immediate
release of Eugeny Vitishko...
|
| YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin spoke at an anti-corruption
rally in the Sverdlovsk region
Press Release, September 25,
2011
...According to Mitrokhin, the construction
company enjoyed support not only of the city parliament
which adopted corresponding amendments to the land
laws neglecting the rulings of the statutory court,
but they were also supported by the city government,
namely, Alexander Yakob, head of city administration.
“We can also see that even the governor sided
with the corrupt officials and businessmen demanding
to cancel the decision of the statutory court,”
Mitrokhin said... |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin demanded from President Medvedev to stop
unlawful construction works for Olympic Games in the
Sochi national park
Press Release, September 23,
2011
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
forwarded to President Medvedev a letter demanding
to stop unlawful excavation works in the lime-pit
the Sochi national park for construction of Olympic
facilities in Sochi. In June 2011, after his meeting
with environmentalists, Dmitry Medvedev ordered the
Russian Government and the regional government to
stop such works, however, President’s orders
have been sabotaged.
YABLOKO’s activists and activists
of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch detected
these violations. Excavation of lime in the national
park have already eliminated inhabitations of many
species of the rare plants, inflicted irreparable
damage to landscapes and fauna. However, this unlawful
pit has been guarded by the Federal Security Service.
President Medvedev learned this during
his meeting with environmentalists on June 21, 2011.
He ordered Prime Minister Putin and Alexander Tkachyov,
head of Administration of the Krasnodar Area, to stop
excavation works at the Sochi national park by August
1... |
| YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the environmental
rally in Volgograd
Press Release, September 1,
2011
On August 31 YABLOKO’s leader Sergei
Mitrokhin took part in an environmental rally organised
by the Volgograd branch of YABLOKO. The
action was held under the slogan "Let’s Return
Land and Water to People”.
According to Galina Boldyreva, Chair
of the regional branch of YABLOKO, people need protection
from those who grab coasts of rivers and water reservoirs.
During picketing YABLOKO’s activists distributed leaflets
explaining what laws were violated by raiders and
also distributed postcards in protection of the Volga-Akhtuba
flood from drying...
|
| President
Medvedev promised to study YABLOKO’s programme
“Land-Housing-Roads”
Press Release, August 30,
2011
...“From the economic point
of view, the programme is targeted at creation of
conditions for unprecedented growth of domestic demand,”
Mitrokhin said. This envisages gratuitous and mass-scale
transfer of [federal] lands to the citizens under
their housing construction and development of infrastructure
(water, gas and electricity supply), as well as construction
of roads at the expense of the federal budget, i.e.
the reserves accumulated for the recent years due
to high oil and gas prices.
“The effect from this programme
can not be overestimated from both social and political
aspects. A possibility to obtain a plot of land free
of charge from the state, e.g. 50 hundred square meters
of land and built 150 square meters of housing there
for half of its cost, - this will constitute a real
breakthrough from Russia’s economic stagnation,”
he added. Mitrokhin also noted
that, according to the estimates of party experts,
implementation of such a programme will create at
least 10 mln additional jobs and will ensure economic
growth by at least 3.5 percentage points...
|
| The
company polluting the environment at the Black Sea
coast will be held answerable for libel against environmentalists
Press Release, August 11,
2011
Environmental organisation North Caucasus
Environmental Watch with YABLOKO’s support is
going to start a law suit against PR technologists
employed by the Eurochim company (which has constructed
and launched oil shipment terminal in the resort city
of Tuapse despite loud public protests) and hold them
answerable for libel...
|
| Environmentalists’
lives endangered by the security of the “Putin’s
Palace”
Press Release, July 27, 2011
...Dressed in black uniform and with
police batons the security resembled nazies. All the
time the activists reached some road the securities
prohibited them to use it. Soon it became clear that
they received an order to “teach them a lesson”
so that to make the environmentalists keep away from
the Indokopas company and “Putin’s Palace”.
So the activists had to make a very difficult three-hours
march through the forest via a mountain pass and past
a canyon. Such a trip endangered their lives, the
activists were all bruised and bleeding when late
at night they managed to get on the road by Praskeyevka
village.
The actions by the security of the
“Putin’s Palace” were absolutely
unlawful, moreover the security on purpose endangered
the lives of the environmentalists. The police did
not come to rescue despite of the fact that the call
made by the activists was registered by the local
police department... |
| Bulk
terminal in Tuapse to be launched despite the decision
of the President
Press Release, July 25, 2011
On July 26, chemical fertilizers will
be delivered to bulk terminal in the centre of Tuapse,
Black Sea coast, so that to begin their exports already
in early August. The terminal is launched despite
the order of the President to hold public hearings
and consultations with environmental organisations.
The YABLOKO party and North Caucasus Environmental
Watch are going to conduct several actions in the
city centre and by the terminal...
Actions on July 26 will be followed
by a mass-scale protest rally YABLOKO and environmentalists
are preparing now... |
| YABLOKO
campaign unfairly targeted
ELDR Press Release, July 22, 2011.
...In conducting a campaign in the
Black Sea coastal region to return public land, including
beaches and forest areas, to the people and to stop
the construction of oil shipment terminals, ELDR member
party YABLOKO, has been targeted by an unknown source
which is calling for the party to be put on a list
of terrorist organisations and for its activities
to be prohibited.
Click
here to read YABLOKO's press release on this matter.
This follows the arrest last month
of YABLOKO activists campaigning for better environmental
awareness and consideration at the Black Sea coast.
Read
more.
The notion of wanting to label a political
party as being a terrorist organisation on the basis
of conducting a peaceful campaign that represents
the views of a number of citizens living in the area
concerned is very worrying and a clear infringement
of human rights and on the actions of YABLOKO as a
political party. ELDR deplores such attempts to limit
the freedom of expression of the Russian people and
the underhand tactics used against YABLOKO to halt
the campaign. |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin demands from Public Prosecutor General to
check who is funding the campaign envisaging enlisting
YABLOKO as a terrorist organisation
Press Release, July 19, 2011
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
applied to Public Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to
determine the sources of financing of a black PR campaign
launched against YABLOKO and ecologists fighting against
constructing of oil shipment terminals in Novorossiysk
and Tuapse, the Black Sea coast. After loud public
protests against construction of hazardous facilities
in the resort cities and his meeting with environmentalists
President Medvedev ordered (on June 8) the regional
authorities to conduct consultations with public organisations
and activists
Such a meeting was held in Krasnodar yesterday, on
July 18. However, not all the environmentalists and
representatives of public organisations were allowed
to be present. Thus, according to a personal order
of the anchor of the event, well-known Russian journalists
Vladimir Soloviyov, the security did not allow Suren
Gazaryan, activist of YABLOKO and North Caucasus Environmental
Watch to pass to the premises were the even was held.
However, Gazaryan got hold of a document entitled
“Action Plan for Creation of Broad Public Resonance
in Connection with the First Public Consultations."
According to the document, the goal of the PR campaign
is "to achieve generally positive reaction from
the Internet community on the decision to launch the
terminals in Tuapse and Novorossiysk." The unknown
PR technologists also set up the task to "discredit
environmentalists" fighting against this project
endangering the environment in the region...
|
| Residents
of Korolyov, Moscow region, jointly with YAB LOKO
managed to recall a new city development plan
Press Release, July 16, 2011
Draft city development
plan of Korolyov, Moscow region, was declined and
sent to revision. Such a decision was adopted on July
14 by the city administration basing on the results
of public hearings (see
our photo report) that took place in Korolyov
on July 4. Such a decision by
the city authority marks a real victory of the residents
of the city who together with YABLOKO conducted a
large-scale public campaign against the city development
policies of the Korolyov administration...
|
| Environmentalists
crash ‘Putin’s seaside palace’.
France 24. The Observers, July 5, 2011
...Last week, a handful of environmentalists
and political opposition party members made their
way to the site of Putin’s alleged fairytale
home to check out the mysterious place and assess
its environmental impact.
In January, the FRANCE 24 Observer’s website
published an article on the controversy triggered
by photos published on the internet of Putin’s
seaside palace near the southern town Paraskoveevka,
on the Black Sea. The site also published comments
made by Sergei Kolesnikov, a Russian businessman who
had been involved in the building’s construction,
and who maintained that the prime minister was its
true owner. Although officially classified as a centre
to be used for medical care, Kolesnikov was able to
use a paper trail detailing the building’s financing
to link it to Putin...
|
| Sergei
Mitrokhin: tortures in the name of Christ.
Sergei
Mitrokhin’s blog at the Echo Moskvi web-site, July 5,
2011 ...Our guys were
put into a jail cell in the police station 3 by 3
meters large, where about 20 people had already been
crammed along with them. People were standing, squatting
or lying close to each other on the dirty cement floor.
One of them - a homeless person – obviously had tuberculosis.
In this cell the guys were kept before sending them
to court: Goncharov for nine hours and Menzheritsky
for 14 hours...
...The convicts were housed in a temporary
detention facility, located in the same police building
in Gelenzhik. Menzheritsky was kept cell No 13. The
cell was about 16 square meters. m, and was designed
for seven, but the police kept 18 people there. The
cops did not try to hide the fact that the temporary
detention prison had several vacant cells. They tormented
18 people on purpose, so that, according to the police
officers, "they would try to avoid getting there
in the future”. People had to
queue so that to sleep in turn on a board couch (as
there were no separate beds and linen)... |
| YABLOKO’s
activists arrested by “Putin’s country
cottage” at the Black Sea Coast
LI News Bulletin, Issue 239, July 1, 2011
Kirill Gontcharov, leader of the Moscow
Youth YABLOKO (LI full member), and environmentalist
Sergei Menzhitsky were sentenced to five days of imprisonment
for alleged “physical resistance to police orders”.
They were detained in Divnomorskoye village at the
Black Sea, while protesting against unlawful and illegal
construction of cottages in national parks, which
involved turning public beaches and territories into
top officials' private property. The YABLOKO action,
titled “All-Russia Protest Against the Stolen
Black Sea Coast”, was launched on 24 June...
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for the 57th Congress of LI now online
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based on sexual orientation
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Graham Watson MEP appointed Knight Bachelor in Queen’s
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|
| Rally
against launching of the Tuapse bulk terminal by Eurochem
company gathered over two thousand people
Press Release, June 28, 2011
On June 26, a rally against launching
of chemical shipments terminal in Tuapse owned by
the Eurochem company was conducted in the centre of
the city. The action was organised by the North Caucasus
Environmental Watch on and YABLOKO’s Green Russia
faction. Despite the interaction from the administration
of the Tuapse district and the Krasnodar Territory,
the rally brought together over two thousand inhabitants
of the city... |
| YABLOKO’s
activists arrested by “Putin’s country
cottage” at the Black Sea Coast
Press Release,
June 25, 2011.
Kirill Gontcharov, leader
of the Moscow Youth YABLOKO, and environmentalist
Sergei Menzhitsky were sentenced to five days of imprisonment
for alleged “physical resistance to police orders”.
They were detained in Divnomorskoye village at the
Black Sea.
On June 24 Kirill Gontcharov, leader
of the Moscow Youth YABLOKO and environmentalists
Sergei Menzhitsky and Konstantin Andramonov were detained
in Divnomorskoye village at the Black Sea. YABLOKO
had launched an action “All-Russia Protest Against
the Stolen Black Sea Coast” protesting against
unlawful and illegal construction of cottages (especially
for top officials) in the national parks and turning
of public beaches and territories into their private
beaches and territories.
