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New items of the server - May 2011
May 30, 2011

The Moscow branch of YABLOKO to discuss draft programme of the party for the parliamentary election campaign

Press Release, May 30, 2011.

The party will continue collection of proposals of YABLOKO electoral programme until June 15. "Both the common sense and the calendar of the election campaign dictate that we have to discuss all the proposals not only in the working group, but also in the Bureau and the Political Committee by the August congress of the party. So after June 15 we have to gather our working group and start writing the document," - Boris Misnik, head of the working group told to Rossyiskaya Gazeta.

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.

May 26, 2011

YABLOKO’s leader detained at a permitted action

Press Release, May 26, 2011.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin was detained at an action in protection of small-scale business by the building of the Ministry for Economic Development...

YABLOKO’s action was conducted on the Day of Russian Entrepreneur. The picketers spoke about the problems Russian small business has to confront. Sergei Mitrokhin noted that situation for small-scale business had been deteriorating with every year. Fiscal burden grew by 2.5 times in the past two years. The picket was held under the slogans “34 per cent of taxes strangles honest businesses!”, “Markets for small businesses, not the oligarchs!” and “Down with corruption!”

YABLOKO’s activist beaten at the picket for dismissal of Moscow Region Governor

Press Release, May 26, 2011.

An hour ago unidentified persons attacked YABLOKO’s activists who were taking part in the picket for of Moscow Region Governor Boris Gromov. Gleb Sitnikov was severely injured. He was stroke to the ground and beaten.

Nadezhda Samsonova, head of the Klin branch of YABLOKO, told that there were ten attackers. They began beating YABLOKO’s activists, tore the placards and disappeared. Ambulance was called for injured Gleb Sitnikov. Despite of the fact the policemen were watching the picket, none of the attackers was detained...

May 25, 2011

Europe's new Neighbourhood Policy :an important step in building democracy on our doorstep
Press Release, ALDE, May 25, 2011

Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE leader called the European Commission's Southern Mediterranean Neighbourhood policy "an important step" today but says the challenge now must be to get the Member States to fully support the measures outlined as indicated in the communication -"The ENP should be a policy of the Union with the Member States aligning their own bilateral efforts in support of its overall policy objectives"...

European liberals supported Oleg Orlov, head of the Memorial human rights centre

Press Release, May 24, 2011.

The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Council, convening in Dresden, Germany, unanimously voted for the draft resolution submitted by the YABLOKO party in support of Oleg Orlov, head of the Memorial human rights centre and winner of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize “For the Freedom of Thought”.

European liberals expressed their deep concern with the trials and harassments against Oleg Orlov initiated by leader of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov for the criticism of the Chechen authorities in view of investigation of the murder in Chechnya of renowned human rights activist Natalya Estemirova. The resolution of ELDR Council stressed that persecution of Oleg Orlov was “clearly politically motivated, raised serious questions on the functioning of the Russian judicial system, and demonstrated the desire of the Chechen authorities to prevent Orlov voicing his opinion”.

ELDR called the Russian authorities to “stop trials and harassments against Oleg Orlov and other human rights defenders”, “properly investigate the murder of Natalya Estemirova and bring the perpetrators to justice”...

May 24, 2011

On Sergei Mitrokhin's birthday

Kommersant, May 20, 2011.

Today YABLOKO’s Chairman Sergei Mitrokhin turns 48.

Eugeniya Chirikova, leader of the movement in protection of Khimki Forest sends him her congratulations:

— I am congratulating Sergei Mitrokhin on his birthday! I think he is one of the most understanding Russian politicians. He was the first to offer help with the problems of Khimki Forest and he was the only one who saved life to [journalist and Editor-in-Chief of the oppositional Khimkinskaya Pravda paper] Mikhail Beketov arranging for his hospitalization. Sergei Mitrokhin has been helping us a lot and we are very grateful to him for this. We are wishing him good health, happiness and success.

Representatives of 23 Russian regions joined YABLOKO’s the Elder Generation faction

Press Release, May 23, 2011.

