YABLOKO proposed to elect PACE via direct vote

Press Release, August 30, 2010.

Such a proposal YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin put forward at the European Forum Alpbach. The European Forum Alpbach is a kind of analogue of the World Economic Forum in Davos, however, Alpbach focuses on the problems of European integration.

According to Sergei Mitrokhin, the first step in the way of Russia’s integration should be raising of the role of the Council of Europe and new principles of PACE formation. “The Council of Europe should become an instrument for involving Russia into the system of European values, European standards in politics, economy, protection of human rights and environment,” Sergei Mitrokhin said. YABLOKO’s leader proposed to European politicians to make CE more influential via direct elections to PACE with mandatory control over elections in the member states by the Council of Europe. Mitrokhin is also certain that this would be also important for Russia and its movement along democratic way of development.
Debating with RF Ambassador in the EU Vladimir Chizov YABLOKO’s leader raised an issue of development of a common EU strategy towards Russia. According to Sergei Mitrokhin, “this should be a consistent EU strategy towards Russia based on integration rather than confrontation”...

Moldovan President calls for coalition unity ahead of important reforms

LI News Issue 198, August 27, 2010

After the rising of tension in the Moldovan four-party ruling Alliance for European Integration (AIE) coalition, Moldova's Acting President Mihai Ghimpu of the Liberal Party (LI Observer Member pending Congress confirmation) said that it must put an end to infighting if it wants to win the upcoming parliamentary elections. In an interview, President Ghimpu said the alliance had a duty to continue the reforms it set upon: “The AIE [is] responsible not only to its voters, but also to the European Union, which [has] helped [the AIE] to govern.” His remarks came after Prime Minister Vlad Filat of coalition partner the Liberal Democratic Party announced that he might run for President, thereby violating a former coalition agreement. The government coalition, which also holds LI Observer Member Alliance Moldova Noastra, is looking forward to complete a set of important constitutional reforms before the next elections including a reform of the electoral system. The coalition faces fierce opposition from the Communist Party of Moldova, which is the biggest party in the Moldovan Parliament...

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Statement by YABLOKO’s Chairman, August 26, 2010.

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses its categorical protest in connection with a court’s sentence to renowned human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov. This sentence is another example demonstrating the use of force when citizens try to realise their constitutional rights. Grave violations of the law and the use of force in detentions and fraudulent evidence in trials have become an everyday practice for the interior. The courts acting in Stalin’s style are guided by the idea that the law enforcement are always right and protesting or dissenting citizens are necessarily criminals.

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.

ALDE requests plenary debate on the Roma situation in the EU
Press Release, ALDE, August 24, 2010

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe deeply regrets that several European governments have brazenly stigmatised the Roma community over these past summer months. "The exiling of German-born Roma children to Kosovo, the military-style dismantling of Roma camps in France, the massive expulsions, and the encouragements of an Italian minister to carry out openly xenophobe policies, are sad events for the European Union whose values have been ridiculed", deplores Guy VERHOFSTADT, president of the group who requests a declaration from the Council and the Commission on the Roma situation in Europe for the next Strasbourg plenary. "The Parliament must remind Europe of our principles and the Commission must assure that the rights of minorities are respected", added M. Verhofstadt ...

Rights activists complain about probe into colleague's murder in Chechnya

Interfax, August 23, 2010.

Moscow, 23 August: According to human rights campaigners, the murder of Natalya Estimirova, an activist of Memorial (human rights centre), is not being investigated.

"The investigation is not moving. It has stagnated," Svetlana Gannushkina, head of the Citizens' Assistance committee and a member of the council of the Memorial human rights centre, told Interfax on Monday (23 August)...

YABLOKO conducted an action against nuclear waste imports into Russia

Press Release, August 24, 2010.

YABLOKO’s activists conducted an action against nuclear waste imports from Germany into Russia by the German Embassy in Moscow today. YABLOKO has been consistently opposing the plans of the Russian government to import nuclear waste for procession and storage stating lack of transparency and control, corruption and terrorists’ threats.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and Executive Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Galina Mikhalyova handed to representative of the Embassy Kirsch York YABLOKO’s address to the German government calling to abrogate the decision of exporting German nuclear waste into Russia...