On June 25 the activists planned to
conduct a rally by “Putin’s dacha”
(“Putin’s country cottage”). And
on June 24 they inspected the national park of the
relict Pitsunda pine (as it has been detected previously
that part of the relict trees were cut for construction
of the Governor’s residence)... |
| Tuapse
printing facility refused to print YABLOKO’s
bulletin for the rally obeying the order from the
authorities
Press Release,
June 24, 2011.
Tuapse subsidiary of
the Kuban Printing Works refused to print YABLOKO’s
bulletin on environmental problems “Let Us Save
the City”. YABLOKO and North Caucasus Environmental
Watch planned to conduct a rally against launching
of chemical shipments terminal on Sunday, June 26... |
| After
YABLOKO and ecologists’ protests President Medvedev
postponed launching of chemical terminals at the Black
Sea
Press Release,
June 22, 2011.
After YABLOKO’s
and ecologists protests President Medvedev postponed
launching of a chemical terminal at Tuapse and a masut
transshipment terminal at Novorossiysk until public
hearings on assessment of environmental risks of these
projects. The YABLOKO party
which was one of the organisers of protests against
hazardous productions welcomes this decision...
The President mandated Prime Minister
Putin and Governor of Krasnodar Region Alexander Tkachyov
with controlling functions over finalization of the
projects (by October 1) with regard to ecological
expertise and public hearings... |
|
Citizens of the Korolyov city, Moscow region, demand
resignation of the city administration
Press Release,
May 30, 2011.
On May 30, about 30 people
- YABLOKO's activists and citizens of Korolyov, Moscow
region, - gathered by the Moscow Region parliament
so that to demand resignation of the city.
The participants of the picket said
that corrupted city administration had been allocating
even children's playing grounds such as a single children's
hockey rink under commercial construction. |
| YABLOKO
leader detained while protesting against deforestation
LI News Bulletin, Issue 232, May 12, 2011
Party leader Sergei Mitrokhin and
YABLOKO party activists have been detained by Russian
police after protesting the planned deforestation
of Khimki Forest (a region which covers 1000 acres
in Moscow). When Mithrokin arrived on the scene to
join the peaceful protest, he witnessed activists
being herded into a van by police forces. Mithrokhin
himself was also detained and will likely be charged
with disobedience of police instruction. Witnesses
were alarmed by the fact that the police forces were
being directed by a non-uniformed individual, igniting
speculation that this was a government mandated operation.
Party officials directed criticism towards the government
and their attempt to silence a peaceful protest conducted
by a federally recognized political party just ahead
of “Victory Day”. According to Mr. Mithrokin:
“'I assess the actions of the police [to be]
a purposeful provocation of the Khimki district authorities
on the verge of Victory Day.” Yabloko is a full
member of Liberal International, first joining at
the Budapest Congress in 2002.
|
| YABLOKO’s
leader detained by police and transported to court
Press Release,
May 8, 2011.
Today, on May 8, YABLOKO’s leader
Sergei Mitrokhin and a group of party activists joined
the group of environmentalists who have been trying
to protect Khimki forest from cutting.
YABLOKO’s activists have been in the environmentalists’
camp all these days trying to stop cutting of the
woods. On May 6 unidentified young men attacked the
camp and injured Suren Gazaryan who came to Khimki
from the Krasnodar Area so that to support the environmentalists
in the Moscow region.
On May 8 environmentalists, YABLOKO’s activists
and local citizens conducted a peaceful rally, however,
the riot police (OMON) broke the rally and detained
over 20 people, including YABLOKO’s leader Sergei
Mitrokhin, head of Movement in Defence of Khimki Forest
Eugenia Chirikova, Yaroslav Nikitenko, Sergei Udaltsov
and leader of the Klin branch of YABLOKO Yuri Samsonov.
See also:
Fight
to preserve Russian forest turns violent. By William
J. Dobson. The Washington Post, May 9, 2011.
Clashes,
Camp Attacks Occur As Battle Over Russia's Khimki
Forest Heats Up. Radio Free Europe, May 6, 2011. Video,
Photos.
|
| Public
Prosecutor General does not want to open “Putin’s
country cottage” case
Press Release, April 21, 2011.
Public Prosecutor General’s
Office withdrew the responsibility for examination
of unlawful privatisation of land for the so-called
"Putin's dacha” (Putin’s country
cottage). That is how YABLOKO’s leader Sergei
Mitrokhin commented the response from Public Prosecutor’s
Office on his appeal to Public Prosecutor General
Yury Chaika.
V.Kroshkin, Senior Assistant of Public
Prosecutor General, informed Mitrokhin that his appeal
had been forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s
Office of the Krasnodar Area for a “rapid response."
Kroshkin promised that an audit would be conducted
and if grounds were found, prosecutor’s measures
would be taken.
"I do not understand why the
Krasnodar Public Prosecutor’s Office should
deal with this case, as it is a federal facility,
which belonged to the Presidential Property Management
Department," Mitrokhin said... |
| YABLOKO
conducted two rallies in Irkutsk during the past weekend
Press Release, April 18, 2011.
The activists from the
Irkutsk branch of YABLOKO conducted two rallies in
Irkutsk during the past weekend. The first rally was
conducted against the government’s policies in the
housing and utilities sector, raising of tariffs and
taxes. About 200 people came to the action by the
Regional Administration building...
The second rally was
conducted in protection of Lake Baikal from pollution
of the Baikal Pulp Plant owned by oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
This rally joined together about 250 people...
|
| A
motor rally against cement elevator took place in
Moscow
Press Release, April 17, 2011.
A motor rally against
cement elevator took place in Pechatniki district,
Moscow. The race was conducted by local residents
and YABLOKO’s activists led by party leader
Sergei Mitrokhin. Activists in cars with stickers
“Stop Cement in Pechatniki!” collected
signatures against a cement facility in a residential
district.
The South Port cement
elevator by the Eurocement company is situated on
the bank of the Moskva River in close proximity to
blocks of flats. The decision to close the facility
was adopted in 2003, when he the draft plan of the
district development was developed, repeated decisions
were passed in 2005 and 2007. However, the facility
has never stopped...
|
| YABLOKO’s
leader detained by police at a picket by the administration
of one of the Moscow districts
Press Release, April 13, 2011.
YABLOKO’s leader
Sergei Mitrokhin was detained by police at a picket
by the administration of one of the South-Eastern
District of Moscow. The picketers demanded to close
a cement plant in Pechatniki district. The plant is
situated by the Moskva-River embankment. Local residents
say the district has been growing and new blocks of
flats have been built already very close to the functioning
plant. “We breathe in the cement power,”
they say.
In 2003 the plan of the district development
envisaged a park that had to be made on the place
of the plant which had to be moved to an industrial
zone. However, the plant is still functioning in the
residential district. YABLOKO’s activists held
placards demanding to close the plant.
In 20 minutes police arrived and demanded
the picketers to leave the place. Also the police
carefully studied the allowance obtained for the picket
from the local authorities in accordance with the
law... |
| 1,500
people came to environmental rally in Tuapse
Press Release, April 9, 2011.
...YABLOKO’s leader
Sergei Mitrokhin also made a speech at the rally.
“I have an impression now that the authorities
decided to divide the Black Sea coast into several
zones: one, where Eurochim, Rosneft and other oligarchic
structures earn their profits at the expense of health
of local residents, and the second zone for construction
of cottages and palaces for bureaucrats and oligarchs,”
Mitrokhin said. He promised to send an address to
President Medvedev demanding to prohibit the launch
of the terminal... |
| YABLOKO
to conduct an environmental rally and a demonstration
in Tuapse
Press Release, April 5, 2011.
An environmental rally and a demonstration
organised by the Green Russia faction of the YABLOKO
Party with support of the North Caucasus Environmental
Watch will be conducted in Tuapse, Krasnodar Area,
on April 9. The main issue of the rally is not to
allow for launching of a terminal for transshipment
of chemical fertilizers of the Eurochom company. The
terminal is built in the centre of the city... |
| March
in Protection of St.Petersburg joined together 2,000
participants
Press Release, April 3, 2011.
The 5th Extraordinary March in Protection
of St.Petersburg was conducted in a form of a rally.
Marches in protection of the historical part of the
city are regularly held every autumn. The action joined
together 2,000 participants. The main slogans of the
march were “We have won over the Okhta-Centre,
we will win over irresponsibility of the bureaucrats
from the city government!” and “Let us
preserve the heart of St.Petersburg!”... |
| Yabloko
demands investigation of unlawful detention of its
activists
LI News Bulletin, Issue 223, March 11, 2011
LI full member YABLOKO is outraged
by the treatment of its activists in the North Caucasus,
who were unlawfully detained on 28 February while
protesting against the deforestation of a public area
of protected trees, where recreational cottages have
been built for the Governor of Krasnodar Krai. Last
week, three of the jailed activists went on a hunger
strike to protest the unjust verdict of imprisonment
and the dire conditions of detention. YABLOKO leader
Sergei Mitrokhin said that the cells in which the
detainees were held were unlit and had poor sanitary
facilities. He further commented: 'The police broke
not only Russian law, but also inner normative acts
of the interior, protecting unlawfully constructed
cottages. Moreover the police actions against peaceful
citizens were tough and violent.' YABLOKO has conducted
numerous actions of support and forwarded letters
to the Public Prosecutor and the Interior Minister
demanding them to investigate the actions of the police
and the regional authorities, but has yet to receive
a response. The activists have now been released...
|
| Press
conference “Black Sea Palaces and Their Hosts”
Press Release, March 9, 2011.
Press-conference of the ecologists
who served their imprisonment sentences in Tuapse
prison for conducting a public inspection of the country
cottage of Governor of Kransodar Area Alexander Tkacyov
will be held in YABLOKO’s office tomorrow on
March 10. “The Krasnodar prisoners of conscience”
– Eugeny Vitushko, leader of the Tuapse YABLOKO
and Suren Gazaryan, member of YABLOKO, will tell about
the unlawful construction of a recreation complex
for Governor Tkachoyv in the relict pin forest protected
by the state, as well as other complexes and palaces
unlawfully constructed at the Black Sea coast of the
Krasnodar Area...
|
| Are
Prisoners of Conscience Only in Moscow?
Boris Vishnevsky’s blog
at the Ekho Moskvy web-site, March 5, 2011.
...According to Achilov, virtually
all the prisoners rights were violated in this prison:
right to a walk, right to have bedclothes, to use
toilet, to receive parcels from families and so on.
The night of their arrest they were not even allowed
to have water and call a doctor. The cells, according
to Achilov, "remind of Inquisition dungeons”,
they are dark, without artificial or natural light,
the prisoners are not allowed to use toilet even in
the morning, food is disgusting (despite statements
made [by the authorities] that RUR 400 [USD 13] are
allotted for maintenance of each prisoner per day).
Now, according to Achilov, Dmitry Shevchenko is running
high temperature (38 degrees), he is coughing typically
of pneumonia, and Gazaryan has approximately the same
high temperature too. Protesting against such conditions
of detention and unjust verdict of imprisonment Gazaryan,
Shevchenko and Vitishko went on a hunger strike; whereas
there is no doctor in this jail...
When Boris Nemtsov, Ilya Yashin and
Konstantine Kosyakin were detained at Triumphalnaya
square in Moscow on New Year's Eve, and court sentenced
them to an unlawful arrest from 5 to 15 days, a huge
number of people spoke in their defence, whereas YABLOKO’s
leaders were among the first to protest against this
arrest...