On Saturday, May 21, a congress of interregional public organisation The Elder Generation was held in YABLOKO’s Moscow office. The participants of the congress - 38 delegates from 23 Russian regions – adopted a decision on merger of their organisations with the YABLOKO party. They will join the Elder Generation faction within YABLOKO.

From now on the faction will be represented in 36 regions of Russia...

Stop Persecution of Russian Human Rights Activist
Urgency Resolution adopted by ELDR Dresden Council
May 20, 2011, submitted by YABLOKO.

The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Council, convening in Dresden, Germany on 20 May 2011:

Notes with deep concern:

- Reports on political reprisals against Oleg Orlov, Russian human rights activist, winner of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize and Chair of the "Memorial" Human Rights Centre, for voicing criticism of Chechen authorities about the investigation into the murder of human rights activist Natalya Estemirova in 2009;
- That trials initiated by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, the latest of which is set to resume in June, are clearly politically motivated, raise serious questions on the functioning of the Russian judicial system, and demonstrate the desire of the Chechen authorities to prevent Orlov voicing his opinion.

Calls upon Russian authorities to:

- Stop trials and harassments against Oleg Orlov and other human rights defenders and properly investigate such attacks and trials;
- Properly investigate the murder of Natalya Estemirova and bring the perpetrators to justice.

States that

ELDR will continue to closely monitor events in Russia.

The situation with human rights and efforts of society consolidation
in the Republic of Dagestan.
Memorial Human Rights Centre. March 2010 – March 2011

...This report contains the situation analysis of human rights violations in the RD and the authorities’ attempts to achieve the rule of law and consolidation of the society. The report consists of various parts...

The main points of the political programme of Magomedov (new President of the RD since 2010) are the following: modernization of economy, change of the methods regarding the fight against terrorism, rule of law. The main obstacles are: the high level of corruption, undeveloped, subsidized economy, unemployment, poverty, terrorism, instability in the region. New policy is not supported and welcomed by both sides: armed militants continue their activity, and state defense and law enforcement agencies do not follow the rule of law and legal order...


South African local elections: DA set to achieve its best result yet
LI News Bulletin, Issue 233, May 20, 2011

With 95 percent of votes counted on Friday morning, the Democratic Alliance's (LI full member) share of the vote in South African municipal election was an impressive 22.27%, up 6 percent from national elections in 2009. The DA was thrilled about winning Midvaal municipality again, the only municipality not controlled by ruling party ANC in Gauteng, the province where metropolitans Johannesburg and Pretoria are located. “The results so far are unbelievable”, party leader Premier Helen Zille said on Thursday. The DA seems set to effortlessly take the City of Cape Town, its traditional stronghold, where it had won over 65 percent of the votes by Thursday night. In the rest of the Western Cape, DA has won with an outright majority in 19 out of 29 municipalities...

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Liberal leaders call on Assad to end the suppressions of demonstrators
Surprising result in Milan in Italian local elections
Luxembourg-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Groups visits DPP

May 13, 2011

“Politicians saying that we should adopt the Chinese model of development are either naïve or dishonest”

The Epoch Times, May 10, 2011

Grigory Yavlinsky is a politician recognised and respected by the world democratic community. He is a regular participant of the meetings of the International Crisis Committee, the World Economic Forum, the Trilateral Commission, etc.

Grigory Yavlinsky has been one of the initiators of nomination of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. We began our conversation with discussion of this event.

QUESTION: Grigory Alexeyevich, when you decided to nominate Chinese dissident for the [Nobel Peace] Prize, did you think about that the reaction in the world would be controversial?..

May 12, 2011

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.

Schengen: Risk of end to free movement in Europe if border control contagion spreads
Press Release, ALDE, May 12, 2011

ALDE expresses its great disappointment as regards today's extraordinary JHA Council meeting to discuss the Commission's communication of 4th May on a comprehensive and sustainable migration policy. ALDE President Guy Verhofstadt said: "Answers to migration flows should not be about giving in to insular reflexes and reintroducing border controls, either for persons or for goods. It is about developing a common border management, a common asylum system and a common legal migration framework. What we need is more European cooperation to tackle crime and illegal immigration, not a weakening of one of the EU's greatest achievements".