Action against imports of German nuclear waste into Russia to take place on August 24

Press Release, August 23, 2010.

YABLOKO will conduct an action against imports of nuclear waste from Germany into Russia by the German Embassy in Moscow on August 24, at 1 p.m. It is planned that 951 fuel slugs from a research nuclear reactor from Rossendorf near Drezden will be sent to Novouralsk, Russia.

The participants of the action are going to hand to the Ambassador their address to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German two federal ministers – Economic Minister Reiner Bruederle and Minister of Environment Norbert Ruetten – with a request to abolish nuclear waste imports into Russia. According to German laws, the federal government has the right to veto the decisions adopted by the lands governments...

YABLOKO’s MP of the Tula City Duma faces three years of imprisonment for his criticism of the Governor

Press Release, August 17, 2010.

Criminal proceedings on a libel case (Ed. In Russia persecutions on a libel case may be launched both in the civil and the criminal proceedings) were launched against YABLOKO’s deputy of the Tula City Duma Vladimir Timakov for his alleged libel against Governor of the Tula Region Vyachslav Dudka. Timakov faces up to three years of imprisonment in accordance with Article 129 of the Criminal Code.

Vladimir Timakov was the only politician in the region who dared to criticize the Governor. According to Timakov, mechanisms of civil and political control over the executive branch have been completely dismantled in the region for the past five years, which facilitates corruption. Timakov holds the Governor responsible for record high corruption in the region...

Deputy Prime Minister Clegg says he’s proud of coalition's start

LI News Issue 196, August 19, 2010

On 18 August, in a speech to mark the milestone date of the first 100 days of the coalition government in office, UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, leader of LI full Member Liberal Democrats, declared himself 'really proud' of the government's achievements as he insisted that the coalition was committed to long-term decision-making “that will promote a better future, a more prosperous economy and a fairer society.” Mr. Clegg further hailed progress on the economy, civil liberties, political reform and changing the shape of public services by saying that the government was 'about much more than cuts' as he set out his vision for a fairer society. 'I am really proud of the achievements so far, from civil liberties, to political reform, to steps to reshaping our public services. And of course, our first budget, which set out our plans to repair the public finances...Our critics characterise us as being solely defined by our public spending cuts. So let me be clear: tackling the deficit is our immediate priority, but is it not our be-all and end-all. This Government is about much more than cuts” Clegg continued...

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The Electoral Commission of the Chelyabinsk Region validated YABLOKO's list of candidates for regional election

Press Release, August 17, 2010.

On August 17 the Electoral Commission of the Chelyabinsk Region validated YABLOKO's list of candidates for elections to the regional Legislative Assembly. YABLOKO will have to collect 15,000 to confirm its rights to participate in the October elections. YABLOKO’s list in the part of regional elections is topped by two renowned women: Natalya Mitronova, Chair of the Southern Urals Movement For Nuclear Safety and Fatima Kobzhasarova, Chair of the Chelyabisnk City Women’s Movement Fatima...

Court’s sentence to Sergei Makhnatkin is unjust

Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman, August 16, 2010.

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO considers Sergei Makhnatkin (Ed. A passer-by arrested during breaking of a peaceful protest action in the centre of Moscow on December 31, 2010, who tried to protect a woman from violence by the police and sentenced to two years of imprisonment under a pretext of using violence against police) unfairly and unjustly convicted.

Police officers have been systematically demonstrating their extremely low qualification in dealing with unauthorized peaceful public actions, their inability to solve tasks without violence bordering on cruelty against women, elderly citizens and passers-by...

Chris Huhne criticizes Labour’s economic mismanagement

LI News Issue 196, August 13, 2010

In a speech on Wednesday, British Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne, of LI Full Member the Liberal Democrats, lashed out at the Labour party for leaving the United Kingdom in a financial state close to bankruptcy. The speech came in an effort to justify the coalition government's spending cuts in order to overcome the United Kingdom's biggest budget deficit in peacetime history. Mr. Huhne said: “In just two financial years up to the election, public spending rose by 10 percent in real terms. [..] The truth is Gordon Brown tried to buy the election. Labour's big spender went on a hell of a bender. It was goodbye prudence and hello hangover”...