However, the conditions in which my
friends and colleagues from YABLOKO held in the Tuapse
jail are many times worse and more humiliating than
those the aforementioned "Moscow prisoners"
were in. But no one hurries to recognise Gazaryan,
or Shevchenko, or Vitishko a "prisoner of conscience."
No prominent public or political figures speak in
their defence. Their arrest does not outrage U.S.
senators and European parliamentarians. Finally, we
do not hear anything about public speeches by Nemtsov
or Yashin on this topic. Maybe I have missed something.
Or maybe they are silent because its will be improper
after this to habitually claim that YABLOKO in contrast
to them is “not an opposition”?..
|
| WWF
demands from the Interior Minister to investigate
the circumstances of the arrest of ecologists by Governor’s
dacha
Press Release, March 4, 2011.
The World Wide Fund for Nature Russia
(WWF Russia) appealed to Russian Interior Minister
Rashid Nurgaliyev to investigate the actions of the
authorities when members of the YABLOKO party and
environmentalists were detained during the “protest
picnic” by “Tkachyov’s [Governor
of the Krasnodar Area] palace”.
"WWF calls to the Russian Interior Minister Rashid
Nurgaliyev demanding to conduct an official investigation
of the actions of police officers involved in the
attack against environmentalists", runs the WWF
statement...
|
| Friendly
Oligarch Buys 'Putin' Palace
The Moscow Times, March 4,
2011.
...The unfinished mansion has been
at the center of tabloid controversy since last December,
when businessman Sergei Kolesnikov claimed that state
funds were being diverted to build a personal palace
for the prime minister...
Last month, Environment Watch North
Caucasus, a local green group that says the complex
was illegally built on publicly owned forestland,
got close enough to the site to take more photos before
being detained by the Federal Guard Service...
Last Sunday, about 20 Environment
Watch and Yabloko activists held a "protest picnic"
at a comparatively modest four-story brick structure
they say is being built for Krasnodar region Governor
Alexander Tkachyov.
"We found dozens of violations.
First of all, it is partially built on forestland;
then it violates the Water Code by blocking off free
access to the shore," said Andrei Filimonov,
deputy coordinator of Environment Watch, who was at
the protests. They also found
evidence of the felling of endangered Pitsunda pines,
he said...
On Wednesday, the four went on a hunger
strike to protest the conditions they are being held
in...
|
| Young
YABLOKO activists hang a banner “Freedom to
Political Prisoners!” opposite of the Kremlin
Press Release, March 3, 2011.
Young YABLOKO activists hang a large
banner “Freedom to Political Prisoners –
Gazaryan, Vitishko, Achilov and Shevchenko!”
(8 x 5 meters) opposite of the Kremlin.
The banner hang on the bridge by the
Kremlin for about 15 minutes. Then the police took
it off.
YABLOKO’s activists Kirill Gontcharov,
Vadim VAshenko, Andrei Lazarev and Andrei Nistratov
were detained and taken to the local police department.
Also the police detained a photographer from the oppositional
Novaya Gazeta paper...
|
| YABLOKO
- Aktivisten inhaftiert. Liberales Forum.
Redaktion, 28.02.2011
Vier Aktivisten der liberalen Oppositionspartei
YABLOKO und der NGO Environmental Watch of the Northern
Caucasus wurden am Sonntag, den 28. Februar 2011,
in einem Areal, genannt „Tkachyov Datscha“,
des Gouverneurs Alexander Tkachyov von Krasnodar verhaftet.
„Tkachyov Datscha“ ist
die informelle Bezeichnung eines exklusiven Erholunskomplexes,
erbaut für den Gouverneur des Krasnodar Gebietes
am Schwarzen Meer in der Blauen Bucht...
|
| YABLOKO’s
activists get imprisonment verdicts
Press Release, February 28,
2011.
Four activists of the YABLOKO party
and Environmental Watch on the Northern Caucasus were
arrested yesterday by the dacha of Governor of the
Krasnodar Area Alexander Tkachyov...
However, soon police arrived at the scene and without
any explanation detained 19 people, including 3 journalists.
The detention was violent, one of the activists –
Suryen Gazaryan was injured (the policemen dragged
him 30 meters to the police car and also broke his
nose). All the activists were taken to the local police
department in handcuffs...
|
| YABLOKO
protests against construction of a cement plant by
the nature reserve
Press Release, February 21,
2011.
On February 19, a picket against construction
of cement plant was held in the city of Vinyov. The
plant is owned by Elena Baturina, the wife of Moscow
ex-mayor Yuri Luzkkov. The group of local civil activists
was supported by the YABLOKO party. The picket took
place despite severe frosts and counteraction of the
local authorities.
Another archaeological and historical
monument of the 12th century Shchuchye Town is also
located at the future construction site. To date,
99 per cent of the local residents put their signatures
against the construction... |
| Sochi
Mayor menaces YABLOKO’s activist
Press Release, January
24, 2011. Video
The Sochi Administration puts pressure
on YABLOKO’s activist and environmentalist Suren
Gazaryan who downloaded a video from the meeting of
Sochi Mayor Anatoli Pakhomov with the residents of
the Akhshtyr village (the village has been facing
environmental problems due to the construction of
the Adler – Krasnaya Polyana highway for the
Olympic Games). The administration demands from Gazaryan
to delete the video and threatens that in case of
disobeying he will have problems...
|
| YABLOKO
and administration of Volgograd signed a cooperation
agreement
Press Release, January
21, 2011
Following Sergei Mitrokhin’s
visit to Volgograd in October 2010, the Volgograd
regional branch of YABLOKO and administration of Volgograd
signed a cooperation agreement. The
goal of the joint work is “development of civil
initiatives for efficient socio-economic and socio-political
development of Volgograd, raising of the role of non-parliamentary
political parties in the functioning of local self-government
bodies”.
The parties of the agreement will
joint their efforts in drawing public attention and
involving of the population of the city to the solution
of the environmental problems, as well as ecological
education, development of programmes for improvement
of public territories, protection of environment,
development of the city infrastructure and mass involvement
of the citizens in planting trees in the city parks,
gardens and streets...
|
| Environmental
disaster at construction of the Olympic facilities
in Sochi: Russian Railways poisoned the Dzykhra river
in the Sochi National Park
Press Release, January
17, 2011
The YABLOKO party continues its monitoring
of the environmental situation at the Black Sea coast,
at construction of the Olympic facilities in Sochi.
Since the public inspection of Sochi construction
sites conducted by Sergei Mitrokhin jointly with activists
from the North Caucasus Environmental Watch held in
October 2010, the ecological situation has deteriorated.
According to Suren Ghazaryan, activist
of the YABLOKO party and the Environmental Watch on
North Caucasus, catastrophic pollution of the Drykhra
river and its water storage reservoir began on January
8, 2011. The pollution led to mass death of fish in
the river...
|
| Pollution
of Lake Baikal is a crime!
Statement by the Chair of
the YABLOKO party, January
13, 2011
A year ago, on January 13, 2010, Chair
of the Russian government Vladimir Putin issued a
decree on resuming of functioning of the Baikal Pulp
Plant. The past year demonstrated that the work of
the pulp plant was associated with constant violation
of the pollution norms.
Instead of abrogation of this decision
the Government obviously is going to meet the commercial
interests of manufacturers of pulp and is planning
under faked pretexts to even revise these norms!
Pollution of Lake Baikal is a crime
not only against the present generations, but also
future generations and not only those of Russia, but
the entire world.
We demand that functioning of the
Baikal Pulp Plant should be immediately stopped!
|
| The
Politics and Business of Going Green
By Roland Oliphant
The Moscow Times, January
12, 2011
This year will see increasingly politicized
environmental movements sprouting up around local
issues, and an alliance between green groups and businessmen
to open up Russia's potential in renewable energy
— provided there are no more fires...
Protesters failed to close the Baikal
paper mill and a government-appointed commission gave
the Khimki highway project the go ahead in December.
But the public outcry over both “put regional
environmental problems on the federal agenda,”
said Alexei Yablokov, who heads the Yabloko party's
green wing.
That puts single-issue pressure groups
in the peculiar position of being disillusioned with
their current tactics, but in a strong position to
open a new front: the overtly political.
“We're expecting a strengthening
and greater politicization of the green movement in
2011,” Yablokov said in e-mailed comments. “Groups
that previously avoided politics have come to understand
that, without political decisions, nothing gets done,
laws don't work”...
the
original publication in the Moscow Times
|
| Krasnodar:
police breaks a permitted demonstration, environmentalists
detained
Press Release, December 12,
2010
...About 300 people participated in
the demonstration under YABLOKO’s flags. The
demonstrators held slogans “Utrish should live!”
“Yes to the Utrish natural reserve!” “Utirish
is a world heritage!” “President’s
place is in the Kremlin, leave Utrish for the country!”However,
the police broke the peaceful demonstration considering
the demonstration unlawful despite of the fact that
YABLOKO had timely notified the administration of
the action. Later during a rally the police detained
members of YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction Andrei
Rudomakha and Suren Gazaryan and environmental activists
Dmitry Shevchenko and Dmitry Shabalin. The detention
was conducted with grave violations of the law “On
Police”, with the use of physical force and
special means [of suppression]...
|
| YABLOKO
calls on journalists to visit the Utrish nature reserve
that has been threatened with destruction
Press Release, December 8,
2010
On Monday, 13 December, YABLOKO leader
Sergei Mitrokhin will visit Anapa and the Big Utrish
reserve located near the city. YABLOKO calls on journalists
to join him and visit this unique territory, which
is threatened with total destruction, owing to the
planned construction of a state residence and highway.
The Big Utrish reserve was created to protect unique
relict landscapes and juniper-pistachio forests, and
also the habitats of rare species of animals and plants.
This is one of the most significant protected natural
territories of Russia. The territory's reserve named
Novorossiya was recognised as one of the global centres
for plant diversity. This year the Russian Government
issued a decision to establish the Utrish reserve
here...
|
| On
political reprisals in Krasnodar
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
December 12, 2010
The Russian United Democratic Party
YABLOKO condemns unlawful actions by the police in
breaking a peaceful demonstration in protection of
nature which took place in Krasnodar on December 12,
the Russian Constitution Day.
On the order of Administration of
the Krasnodar Area the police detained members of
[YABLOKO’s] Green Russia faction Andrei Rudomakha
and Suren Gazaryan and environmental activists Dmitry
Shevchenko and Dmitry Shabalin. The detention was
conducted with grave violations of the law “On Police”,
with the use of physical force and special means [of
suppression]. Shevchenko and Gazaryan were unlawfully
detained in the police department of Krasnodar for
three hours until arrival of a lawyer and YABLOKO’s
leader there. All this time Gazaryan was unlawfully
held in handcuffs. Earlier on December 5, Rudomakha
and Gazaryan had been also unlawfully detained by
police during a peaceful march for protection of the
Utrish [natural reserve]...
|
| Russia
needs deeds, not words, to resolve environmental problems
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
December 9, 2010
In his Address to the Federal Assembly
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposed that the
quality of the environment should become one of the
key parameters for socio-economic development. Unfortunately,
the President’s words are contradict by the
ongoing environmentally unsound policies of the Russian
state: the law on the state budget signed by the President
envisaged expenditure on environmental protection
that is 100 times less than is the case in countries,
which are really concerned about the environment...
|
| A
highway via Khimki Forest does not resolve the transport
problems of Moscow region
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
December 9, 2010
Today the authorities may bring to
an end the public discussions on the route of the
new Moscow-St Petersburg highway: the highway will
based based on its original route, which envisages
the elimination of Khimki Forest.