He added: "The Rome and Paris' ping-pong game over 25.000 migrants has invented a problem that did not exist. Italy and France played with fire and now others feel emboldened to reintroduce checks at their borders to combat cross border crime, creating a dangerous precedent. We are concerned by Denmark's decision to reintroduce border controls. We fear a real sabotage of what Europe has built over the last 61 years"...

See also: Liberals call on Ashton to increase pressure on the Chinese authorities

May 11, 2011

YABLOKO commemorated heroes and victims of the Second World War

Press Release, May 9, 2011.

A solemn ceremony was traditionally held at Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery, the largest military burial in Moscow, on Victory Day May 9. Participants in the ceremony went in a mourning procession to the memorial. YABLOKO’s leaders Sergei Mitrokhin, Grigory Yavlinsky, Sergei Ivanenko and Alexei Arbatov laid three wreaths to the eternal flame.

Several dozens people – YABLOKO’s supporters and party members – brought red carnations to the memorial. A minute's silence in memory of those killed in World War II was held...

YABLOKO laid wreath and flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Press Release, May 8, 2011.

On May 8, delegation of the YABLOKO party laid wreath and flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall.

Members of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Alexei Arbatov, Sergei Ivanenko and Elena Dubrovina, as well as leaders and activists of the Moscow branch of the party participated in the ceremony. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin could not participate in the ceremony, as he had been detained during police breaking of the gathering of defenders of Khimki Forest.

May 10, 2011

Algorithms for Opposing Gender Discrimination

By Marianne Spangenberg-Carlier, Vice-President of D66 Women/Men/Human Rights thematic chapter

D66 News Letter, May 10, 2011.

YABLOKO is the oldest democratic party in Russia. One important issue at hand during the conference concerned worries that because of the low birthrate of Russian women, abortion might become illegal (now allowed within 12 weeks) or not covered by the health insurance. Another issue brought to attention by Yabloko, is the concern of so-called soldier-mothers about the situation of young conscripts (one year army duty is obliged) improvement is urgent.

Turkish MP Nursuna Memecan (AKP) mentioned recent changes made to improve the position of women...

Video of Grigory Yavlinsky's lecture for Skolkovo students

Grigory Yavlinsky, famous Russian politician and economist met with SKOLKOVO’s students. Mr Yavlinsky was as a guest speaker at the MBA practical module, devoted to the projects in social and government sectors.

May 9, 2011

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.

May 6, 2011

Our party is democratic and anti-oligarchic

Sergei Mitrokhin’s intrerview to Moskovsky Komsomolets
May 3, 2011

Question: What is happening with YABLOKO, why has it not had any success either in the regional or the federal elections?

Sergei Mitrokhin: Do we have elections in our country? You remember October 2009 in Moscow. At the polling stations where Putin, Medvedev, and Luzhkov voted, YABLOKO got 15-17%. While in places where I voted with my family we got zero. Why? In the places where the bosses voted, no-one dared to falsify anything. Only islands for free elections remain today - due to oversights, because although we have an authoritarian regime it is not very tough. In places where we manage to ensure a fair count of the votes, we get what we are due. In Sebezhsky district in Pskov Oblast - 20.6% of the vote and second place after United Russia. In Kolchuginsky district Vladimir Oblast - more than 20%, second place after the LDPR (Liberal Democratic Party of Russia), but the head of our list was elected head of the district...

Russia must protect human rights defenders
Press Release, ALDE, May 6, 2011

It is with dismay we have learned of the forthcoming criminal trial against Oleg Orlov, head of Memorial and 2009 laureate of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize. This trial, scheduled for 17 May and initiated by the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, is clearly politically motivated and raises serious questions on the functioning of the Russian judicial system.

European Union gains greater weight at the UN
LI News Bulletin, Issue 231, May 6, 2011

The European Union has been granted ‘super observer' status in the United Nations, which will allow the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton to speak on behalf of the EU. This elevation of the EU status was determined by a vote in the UN General Assembly which saw 180 countries out of 192 voting in favour. Though this does not give the EU voting rights, representatives of the EU will be able to participate in the general debate, present proposals and amendments and sponsor resolutions. The ALDE group in the European Parliament (LI full member) has expressly welcomed the vote. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (FDP, Germany), Deputy Leader of the ALDE Group, said 'The clear vote in favour of the resolution is an important diplomatic success for the EU in a difficult political environment. The EU will enjoy greater weight at the UN, which more adequately reflects its importance on the world stage. The ALDE Group congratulates Cathy Ashton on this success.'