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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...

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...

YABLOKO launches election campaign in the Sebezhsky District of the Pskov Region

Press Release, August 16, 2010.

..."In this campaign I am protecting my team mates. This is a principled position, and we had enough grounds for adopting of such a decision. The YABLOKO party guarantees to all the members of the team, candidates in elections in the Sebezhsky District its political and legal protection. If needed all the forces of the party, including applications to regional and federal law enforcement bodies will be involved for such a defence,” Schlosberg said. He also added that pressure on elections commissions is inadmissible and unlawful, and Russian law envisages criminal persecution for such actions"...

The Social Liberalism of D66

By Marietje Schaake. Special for YABLOKO's web-site, August 14, 2010.

Yabloko's noble fight for freedom and democracy is something the Dutch party D66 can strongly relate to. Although the point of departure was different when our party was founded in 1966, democracy is always a work in progress and D66 has always been committed to holding Dutch democracy to the highest possible standard.
In the 1960s, Dutch politics were heavily dominated by the four 'pillars' that made up our society at the time: the socialist labourers, the Catholics, the Protestants and the liberal 'bourgeoisie'. The Dutch people were blindly loyal to the political parties at the top of their pillars, which resulted in a stale political landscape where all the real decisions were made by party elites negotiating amongst each other...

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

15,000 prisoners can burn alive

Press Release, August 9, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin demands from Minister of Extraordinary Situations Sergei Shoigu and President of the Republic of Mordovia Nikolai Merkushkin to adopt urgent measures for evacuation of the prisoners from the Potma prison camp encircled by forest fires. At present Mitrokhin is preparing an application to the Public Prosecutor demanding to conduct an audit on liquidation of the Potma-Barashyevo railroad which connected over 20 camps, and basing on the results of the audit to file a criminal case against the heads of the Federal Service for Execution of Punishment. Due to dismantling of the railroad 15,000 prisoners can die in fires...

Web-site providing information on fires in the Nizhni Novgorod Region killed before Governor’s inauguration

Press Release, August 8, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin called Governor of the Nizhni Novgorod Region Vlary Shantsev to take urgent measures for restoration of the regional web-site The Virtual Wyksa www.wyksa.ru which had been the only source of information for the population on terrible fires in the Wyksunsky District of the region. From August 5 on the threashold of Shantsev’s inauguration the web-site had been confronting continuous DDoS-attack, and, consequently, ceased to function. “Such ‘killing’ of the web-site helping to eliminate fires means killing of people,” runs Mitrokhin’s letter to the Governor. According to Mitrokhin, if Governor’s facilitation in restoring of the web-site, will mean not only a very step in fighting the fires, but will also clear the Administration off the suspicions in involvement in the hackers’ attack...

Women top YABLOKO’s election list in the Chelyabinsk region

Press Release, August 7, 2010.

Women topped YABLOKO’s list of candidates for elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Chelyabinsk region scheduled on October 10. Such a decision was adopted by the regional conference of the party which took place on August 7...The conference also nominated Oleg Mukharlamov YABLOKO’s candidate to the post of the head of Bredinskly District of the Chelyabinsk Region...

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...

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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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.

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...

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...

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...

Press Release, August 3, 2010.

An Executive Committee meeting and an Extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly of International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) will take place in St.Petersburg on August 6-8. Representatives from over 40 countries will come to St.Petersburg.

The meeting will be opened by Bart Woord, IFLRY President, Nikolai Rybakov, deputy head of St.Petersburg YABLOKO’s branch and Alexander Gudimov, Chair of St.Petersburg Youth YABLOKO. The participants will discuss development of democracy and liberalism.

Several panels will be devoted to Russia...

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!”...

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.

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...

...Artemyev: It is not our desire to bankrupt companies, but punishment for violation of antimonopoly laws must be unavoidable. Therefore, we have fined, are fining, and will continue fining. The TNK-BP case became a precedent. And, we are planning to take advantage of the Supreme Arbitration Court's decision which is favourable for us and apply it to other companies...

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.