The “additional public and expert
discussions”, which should have been held on
the instructions of the President to the Prime Minister,
turned out to be nothing more than a fiction.
The authorities did not issue any
assessments on the alternative routes of the highway.
We believe that an expansion in the Leningradskoye
highway in the area of the City of Khimki to be the
most efficient project here.
In violation of the law, a reserve
way of the Leningradskoye highway was built with shopping
centres in the 1990s and 2000s...
|
| Ecologist
Andrei Rudomakha becomes laureate of The Best Civil
Action contest
Press Release, December 8,
2010
Head of Ecological Watch in the Northern
Caucasus and member of the YABLOKO party Andrei Rudomakha
was chosen a winner of The Best Civil Action contest.
The ecologist was awarded the prize by the jury for
organisation of the public campaign for protection
of the Utrish natural reserve. The contest was organised
by the Law and Justice foundation. From December 2009
through to April 2010 four waves of actions in protection
of Utrish were conducted. The actions embraced over
70 cities in Russia and Ukraine. In Russia the actions
were held from Kaliningrad in the West to Khabarovsk
in the East, Murmansk in the North and Sochi and Vladikavkaz
in the South...
|
| Police
detained YABLOKO's activists during the action in
defence of the national park
Press Release, December 5,
2010
On December 5, an unsanctioned march
against elimination by the authorities of the Utrish
national park took place in Krasnodar. The General
Affairs Department of Presidential Administration
plans to build a recreation complex in the national
park.The police detained YABLOKO’s activist
Andrei Rudomakha, organizer of the march in defence
of the Utrish national park and head of the Ecological
Watch in the Northern Caucasus, and YABLOKO’s
activist Suren Gazaryan.
The activists were taken to the medical
expertise first under the pretext that they were drunk.
However, the expertise did not confirm this. Despite
of this both the activists had to spend a night in
the police department. Gazaryan is facing 15 days
of arrest for “non-obeying the lawful demands”.
Rudomakha is accused of organizing an unsanctioned
action...
|
| The
Eurasia Canal will threat Russia’s national security
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
December 3, 2010
Recently, President of Russia Dmitry
Medvedev announced that "technical and economic
evaluation of the project envisaging construction
of a new navigation canal between the Caspian Sea
and the Azov and Black Sea basin" is under way.
The Kremlin has decided to reanimate the project of
the Kuma-Manych waterway which was abolished in Stalin's
time. It is obvious that 450 - 600 billion rubles
which will be allotted for construction of a Eurasia
canal will lead to the following consequences...
|
| Leader
of St.Petersburg YABLOKO welcomes proposal by Governor
Valentina Matviyenko to search for a new site for
construction of Gazprom’s skyscraper
Press Release, December 3,
2010
Leader of St.Petersburg YABLOKO welcomed
the proposal by St.Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko
to search for a new site for construction of Gazprom’s
skyscraper. According to Reznik, such a decision by
the Governor results from long-term fight by the defenders
of the historical centre of the city and the dialogue
between the Governor and architects and historians
with has finally begun...
|
| Sergei
Mitrokhin: YABLOKO’s union with the greens is
strategic
A short version of Sergei
Mitrokhin's speech at the 3rd Conference of the Green
Russia faction,
November 23, 2010.
I believe that the union we concluded
long ago between YABLOKO and Green Russia is very
important. I was an active advocate of such a union.
Together we have created virtually the only political
organisation in the country which has been engaged
in comprehensive solution of environmental problems.
No one in this country, except us, has ever raised
the issues of environmental policy as such, and this
is a tragedy of our country. And the worst here is
that the government does not deal with these problems
either. The system of environmental protection has
been destroyed in several months after Putin came
to power, and you were the political force which strongly
opposed this. The first steps we have done separately,
but then we joined our efforts and out voices protesting
against the policy which was carried out then, or
rather, a rejection of any policy in this field...
|
| The
Environment and Politics in Russia
by Alexei Yablokov
Russian Analytical Digest,
79/10
Russia faces serious ecological challenges,
which are having adverse effects on both the natural
environment and the health of the population, demonstrated
by its lower than average life expectancy for a developed
country. The problems are exacerbated by the state
authorities’ policy of “de-environmentalism”
or “de-ecologization”, whereby environmental
costs are deemed acceptable in the quest for economic
gains. A significant change in mindset towards the
environment is required in both the power-structure
and wider society in order to arrest the trend of
environmental neglect in Russia.
The Consequences of Environmental
Neglect Every year in Russia, approximately 35,000
people die as a result of car accidents, 40,000 from
alcohol poisoning and 490,000 from environmental-related
diseases (data taken from WTO in 2004). Furthermore,
experts claim that about half of Russia’s 180,000
miscarriages per annum are due to environmental causes...
Download
Reproduced with the kind permission
of Forschungsstelle Osteuropa, Bremen, Center for
Security Studies, Zurich, and Research Centre for
East European Studies, http://www.res.ethz.ch/analysis/rad/
|
| YABLOKO
obtains a permission from the Moscow Mayor’s
office to conduct a rally against political terror
Press Release, November 9,
2010
Today YABLOKO has obtained a permission
from the Moscow Mayor’s office to conduct a
rally against political terror on November 14. The
rally will take place by the Giboyedov monument at
Chistiye Prudi. The rally marks the sad anniversary
of an attack against journalist and Editor-in-Chief
of the Khimki Pravda paper Mikhail Beketov left handicapped
because of the injuries (Mikhail was one of the activists
protecting the Khimki Forest near Moscow and criticizing
the local authorities), and will be commemorate all
the journalists and human rights activists who were
injured or murdered. The participants of the action
will speak about Konstantin Fetisov, activist protecting
the Khimiki Forest, and journalist of the Kommersant
paper Oleg Kashin who were severely injured several
days ago...
|
| March
in Support of St.Petersburg gathered about 3,000 participants
Press Release, October 11, 2010.
The fourth March in Support of St.Petersburg
took place in St.Petersburg on October 9. According
to the organizers, about 3,000 people came to this
action which was conducted in a form of rally-concert.
The action was initiated by Zhivoi Gorog (Living City)
movement, Civil Initiatives Movement, St.Petersburg
YABLOKO and members of St.Petersburg branch of the
Society for Preservation of Historical and Cultural
Heritage (VOOPIiK). Other participants of the action
were St.Petersburg Youth YABLOKO, the Federation of
Social Youth, United People’s Front, the Women
Voters’ League, environmental human rights centre
Bellona, EKOM, the Okhta Curve, Let Us Preserve Yuntolovo,
For the Protection of the Vassiliyevsky Island, Bashne.Net,
Solidarity, Defence, Russian People’s Democratic
Union, St.Petersburg Human Rights Council, Association
of Small and Medium Businesses, different initiative
groups and many other. The key topic was the protest
against building of the Okhta Centre which will spoil
the historical environment of the city. The participants
also called to preserve the historical centre of St.Petersburg
and protect parks and gardens in the city. Many participants
spoke about the need to return elections of St.Petersburg
Governor and called the present Governor Valentina
Matviyenko to resign...
|
| A
rally in protection of an oak wood in Khimki, Moscow
region
Press Release, October 10, 2010.
About 500 people gathered for a rally
in protection of an oak wood in Khimki, Moscow region,
on October 10. This time the authorities decided to
cut the wood under construction of an elite housing
complex with a quay for yachts in the water protection
zone of the Moscow Canal. The action joined together
local residents, activists of the Movement for Protection
of Khimki Forest and YABLOKO’s activists. YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin.
After the rally two unidentified men
saying that they are from the Police Department on
Economic Crimes tried to detain Mitrokhin. However,
they refused to show their credentials...
|
The
Mayor of Moscow and the Moscow City Duma give contradicting
evidence in the litigation on the General Plan of
Moscow Development
Press Release, September 22,
2010.
..."Today we are facing an absurd
situation when everyone is interested in the fate
of the Mayor of Moscow, but a document threatening
with a collapse to the city in the nearest perspective
remains without any attention. And only the YABLOKO
party is dealing with it,” Mitrokhin noted.
"Apparently the President and the other organisers
of the campaign against Luzhkov do not care about
the fate of the city, they are only interested in
settling their personal political scores", he
added.
|
| YABLOKO
planted about 6,000 trees for national park Meschyera
which suffered from fires
Press Release, September 21,
2010.
On September 20, YABLOKO’s activists
planted about 6,000 plantlets and 40 kilograms of
acorns in the fields of a plant nursery for further
planting of young trees in the national park Meschyera
severely affected by fires. About
40 party activists arrived to Kolionovo farm (Yegoryevsky
district of the Moscow region) on the invitation of
farmer Mikhail Shlyapnikov so that to help with restoration
of forests in three regions that suffered from fires:
Moscow, Vladimir and Ryazan regions.
“The national park will need
about 70 years to restore after fires while we can
considerably curb this period planting trees,”
Mikhail Shlyapniokov noted. The farmers allotted 2
hectares of land under a plan nursery and YABLOKO
bought plantlets of fir-trees, pines, ashes, lime
trees and other trees...
|
| YABLOKO’s
activists cleaned the territory by the Baraus Lake
near Chelyabinsk
Press Release, September 20,
2010.
On September 19 YABLOKO’s activists
cleaned the territory by the Baraus Lake situated
in the Ilmen national park in the Chelyabinsk region.
Two large KAMAZ trucks took the dump from the lake.
A large territory along the coast was cleaned from
the dump...
|
|
YABLOKO welcomes the decision by President Medvedev
to suspend works in the Khimki Forest
Press Release, August 26, 2010.
“The YABLOKO party welcomes the decision by President
Medvedev to suspend works in the Khimki Forest. We
hope that the route of the new highway Moscow – St.Petersburg
will be revised,” said YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin.
Mitrokhin also noted that YABLOKO has been fighting
against the present project of the highway envisaging
cutting of a substantial part of the Khimki Forest
for three years already, since this project emerged.
|
|
Sergei
Mitrokhin demands from Public Prosecutor to file a
criminal case against head of the company felling
trees in Khimki Forest
Press Release, August 16,
2010.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
demanded from Public Prosecutor to file a criminal
case against Alexander Semchenko, head of the Teplotekhnik
company felling trees in Khimki Forest. In his interview
to Komsomolskaya Pravda paper Semchenko told that
he had organised an attack of football fans on the
defenders of the forest.
Semchenko also admitted that he had
employed a group of persons for provocations against
ecologists and other citizens...
|
|
Radiological
situation in Russia should be taken under control
Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman,
August 13, 2010.
The YABLOKO Party has repeatedly drawn
attention to the unacceptable negligence by the Russian
authorities to ensuring of environmental safety of
the population. Today we once again are drawing the
attention of the authorities and the citizens to the
danger of possible additional radiation exposure caused
by the pyrogenic spread of radionuclides. Forest fires
in Russia have already reached the Bryansk forests
contaminated by Chernobyl’s fallout, and the
forests around the city of Ozersk in the Chelyabinsk
region polluted by the plutonium productions...
|
|
In
Russia, fires - and politicians - are bringing down
forests
By William J. Dobson. Washington
Post, August 13, 2010.
The biggest story in Russia today
is the battle to tame a national outbreak of wildfires.
The flames have consumed nearly 2 million acres of
forests, farms and villages in their path. More than
4,000 people have lost their homes. A dense blanket
of smoke and pollution has settled over Moscow; hundreds
are pouring into hospitals because of illnesses triggered
by the suffocating smog.
Russian media are focusing on government
efforts to extinguish the fires, showcasing President
Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's
promises to hold local officials accountable for not
preventing the devastation. What the media are not
reporting is the Kremlin's insistence, even as these
fires rage, that a centuries-old oak forest on the
outskirts of Moscow be cut down.