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LI President speaks in Cairo on democratic transitions in the Arab World
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Indonesian President warns of rising Islamist extremism

May 4, 2011

Lies and legitimacy
The founder of the Yabloko Party analyses the political situation. Article by Grigory Yavlinsky on radio Svoboda.

This year marks the 20th anniversary since Russia emerged from the ruins of the USSR. Peaceful rejection of the previous totalitarian system represented a historical achievement of global proportions. At the time society was clearly ready for change and the construction of a new life based on respect for the individual, democratic principles and a free competitive economy. Today we understand that this potential has not been realized. These dreams have not come true...

...The people are organizing their lives outside the state. The people are taking flight, as they believe the state to be alien, and naturally not to offer them any support. At critical moments in the past (such as in 1917 and 1991) this led to the state’s disappearance...

May 3, 2011

Bashkirian YABLOKO participated in the 1st of May demonstration and a rally

Press Release of the Bashkirian branch of YABLOKO, May 3, 2011.

On May 1 the Bashkirian branch of YABLOKO together with a number of public organisations of the Republic of Bashkortastan conducted a demonstration and a rally in protection of civil and social rights of the citizens. Over 1,000 people participated in the action.

The participants of the demonstration marched along the main street of Ufa. The slogans of the demonstration were “High Time to Change the Authorities”, “Head of Ufa Administration to Dismissal”, “We Are for Self-Government”, “United Russia [party] Means Deceit, Crime and Corruption”, etc...

The 1st of May Democratic March demanding dismissal of the Governor and elections of executive authorities took place in St.Petersburg

Press Service of St.Petersburg YABLOKO, May 3, 2011.

The 1st of May Democratic March demanding dismissal of Governor Valentina Matviyenko and elections of executive authorities took place in St.Petersburg. The participants marched along the main streets of the city and then conducted a rally. About 500 people came to the march. The participants held banners “Democratic March” and “Matviyenko to Dismissal”. A large number of police, several coaches of riot police (OMON) and a police helicopter followed the demonstration...

Sergei Mitrokhin: after the death of Osama bin Laden we have to prevent possible “acts of revenge”

Interfax, May 3, 2011.

The US and other countries, including Russia, should adopt measures so that to prevent possible “acts of revenge” after the death of terrorist Osama bin Laden, said Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the opposition party YABLOKO.

“Elimination of bin Laden is a positive event. This is certainly a huge plus for Barack Obama… However, now the Americans should not only rejoice and triumph, but also prepare to possible acts of terror which terrorists may commit as the acts of revenge,” Mitrokhin said on Monday...

Human Rights community created in the Internet on the initiative of the Tambov branch of YABLOKO

Press Release of the Tambov branch of YABLOKO, May 3, 2011.

A human rights community has been created in the Live Journal (at pravotambov.livejournal.com) on the initiative of the Tambov branch of YABLOKO. YABLOKO is aiming to create an area for interaction between citizens, human rights activists and human rights organisations in Tambov and reflect their activities...

Guy Verhofstadt: the end of a decade of terror
Press Release, ALDE, April 19, 2011

After having heard the news of the death of Osama bin Laden, Guy Verhofstadt, President of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament, felt relief. Verhofstadt was President of the European Council back in 2001 when 9/11 took place. In the name of the European Union he called these attacks "barbaric"...

See also: One-China policy has got no future in long term

European Liberals: Dismantling Schengen dismantles an open Europe
ELDR Press Release, April 29, 2011.

Following the unprecedented developments in North Africa, voices have been raised for cutting the freedoms of the Schengen agreement that allows for free travel within Europe to combat illegal migration. If needed, the rules of the Schengen agreement can already be adjusted in exceptional circumstances. European Liberals warn to open this pandora’s box of changing treaties as it is the axe to the idea of an open Europe, which is one of the cornerstones of the EU...

 

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