If you know about the destruction
of Khimki Forest, it is only because you have heard
the voice of Yevgenia Chirikova, the 33-year-old mother
of two who unexpectedly has become one of Russia's
fiercest environmental activists...
The
original |
|
YABLOKO
leader convicted for involvement in demonstration
LI News Issue 195, August
6, 2010
...The arrest and trial adds another
incident to the long list of controversial Russian
government obstruction of the YABLOKO party's political
activities. “Spending this day in Khimki I saw
the functioning of the judicial-police-prosecution
mafia which have kept the whole district in their
tentacles”, Mitrokhin said. “The police
are lying, but the courts believe these lies and public
prosecutors cover all these police actions,”
he added referring to the court case.
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|
The YABLOKO party starts litigation disputing lawfulness
of the General Plan for Moscow Development until 2025
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, July
27, 2010.
The Moscow City Court appointed hearings
of the YABLOKO party law suit disputing lawfulness
of the General Plan of Moscow Development until 2025
on August 9. The trial will be open for public. "I
have filed this lawsuit personally as a citizen, whose
rights are violated by the law. If we translate this
in short from the legal language, [the Plan] affects
the following rights: driving around the city without
traffic jams, breathing clean air, buying housing
at affordable prices and walking around historical
places of the city. All these rights were violated
by the developers of the law to fill Moscow with office
and trade premises,” Sergei Mitrokhin, leader
of the YABLOKO party, said yesterday. Mitrokhin also
explained, "This trend violates my right to a
healthy environment, not only a natural, but also
architectural and technological environment”...
|
| 
Russian
and European Integration
Speech by Sergei Mitrokhin
Liberal International Executive Committee
Berlin, June 11, 2010
Announcing a policy towards modernisation
in Russia President of Russia put himself in line
with a number of Russian rulers-reformers who aspired
to perform radical transformations in the country.
Some specific traits of this policy resemble those
of his predecessors. The President understands modernisation
primarily as acceleration of scientific and technological
development. With some reservations about the need
for political reform, the latter look like a number
of quite shallow and very systematic activities...
|
|
Yevgenia
Chirikova, her aid and YABLOKO’s activist detained
and taken to court
Press Release, August 5, 2010.
Leader of the Movement in Protection
of the Khimki Forest Yevgenia Chirikova, her aid Yaroslav
Nikienko and YABLOKO’s activist and defender
of Chirikova Artur Grokhovsky have been just detained
when leaving the Khimki police department where Chirikova
has been interrogated and are being taken to court.
According to Grokhovsky, the court of the first instance
will hear the case of disobeying the police when police
was dispersing the activists from ecologists’
camp on July 28. Then police accused ecologists of
burning fires. The detained were escorted to the local
police department where they were detained for nine
hours. The following day only ecologist Elena Maksimova
was summoned to court.
|
|
Weapons
of mass destruction have no place on the planet!
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
August 6, 2010.
The memory of the dozens of thousands
people killed by the nuclear tornado in those August
days of 1945 calls for our increased efforts so that
to achieve as soon as possible complete prohibition
of all forms of weapons of mass destruction.
The end of the Cold War and fabulous
material and human resources wasted by the mankind
for a dangerous confrontation set a new challenge
for the world: finding other methods and techniques
for provision of national security that would not
involve elimination of people.
In the 21st century the global security,
including national security systems of the states
of the globe, represents above all the need to address
common human and global problems of climate change,
chemical and biological pollution and other negative
effects of modern civilisation...
|
|
Sergei Mitrokhin to President Medvedev: felling of forest
in Khimki is fire hazardous Press
Release, August 5, 2010.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
urged Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to establish
a moratorium on the felling of forests in the Khimki
area "at least until the end of fires and lifting
of the of the emergency situation regime in the Moscow
region." The photographs
attached to the letter show the signs of fire-hazardous
activities in the work of woodcutters and securities
protecting them, in particular, a fire they had made
in their camp and cans with fuel for chainsaws simply
scattered throughout the clearance.
"In spite of the order by the
Moscow Region Governor Boris Gromov on limiting access
of citizens to forests in the Moscow region, dozens
of voluntary assistants to the Teplotekhnik company
are supporting felling of the forest and their work
can also contribute to fire development,” runs
the statement... |
|
YABLOKO conducted a picket in support of Yevgenia Chirikova
Press Release, August 4, 2010.
YABLOKO’s activists Olga Ushakova
and Andrei Lazaryev conducted picketing of the Interior
Affairs Department of the Moscow Region where the
police took today Yevgenia Chirikova for interrogation.
YABLOKO’s activists demanded to release the ecologist.
After the end of a press-conference
in the Independent Press Centre the police virtually
kidnapped Chirikova on the eyes of journalists. Without
giving any explanations three policemen from the OMON
division (the riot police) twisting her arms took
Chirikova to their car (strange, but the car number
was ordinary, not one of the special numbers belonging
to police) while journalists and ecologists were pushed
off with police chains... |
| YABLOKO’s
picket: “Heads of the Khimki police to trial!”
Press
Release, August 3, 2010.
...“We have such a situation
in Khimki that the smallest gathering of people is
prohibited and dispersed, while the efficiency of
the police work from the point of view of the law
and the citizens has been falling towards zero,”
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin told in his
speech at the picket. According to Mitrokhin, an attack
against journalist Mikhail Beketov is still uninvestigated
(editor-in-chief of and independent Khimki Pravda
paper defending the Khimki Forest who was beaten virtually
to death and left to die. To-date Beketov is handicapped),
and none of the policemen dared to opposed the attack
of hooligans against the Khimki administration. “The
Khimki police is not simply exercising arbitrary rule,
it is even dangerous for the society,” Mitrokhin
added...
“Now we have a so-called “mini-Stalinism”
in Khimki: they can detain a person on the street
under faked pretexts and get him imprisoned. We had
this in our history only in Stalin’s period,”
the ecologist said. She also said that the ecologists
were not protesting against construction of a highway
in general, “We only want the highway to change
its route and go past the forest”. This is especially
important, she added, when we have such extremely
hot summer and many forests are on fire. “We
should preserve every tree,” Chirikiva said... |
|
Court ruled out Sergei Mitrokhin guilty of disobeying
police orders. YABLOKO’s protest action
Press Release, August 3, 2010.
Yesterday court ruled out that Sergei
Mitrokhin was guilty of disobeying police orders and
organization of unsanctioned rally in defence of the
Khimki Forest and sentenced to a fine RUR 500. The
court’s decision stated that Sergei Mitrokhin
organized an unsanctioned rally. When a policeman,
according to the court’s statement, came up
to him, gave his name and politely asked to leave
the site of action, Mitrokhin refused to do this disobeying
the police.The court included into the case a video
material showing only policemen taking Mitrokhin into
the police car. Moreover the video recording had been
done from a long distance...
...At this moment YABLOKO is picketing
by the Criminal Police Department of the Moscow Region
protesting against arbitrary rule of the Khimki police.
The activists are holding slogans “Heads of
the Khimki police to trial!”, “Put an
end to arbitrary rule by the Khimki police!”...
|
|
Mitrokhin is facing 15 days of arrest. Russia’s Ombudsman
notified of detentions in Khimki
Press Release, August 2, 2010.
...“The second charge was fabricated
right after I demanded to release me, as the first
charge had already been announced,” Mitrokhin said.
He also noted that the second charge may be needed
so that to convoy him to court.
It should be also noted that the six
activists with the same charges and detained together
with Mitrokhin have been still kept in the police
department for over three hours already in violation
of the law. |
Riot police breaks the rally of the defenders of the
Khimki Forest, YABLOKO’s leader detained
Press Release, August 2, 2010.
...Ten minutes after the meeting of
the ecologists began the police came to the site and
began detaining all the men present at the meeting.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin was one of the first
detainees. Wringing his hands the policemen forced
him to come into their car making him sit on the floor,
virtually in the luggage compartment... |
| More
detains of the defenders of the Khimki Forest
Press Release, July 31, 2010.
One of the defenders of the Khimki
Forest Gennadi Rogozin was detained by police for
the second time on July 31.
On July 28 the riot police (OMON)
broke into the defenders’ camp. Nine ecologists
were kept in the police department throughout the
whole night and driven to court the following morning.
However, the judge heard only one case – that
of Elena Maksimova – the rest were released
without issuing any notifications of summoning them
to court to some other date.
On the same evening the activists
reported being under police surveillance. Policemen
visited the activists’ homes and questioning
their next-of-kin about the whereabouts of the activists.
|
| Police
begins persecutions against the defenders of the Khimki
Forest
Press Release, July 30, 2010.
Police has begun persecution of the
activists from the "In defense of the Khimki
Forest" movement and Euvgenia Chirikova, the
movement’s leader. According to the defenders
of the forest, yesterday they found out that they
were under surveillance, police officers came to their
homes without informing their relatives of the purpose
of the visit. Also the activists did not get any official
notifications from the police.
"Yesterday, shortly after we came out of the
court of the Khimki town, we found our that we were
under surveillance. It a stout man in a white suit.
However, we managed to escape him: luckily we quickly
got into a taxi and headed to Moscow", Yaroslav
Nikitenko, Aid of Euvgenia Chirikova said... |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin applied to Prime Minister Putin and Public
Prosecutor General Chaika in view of unlawful cutting
of the Khimki Forest
Press Release, July 30, 2010.
Today on July 30, YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin applied to Prime Minister
Putin and Public Prosecutor General Chaika in view
of unlawful cutting of the Khimki Forest.
According to the federal law "On
Highways”, "cutting of the woods is only
possible after obtaining a permission for construction
of a highway. The Forestry Code requires that every
user of the forests should obtain a land declaration.
The normative acts of the town of Khimki require obtaining
of a special cutting ticket, which should be supplied
with a dendroplan and a tally sheet. According to
our data, all of these documents are missing, thus
cutting of the woods is unlawful,” runs Mitrokhin’s
letter to Public Prosecutor General... |
| Sergei
Mitrokhin stopped cutting of the trees in the Khimki
Forest
Press Release, July 30, 2010.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
and party activists once again managed to stop cutting
of the woods in the Khimki Forest.
Mitrokhin told the workers about the
order of Public Prosecutor to stop all the works.
After this the driver of a harvester stopped his work
and was going to leave the site. However, one of the
guards from the private security company tried to
stop him, however, the driver refused to resume work.
At the same time the other guards were calling their
chiefs... |
| The
Phobos company continues eliminating the Khimki Forest
despite Public Prosecutor’s ban
Press Release, July 30, 2010.
Despite Public Prosecutor’s
ban the workers of the Phobos company constructing
the Moscow-St.Petersburg highway continue cutting
of the Khimki forest. Vyacheslav Sorokin, whose house
is located in 200 meters from the Khimki Forest, informed
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin of it today... |
| Ecologists
and civil activists detained in the Khimki Forest
are facing 15 days of arrest
Press Release, July 29, 2010.
At present YABLOKO’s leader
Sergei Mitrokhin is in Public Prosecutor’s office
in Khimki filing an application of unlawful actions
by the police.
The police confiscated mobile phones
of nine detained ecologists and journalists, thus
depriving them of an opportunity to get in touch with
lawyers and get a legal consultation.
The police officer on duty told Mitrokhin
that confiscation of mobile phones was lawful, and
the activists are kept in the wards. The police issued
protocols of administrative violation (disobeying
the police orders) against them, which can involve
such punishment as 15 days of arrest. The leader of
the defenders of the Khimki Forest Yevgenia Chirikova
(who is one of the nine detained ecologists) managed
to tell Mitrokhin that the policemen referred to an
order of the Moscow Region Governor Boris Gromov who
“had prohibited any persons to appear in the
Forest”... |
| Police
breaks into ecologists’ camp
Press Release, July 28, 2010.
At night of July 28 special riot police
(OMON) broke into the camp of the Khimki Forest defenders
made close to the cutting site. The police detained
16 persons, including the leader of the ecologist
Yevgeniya Chirikova and five journalists.
However, YABLOKO and ecologists continue
defending the Khimki Forest. YABLOKO’s experts
state that the highway Moscow – St.Petersburg
can well take one of the alternative routs without
going through the Khimki Forest which is acting as
the “lungs” of the region. Cutting of
the woods has been held without any permits. Representatives
of the construction company did not come to the scheduled
meeting with the ecologists and residents of Khimki
where they had promised to show “all the due
permits”. |
| Public
hearings on the Khimki Forest postponed
Press Release, July 28, 2010.
The meeting of the residents of the
Khimki city, the Moscow regions, and Sergei Mitrokhin
with representatives of OOO Teplotekhnik conducting
cutting of the woods in the Khimki Forest is postponed
for an undetermined period.
At the agreed time (June 28, 5 p.m.)
the residents of the city and YABLOKO’s leader
and party activists came to the meeting. However,
the doors were closed and a sheet of paper notifying
that the meeting is “postponed” was pinned
on the doors. The notification gave no time or date
of the new meeting. |
|
Sergei Mitrokhin and the residents of the Presnya
district, Moscow, will fill up the pit of an unlawful
construction site
Press Release, July 28, 2010.
...In early May 2010, head of the
Moscow construction complex Vladimir Resin said that
the contract with the developer - the Phobos company
– was dissolved. The local authority also issued
an order to stop the works. However, these orders
did not stop the Phobos construction company.
The residents of the neighbouring houses are afraid
that their houses may give cracks and, consequently
be ruined due to large-scale construction works in
the old district of the city. After the workers were
ousted by police the residents decided to fill in
the excavated pit with earth. On
Thursday, July 29, Sergei Mitrokhin will meet with
the residents of the district and also participate
in filling in the pit with earth...
|
| YABLOKO
to participate in public hearings on the Khimki Forest
Press Release, July 28, 2010.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
and party activists will participate in the meeting
of the residents of the Khimki district with representatives
of a contracting company eliminating the Khimki Forest.
The hearings will take place at 5 p.m. in the Dom
Kulturi Rodina (address: Khimki, Leninsky prospect
2, by the Khimki railway station in the Leo Tolstoy
Park).
Please note that tonight despite an
announced moratorium on construction works and cutting
of the woods, OAO Teplotekhnik continued cutting of
the trees. According to the witnesses the work was
conducted under spotlights. It is expected that after
public hearings the participants of the meeting will
go to the place of cuttings so that to stop unlawful
works.
|
| Unlawful
works in the place of destructed architectural heritage
stopped
Press Release, July 26, 2010.
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
stopped construction works in the place of destructed
architectural heritage in Tishinsky lane, Moscow.
Despite a ban of the Moscow regulator the builders
began excavation works. After arrival of Sergei Mitrokhin
the workers disappeared.
The building at Bolshoi Tishinsky
30/44 building 1, was built in the early 20th century
by architect Nirnzeye and was almost completely destroyed
in 2008. Under a pretext of renovation the construction
company left only a corner wall of the building. The
residents of the area jointly with the YABLOKO party
have been fighting against construction of a new building
with a multi-level underground garage on the site
of the destructed monument of architecture for two
years. In early May 2010, head of the Moscow construction
complex Vladimir Resin said that the contract with
the developer - the Phobos company – was dissolved...
|
| Off
with your hands from the defenders of the Khimki Forest!
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
July 23, 2010.
...The Russian United Democratic
Party YABLOKO calls the human rights community and
democratic politicians to defend the constitutional
rights of the Khimki activists and render them all
possible assistance. This is the case, when Russia’s
civil society has virtually shown itself and dared
to resist the big money and the state machinery. Its
support in this confrontation is far more important
than hundreds of rallies in defense of democracy in
general.
We also fully support the requirements
of the defenders of the Khimki Forest. Destruction
of a unique natural complex providing fresh air to
the capital of Russia will bring to nothing all the
talks about modernization and demonstrate to Russian
citizens and the entire world the inability of the
Russian state to modernise...
|
| A
mass-scale rally for protection of the environment
took place in Tuapse
Press Release, July 19, 2010.
From 2 to 3 thousand people, according
to different estimates, gathered for a rally in protection
of environment in Tuapse (a city on the Black Sea)
on July 18. The rally was organised by an initiative
group headed by coordinator of the Environmental Watch
in the North Caucasus and member of the YABLOKO party
Andrei Rudomakha.
The participants of the rally demanded
to conduct a referendum on construction of a terminal
for the EuroChem chemical company in the Tuapse port,
as well as stop oil extraction at the Black Sea shelf.
A broad-scale campaign launched by
the local authorities and targeted at disruption of
the rally was held on the threshold of the public
action...
|
| Ecologists
block the driver who attacked the leader of the Movement
in Protection of the Khimki Forest
Press Release, July 19, 2010.
The activists protecting the Khimki
forest made a camp in the place of cutting of the
woods and are now blocking a car of a stranger who
attacked Eugenia Chirikova, the leader of the Movement
in Protection of the Khimki Forest, and almost hit
her with his car.
On July 16 this man drove to the camp in a silver
KIA jeep (No B 104 YE 98). Coming out of the car the
man began hitting Eugenia on the hands trying to make
her drop her mobile phone. Then he jumped into his
car and tried to knock her down with his car, Eugenia
managed to escape only by a miracle...
|
| In
protection of the Khimki Forest and its defenders
Statement by the YABLOKO party,
July 17, 2010.
...Environmental safety of several
thousands of the residents of the Khimki area is swapped
for profit, unraparable damage to the ecological system
of the Moscow region. For the sake of profits the
authorities are covering the criminals: the bandits
who made handicapped Mikhail Bekotov, Editor-in-Chief
of the Khimki Pravda paper courageously defending
the Khimki Forest, have not been found.
Elections to the federal parliament will come soon.
We are drawing the attention of the Muscovites and
the residents of the Moscow region to the fact that
the attack against the Khimki Forest is supported
by the omnipresent [progovernmental] United Russia
party and its leader Vladimir Putin. Thus, hey once
again demonstrate that the commercial interests of
the few are more important than care of the health
and well-being of many...
|
|
The
police finally returned impounded soft and hardware
to the Baikal Ecological Wave
Press Release, July 15, 2010.
The YABLOKO congratulates the staff
of the Baikal Ecological Wave who managed to prove
that impounding of computers and software from their
office was unlawful. The computers are returned, and
the Irkutsk police brought their apologizes to the
ecologists.
During the investigation it was confirmed
(however, this was obvious from the beginning): the
Baikal Ecological Weave used only licensed software...
|
|
Flash
mob in protection of the Lake Baikal at the Red Square
Press Release. June 5, 2010.
Video, photographs.
On June 5, the World Environment Day,
the activists of the YABLOKO party conducted a flash
mob at the Red Square. YABLOKO’s activists carried
a large white banner showing the Lake Baikal chanting
"Hands off of the Lake Baikal!" The same
slogan was printed on their shirts. However, this
march was broken by police and all the participants
of the action were taken to the police station. |
| Destruction
of nature has been accelerating
Statement by the YABLOKO party.
June 4, 2010
The biosphere of our planet has not
improved for the past year. We have been facing dangerous
ongoing climate change, deterioration of the condition
of the world ocean, shrinking biodiversity, disappearance
of the rain forests, aging nuclear power stations
and proliferation of nuclear weapons threaten us with
another Chernobyl, chemical contamination and the
spread of GMOs. Influential international bodies –
the G-8 and the G-20, the World Bank, the European
and the Asian Banks of Reconstruction and Development
- declaring the importance of preserving the planet's
ecosystems in words, virtually support quick-profit
technologies detrimental on nature.
Lack of stringent environmental control
over implementation of commercial projects at the
national and the international level leads to a terrible
disasters like that we observe in the Gulf of Mexico... |
|
YABLOKO
submits application dispute lawfulness of the recently
adopted General Plan of Moscow Development
Press Release. June 7, 2010
Today, on June 7, YABLOKO’s leader
Sergei Mitrokhin submitted an application to the Moscow
City Court disputing lawfulness of the General Plan
of Moscow Development. Mitrokhin asks the court to
recognise adoption of the General Plan of Moscow Development
null and void.... |
|
On
June 7, 2010, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
will start litigation in the Moscow City Court disputing
lawfulness of the General Plan of Moscow Development
Press Release. June 4, 2010
On Monday, June 7, 2010, YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin will start litigation in the
Moscow City Court disputing lawfulness of the General
Plan of Moscow Development. “The conclusion
of the state expertise was signed on December 22,
2009, a month after the draft General Plan of Moscow
Development was submitted to the Moscow City Duma.
This fact alone will suffice for abrogation, however,
in our statement we indicate a number of other procedural
violations,” Sergei Mitrokhin said... |
|
YABLOKO’s
leader to visit Nizhni Novgorod
Press Release. June 4, 2010
On Saturday, June 5, YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin will visit Nizhni Novgorod.
As part of his mission, Mitrokhin
and political scientists and businessmen from Nizhny
Novgorod will take part in a roundtable discussion
"Environmental and political situation in Russia.
The upcoming elections in autumn 2010”. The
event will be held at the Higher School of Economics
from 09:30 to 10:40. Then Sergei Mitrokhin, will participate
in a press conference for regional journalists devoted
to the elections. The press conference will take place
in the Interfax office (beginning at 11:00).
Then YABLOKO’s leader Sergei
Mitrokhin and Chair YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction
Acad. Alexei Yablokov will conduct a picket against
the raising of the water level in the Cheboksary reservoir.
Members of the environmental organization Dront will
also participate in the picket... |
|
The
General Plan of Moscow Development signed by the city
authorities to be disputed in court
Press Release. May 28, 2010
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
will dispute in court the General Plan of Moscow.
“Procedural violations in development and adoption
of the Plan were considerable. We shall apply to court
as soon as the General Plan is published,” Mitrokhin
said...
Mitrokhin also offered to the Moscow
residents whose interests will be affected by the
Plan to apply to YABLOKO for help... |
|
Public
Prosecutor to check the lawfulness of pulling down
of historical buildings in Kadashi, Moscow
Press Release. May 27, 2010
On May 27, Chair of the YABLOKO party
Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded a letter to V.Shevshuk,
Public Prosecutor of Moscow, and A.Kibovsky, head
of the Rosokhrankultura (Agency for preservation of
historic and cultural heritage) with a request to
stop unlawful pulling down of buildings in the territory
of the Resurrection Temple in Kadashi, Moscow.
The buildings that had to be pulled
down on May 24 in Kadashi are situated within the
boundaries of a historical and cultural heritage zone,
and any works except for preservation and regeneration
are prohibited there. Mitrokhin also expressed his
doubts in the lawfulness of the permit issued by Moskomnasleydiye
(the Moscow Heritage Committee) to pull down buildings
there... |
|
The
first suit against the State Plan of Moscow Development
motioned
Press Release. May 18, 2010
The YABLOKO party has motioned a suit
in the first instance court demanding to oblige the
Moscow authorities to provide a state expertise the
State Plan of Moscow Development. “According
to our information, the State Plan of Moscow Development
has not received a positive conclusion from the state
expertise in spite of the fact that Mosgosekspertiza
(Moscow State Expertise Agency) under the Moscow Government
was mandated to conduct it. As far as we know, most
experts were dissatisfied with the solution of transport
problems in the new plan,” runs the statement
signed by YABLOKO’s Chair Sergei Mitrokhin... |
|
YABLOKO’s
rally for protection of the Lake Baikal conducted
in Ulan-Ude
Press Release, March 27, 2010
On March 27, a mass rally in protection
of the Lake Baikal took place in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia.
The rally was organised by YABLOKO’s branch
in Buryatia and ecological organisations. About 500
people came to the rally.
The participants of the rally demanded
to abrogate the Resolution of the Government of the
RF No 1 on launching the Baikal Pulp Plant. The rally
called the authorities to develop tourism in the area
which would create new jobs for the citizens of Baikalsk,
rather than creating jobs at environmentally unfriendly
enterprise...
|
|
Russia’s
Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin sends a letter to Public
Prosecutor in defence of the Khimki forest
Press Release, March 25, 2010
Russia’s Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin
asked Public Prosecutor Yury Chaika to examine whether
the government’s decision to construct a highway Moscow
– St.Petersburg that has to go through the Khimki
forest was lawful.
In accordance with the order of the
Government the lands of the Khimki forest were transferred
to the category of “industrial lands”.
In his letter to Public Prosecutor
Vladimir Lukin noted that the Khimki forest is a protected
natural territory in accordance with the Forestry
Code, thus any cuttings should be prohibited there...
|
|
Sergei
Mitrokhin: Mayor of Moscow Luzhkov and head of the
Moscow police Kolokoltzev are responsible for disrupting
a protest motor race against construction of the nuclear
power station
Press Release. March 18, 2010
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin
laid responsibility responsible for disrupting a protest
race against construction of the Monakovskaya nuclear
power station on Mayor of Moscow Luzhkov and head
of the Moscow police Kolokoltzev. “As a muscovite
I feel ashamed that it was Moscow that demonstrated
unlawful actions by the police to the full extent,”
he said.
At present the 25 participants of
the motor race are in the police station. They are
accused of violating the Administrative Code of Moscow,
as they have allegedly “interfered with the
traffic order by means of driving in a column with
slogans on their cars”, runs the protocol. The
activists disagree with the police. According to Mitrokhin,
this is the first case in his practice when a regional
rather than federal norm is applied to the participants. |
|
OMON
and road police do not let the participants of the
motor race against construction of a nuclear power
station in the Nizhy Novgorod region to enter Moscow
Press Release. March 18, 2010
Special police forces (OMON) and road
police have been blocking the column of the motor
race against construction of a nuclear power station
in the Nizhy Novgorod region at the Moscow Circular
Road for 40 minutes already. YABLOKO’s activists and
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin are arrested. Some
cars the police left on the road, which led to a traffic
jam.
The participants of the race were
stopped at the Moscow Circular Road for checking of
their documents. However later a police official stated
that they were stopped “because of such unsanctioned
event”. Special police forces arrived probably to
assist the road police in checking the documents. |
|
YABLOKO
to join a motor race against construction of a nuclear
power station in the Nizhny Novgorod Region
Press Release. March 17, 2010
A rally against construction of a
nuclear power station in the Nizhny Novgorod Region
organised by ecological organisations and YABLOKO
will take place in the centre of Moscow on March 18.
A motor race Murom – Moscow
against construction of the nuclear power station
started today. On March 18 YABLOKO’s activists
together with party leader Sergei Mitrokhin will meet
the participants of the race in the Moscow region
and join the race.
“My task is to ensure that the
motor column is allowed to enter Moscow, as the participants
expressed their concern that the column would be stopped
by Moscow,” Sergei Mitrokhin. Today protesters
have been stopped by the police several times and
their passport data were copied. |
|
The
Battle for Khimki Forest. By Yevgenia Chirikova.
www.opendemocracy.net
17 March 2010
The plan to construct a section of
the new Moscow-St.Petersburg motorway through the
legally-protected Khimki Forest Park will destroy
a rare eco-system. Dogged local resistance has turned
this into a national, even international issue. But
it has not derailed the plan...
|
|
Officials
offer apology to YABLOKO’s ecologist
Press Release. March 10, 2010
Officials from Administration of the
Lomonosovsky District of the Leningrad region offered
their apology to Alexander Senotrusov, deputy head
of YABLOKO’s Green faction, for their intention
to dismiss him from school where he had been working
as a teacher and their suspension of functioning of
a children’s club where he also worked. Persecutions
against YABLOKO’s activist began after his interview
to the NTV television channel.
On March 7, NTV released a piece devoted
to the practices of unlawful construction of cottages
in the natural reserves. Alexander Senotrusov told
the journalists about unlawful construction at the
Lebyazhiye village situated on Gulf of Finland shore.
After this the district administration
began persecutions against the teacher. Local bureaucrats
were going to dismiss Alexander Senotrusov as redundant
and also cut off electricity in the children’s
club where he worked.
|
|
YABLOKO’s
action in protection of Utrish and Baikal
Press Release. February 25,
2010
A rally in protection of the Utrish
national reserve park and the Baikal Lake took place
in the centre of Krasnodar on February 20. The rally
was organised by YABLOKO’s activist Andrei Rudomakha.
After the rally the participants marched
along the main street of the city and held a second
rally at the end of the march.
About 300 – 350 people took part in
the action. |
|
The
leader of Gelendzhik YABLOKO is forced to quit his
job because of a rally
Press Release, February 12,
2010
On January 31, 2010, Gelendzhik YABLOKO
conducted a meeting of protest against destruction
of the Utrish relict lagoons, where the Presidential
Property Management Department planned to build a
“sports and recreation complex” and Administration
of the Krasnodar Area – commercial buildings.
Public protest action took place by the city Administration
building.
And already on February 5, Sergei
Buldakov, leader of the local YABLOKO branch was informed
that he was transferred to another work place located
in 57 km from his current place. Alexander Umitbayaev,
Director General of the Vodokanal municipal state
company, where Buldakov worked informed Buldakov of
this transfer. |
|
Sergei
Mitrokhin spoke at the rally for protection of Baikal
Press Release. February 13,
2010
About 700 people participated despite
sever frosts in the rally for protection of Baikal
in Irkutsk. Members of ecological organisations, members
and supporters of YABLOKO, residents of Irkutsk and
Baikalsk and CPRF members spoke against resuming of
functioning of the Baikal Pulp Plant.
The rally organised by the ecological
organisation The Baikal Wave and the Baikal movement
was held under the slogans “To close the Baikal
Pulp Plant!”, “To provide alternative
jobs to the residents of Baikalsk!” and “Stop
budget financing of oligarch Deripaska!”
|
| The
authorities chose to support of oligarchs’ interests
and reprisals against public organisations rather
than protection of the Lake Baikal
Statement of the Bureau of
the YABLOKO party, February 1, 2010
On January 28, 2010 the police of
the Irkutsk region without any rulings of the court
or public prosecutor blocked the work of the largest
public organisation engaged in protection of the Lake
Baikal – The Baikal Ecological Wave –
confiscating their computers under the pretext of
a check whether this organisation had been using licensed
software. However, the representatives of the interior
refused even to look at the certificates of the software
submitted to them. The ecologists who tried to disobey
confiscation of their computers were threatened with
legal persecution in view of “attacking the
police”.
The YABLOKO party expresses its resolute
protest in view of such actions of the interior and
considers them as a awkward attempt to shut down the
wave of public discontent in view of the adoption
by the Government of the RF of a resolution allowing
to resume functioning of the Baikal Cellulose Paper
Plant that have been polluting Baikal with its waste,
as well as stored, buried and burnt hazardous waste
on the banks of the lake. Such governmental decision
was adopted in satisfaction of short-term interests
of the owner of the plant – a definite tycoon,
and contradicts Russia’s interests.
|
|
Apple
tree garden in Biryulyovo, Moscow, will be preserved
Press Release, January 25,
2010
“Apple tree garden in Biryulyovo,
Moscow, will not be cut”, Vladimir Resin, head
of the Moscow Construction Complex told to YABLOKO’s
leader Sergei Mitrokhin during their meeting today.
Moreover, the plot of land with the apple tree garden
will be included into the natural reserve Biryulyovo
Dendrary Park...
It is already the second apple tree
garden saved by YABLOKO. In 2006 the party managed
to stop cutting of the trees in Davydkovo district.
|
| On
anti-ecological policies of Russia’s authorities
Resolution of the 15th congress
of the YABLOKO party No 253, December 24, 2009
The Russian United Democratic Party
YABLOKO regards the supreme goal of a democratic state
as ensuring of flourishing of the country, the well-fare
and the highest living standards for the citizens.
One of the most important functions of the government
is ensuring of ecological safety of the citizens and
protection of nature as a national resource which
is regarded as a public asset.
The political and economic system of modern Russia,
its supreme political and economic administration
grossly violates the principles of ecological policies
determined by the Constitution of the Russian Federation:
the rights of the citizens to a friendly environment,
reliable information on its condition, recovering
of the damage incurred in ecological violations, rational
use and protection of natural resources and careful
attitude to the natural riches that should be regarded
as a foundation for life and performance of the citizens.
1. The policies of Boris Yeltsin – Vladimir
Putin – Dmitry Medvedev created a system of
underdeveloped periphery capitalism in Russia almost
entirely basing on the maintenance and development
of environmentally unfriendly productions left from
the Soviet times. Neither the government nor business
merging with the authorities pay any serious attention
to the safe environment, as it is connected with reduction
of their super profits. Consequently, Russia logically
and inevitably has found itself on the periphery of
rapidly developing innovative world. |
|
Environmentally
unfriendly bulbs versus nuclear power stations?
Acad.Alexei Yablokov’s
blog at the Echo Moskvi web-site
December 7, 2009
I was wondering why our government
suddenly made a complete ban on incandescent electric
bulbs its prime concern (Law of the RF No 261-FZ “On
Energy Saving and Raising of Energy Efficiency and
on Introduction of Changes into Some Legislative Acts
of the Russian Federation” of November 23, 2009).
And recently I have heard the news
that Europe has been closing production of incandescent
electric lamps of the first generation (luminescent,
with mercury) – the very lamps that have to
replace our incandescent electric bulbs. And these
environmentally unfriendly productions are offered
cheaply to those who would be eager to buy them. Let
us make a simple calculation... |
| YABLOKO’s
Political Committee: Russian state acts like an irresponsible
business corporation conducting anti-environmental
policies
Press Release, December 5,
2009
On December 5, 2009, YABLOKO’s
Political Committee discussed the ecological policy
of the government. The key report was made by Academician
Alexei Yablokov, leader of the Green Russia faction.
After a discussion the Committee adopted resolution
“On the Anti-Environmental Policies of the Russian
Authorities”.
On opening of the meeting the Political
Committee commemorated the victims of the Nevsky Express
railroad crash and the victims of the Perm nightclub
fire by a one-minute silence.
Alexei Yablokov reported on a bad
environmental situation in Russia dwelling on the
most acute ecological problems and offered ways of
their solution. According to the World Health Organisation,
493,000 people die annually in Russia because of ecological
problems. Thus, life expectancy for men is only 59
years, which is 15 – 18 years less than in the
USA and Japan. And it is even 3 – 4 years lower
in the zones of environmental pollution (about 14%
of the territory of the country). |
|
Sergei
Mitrokhin: “The democratic project of the country’s
development is closed”
Press Release, November 30,
2009
On Saturday, November 29, 2009, a
meeting of YABLOKO’s Bureau took place in Moscow.
The Bureau adopted decisions on working over persuading
the government not to abolish indexation of unemployment
benefits, return gratuitous public transport tickets
for pensioners of the Moscow Region and creation of
nature reserve Utrish. The Bureau also heard the reports
of the Human Rights and the Gender factions of the
party.
The meeting was opened by party Chair
Sergei Mitrokhin who made a report on the political
situation in Russia. “It has become clear after
voting on October 11 that elections as a legitimate
institution that could be trusted by the society is
completely ruined in Russia. This means that the democratic
project of the country’s development initiated
in the late 1980s has been completely closed now –
and not only by the ruling elite, but by the society
as well,” Mitrokhin said. According to Mitrokhin,
the forthcoming YABLOKO’s congress (that will
take place in December 2009) has to formulate the
basis of a new democratic project for Russia.
|
| Sergei
Mitrokhin and the camera crew of the RenTV channel
detained while trying to get to the Kurkino VIP village
Press release, November 16,
2009
Sergei Mitrokhin and the camera crew
of the RenTV channel have been detained by the security
of the Kurkino VIP village by the Valley of the Skhodnya
River natural reserve. The security have detained
the politician and the journalists and have called
the police.
Sergei Mitorkhin and the camera crew
of the RenTV channel went to the Valley of the Skhodnya
River natural reserve (where an unknown VIP village
was built on the permission of the ex-head of the
North-Western District of Moscow Viktor Kozlov) so
that to study the situation with returning of the
plot unlawfully granted to General Major of the interior
Anatoli Petukhov. On November 5, 2009, the Moscow
City Court confirmed the decision of the Tushino District
Court on abuse of authority by Kozlov. This motion
envisages retrieval of this plot amounting to 3,688
sq m, also court rulings on other plots of the natural
reserve unlawfully given for construction of cottages
have to appear shortly.
|
| The
Moscow City Court ruled that granting a plot of land
to the police top official in the nature reserve park
was unlawful
Press release, November 10,
2009
On November 5, 2009, the Moscow City
Court left in force the decision of the Tushino District
Court regarding abuse of rank by the dismissed head
of the North-Western Administrative District of Moscow
Viktor Kozlov, who unlawfully granted 3,688 sq.m of
land in the natural preservation zone of the Valley
of the Skhodnya River Park for lease to the ex-top
officer of the interior General Major Anatoly Petukhov.
According to the ruling of the court,
the plot of land granted on unlawful basis Petukhov
has to be retrieved. The decision is final and binding. |
| Muscovites
together with YABLOKO preserved Sadovniki park
Press Release, September 9,
2009
Two resolutions of the Moscow Government
allowing for construction works in Sadovniki park,
Moscow, were recalled.
It is not the first time that the
authorities allow construction works in the park and
the residents of the area together with the YABLOKO
party oppose it. Due to the efforts of the initiative
group of the residents of the area and YABLOKO’s
support, construction works in the park did not start
and moreover were prohibited.
|
| State
officials’ poaching should be stopped!
Statement by the YABLOKO party
July 1, 2009
Mayor of Minusinsk (a city in the
Krasnoyarsk Area) got drowned in the Podkamennaya
Tunguska river on June 27. The circumstances of the
accident showed that this accident took place during
committing of a crime [by the Mayor] – unlawful fishing
(fishing is prohibited in this part of the river until
winter due to sturgeon spawning). |
One
more Moscow park protected by YABLOKO
Press Release June 29, 2009
The Prefect’s Office of the Southern District of Moscow
cancelled its resolution on construction of a restaurant
on the territory of the Bitsevsky park. Such a statement
has been made by an official from the Prefect’s Office
today during a protest action against such construction. |
YABLOKO
disrupted the plans on elimination of a specially
protected natural territory in Moscow
Press Release June 24, 2009
Today the Moscow City Duma has declined amendments
into the draft law “On Specially Protected Natural
Territories in Moscow” that would allow to conduct
once in three years the so-called “corrections” [i.e.
reductions] of such natural zones not exceeding 1
per cent of the territory. To prove to the deputies
that such an initiative will inevitably lead to shrinking
of forests and parks Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the
YABLOKO party and its faction in the Moscow Duma,
visited on June 22 with deputy’s inspection one of
such specially protected natural territories (The
Valley of the Riva Skhadnaya in Kurkino), where a
nameless elite settlement is situated. |
500
people came to the meeting for protection of Bitsevsky
Forest in Moscow
Press Release. June 3, 2009
In the evening on June 2, 2009, over 500 activists
participated in the protest action for the protection
of Bitsevsky Forest against construction of a cafe
on a safeguarded territory. |
The
Green Russia and Global Nuclear Legacy
Press Release, June 1, 2009
The leaders of the Green Russia faction of the YABLOKO
party Alexei Yablokov and Alexander Nikitin participated
in the meeting of the Global Nuclear Legacy project
in Budapest on May 29-31. Over 40 representatives
of the anti-nuclear movement from the USA, Western
and Eastern Europe, and the CIS countries came to
Budapest. The meeting joined together victims of the
nuclear industry, ecologists and specialists from
the nuclear sphere who openly inform the society of
the dangers of the industry. |
|
The
Committee for the Protection of Muscovites demands
the resettlement of residents from apartment buildings
contaminated by phenol
Press release, July 22, 2004
Over 50 people gathered today at the protest meeting
organised by the Committee for the Protection of Muscovites
by the Mayor's office in Moscow. Activists from the
Committee as well as residents from the Metrogorodok
district of Moscow participated in the meeting demanding
the adoption of measures to resettle residents from
phenol-contaminated apartment blocks, i.e. residential
premises with covering made from materials emitting
dangerous levels of phenol gas.
50
Protest Phenol Gas
The Moscow Times, July 22, 2004
"We technically only had permission to demonstrate
at Pushkin Square," said one of the protest organizers,
Ilya Yashin, a Yabloko party official. "But we
felt we had a right ... to make our voices heard."
YABLOKO
to Propose Amendments to the Forestry Code
RIA "OREANDA", April 5, 2004
By and large, the RF Ministry of Natural Resources
and the Russian Democratic Party "Yabloko"
will cooperate on environment protection and efficient
nature management. |
|
Chemical
Funds
Associated Press, March
17, 2004
MOSCOW (AP) -- Environmental
and human rights activists criticized the implementation
of Russia's chemical disarmament program Tuesday,
accusing authorities of mismanaging funds and endangering
lives by skimping on safety and security measures.
Sergei
Mitrokhin: Yavlinsky Convinced Putin Not to Import
Spent Nuclear Fuel
from rbc.ru, March 4, 2004
In an article Putin Will Process the Nuclear Damp
(from February 27) Alexei Vinogradov made a serious
mistake. The author of the article stated that the
President supports imports of spent nuclear fuel into
Russia. This is not true. In the quotation used by
Vinogradov as his source, Putin speaks refers to the
need to focus on waste from our [domestically produced]
fuel. He implies here that spent nuclear fuel from
domestically produced fuel rod arrays were exported
to Europe by the USSR and then by Russia.
Nuclear
Power Ministry and Green Cross in the Same Team.
By Sergei Leskov, Izvestia, December 19, 2003
The President discussed with the representatives of
the nuclear department and the ecologists the problems
of burying spent nuclear fuel, where opinions were
divided irreconcilably.
Roll-call
voting in the State Duma For the adoption of amendments
into the Forestry Code of the Russian Federation (simplyfying
the transfer of forests of the 1st category into non-forest
categories). Third Reading.
November 21, 2003 16:04:10 |
|
Video. Protest action
by YABLOKO and ecologists agianst  amendments
to the Forestry Code allowing for the transfer of
forests from the top category to the lower categories.
The State Duma. October 8, 2003. 11 min 4 sek, 256
Ęáčň/ńĺę - 49 Ěáŕéň, 128
Ęáčň/ńĺę - 18 Ěáŕéň (RealPlayer
required)
Krasnoyarsk
Territory. The Legislative Assembly approves the initiative
to restrict the transfer of forestry areas to other
categories of fields
Regions.Ru, March 3, 2003 (Archive)
According to RIA Press-Line information agency today,
on March 3, 3003 members of the permanent Commission
on Natural Resources, Ecology and Protection of Nature
of the Legislative Assembly of Krasnoyarsk Territory
supported the draft law of the State Duma deputy Sergei
Mitrokhin.
Ministry
of Nuclear Power Ready to Finance Environmental Programmes
in Chelyabinsk Region
RIA "OREANDA", November 3, 2003
The deputy minister's letter is the Ministry's official
response to Mitrokhin's appeal to the Ministry to
allot money to move people away from nuclear-contaminated
areas in Chelyabinsk region.
Ministry
of Nuclear Power Ready to Finance Environmental Programs
in Chelyabinsk Region
Press release, October 31, 2003
...the Ministry is willing to "discuss the draft
specific environmental program aimed at rehabilitating
the territories contaminated due to operations of
Mayak plant, including evacuation of the residents
of Muslyumovo and Tatarskaya Karabolka towns".
Deputy
Mitrokhin demands an investigation into the situation
around the methanol terminal in Azov
FMBusiness, September 5, 2003
According to the documents, a number of federal legislative
acts, such as the Law "On Environmental Protection
", the Law "On Environmental Expertise",
the Provisions on the assessment of the impact on
the environment and legislation regulating construction
work were violated during the design and construction
of the terminal in Azov.
Ratification
of the Kyoto Protocol Will Help Russia to Attract
Vast Investments into Industry
RIA Novosti, September 8, 2003
"Now we cannot achieve such a capacity, with
our outdated equipment. But when innovations are introduced,
greenhouse gas emissions will decrease significantly,"
the expert believes.
Suspension
of the operations of a copper-smelting plant is a
powerful signal to environment polluters
Press release, June 27, 2003
Deputy of the State Duma Sergei
Mitrokhin (the YABLOKO faction) stated that he
was satisfied with the decision of the supreme state
inspector for control over natural resources of the
Ural Federal district Nikolai Krupinin who issued
a warrant to suspend the operations of the Krabash
Copper-Smelting Plant from June 27, 2003.
The
State Duma turned down the amendment granting tax
privileges to environmental bodies
Press release, June 21, 2003
On Friday, June 20, 2003, the State Duma refused to
grant a tax break on the property of organisations
protecting and caring for territories with an enhanced
regime of environmental protection.
Grigory
Yavlinsky called for an increase in state ecological
controls
Vesti Programme, RTR channel, June 5, 2003
In particular, in autumn 2003 YABLOKO is going to
submit to the State Duma the Kyoto Protocol for ratification.
YABLOKO
determines the directions of Russia's environmental
policy and calls on the State Duma to ratify the Kyoto
Protocol
Press release, June 5, 2003
In addition to the prospects of ratification and entry
into force of the Kyoto Protocol, the participants
of the Round Table discussed a range of problems related
to Russia’s environmental policy.
Deputy
Mitrokhin manages to make the law-enforcement agencies
initiate criminal proceedings for environmental pollution
Press Release, May 27, 2003
Criminal proceedings in accordance with Article 246
of the Criminal Code of the RF (violation of environmental
protection regulations at work) were started by the
Chelyabinsk Prosecutor for Environmental Protection
for "investigation of all the circumstances and
reasons for environmental pollution in the city of
Krabash ." |
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