YABLOKO participates in the 23rd Moscow International Book Fair

Press Release, September 2, 2010.

The YABLOKO party participates in the 23rd Moscow International Book Fair which opened in Moscow (The All-Russia Exhibition Centre, Pavilion No 75, stand F58) on September 1. All the visitors interested in politics, economics, human rights, defence policies, protection of environment, etc. can get books by founder of the party Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky, members of Political Committee corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexei Arbatov and Alexei Yablokov, Viktor Sheinis and other YABLOKO’s leaders...

The authors will be available for communication with the readers at the stand throughout all the book fair days. Presentation of all YABLOKO’s books will take place on Saturday September 4, the authors will sign the books and answer the questions. “We pay great attention to our publishing programmes, as our voters and advocates are all keen readers,” noted Sergei Mitrokhin.

YABLOKO to pay tribute to the victims of the act of terror in Beslan school

Press Release, September 2, 2010.

On September 3 (at 1 p.m.) the delegation of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO will lay flowers to the memorial of victims of the Beslan tragedy.

Six years ago on September 1, terrorists seized school No 1 in Beslan, North Ossetia, with all schoolchildren, teachers and parents present at the ceremony of the beginning of the school year. The act of terror took the lives of 330 people (including 186 children). Over 700 people were injured.

A minute of silence will be held at 1.05 p.m., when six years ago the first explosion in the school No 1 in Beslan, took place. After the minute of silence 330 air balloons will be launched in the air in memory of the victims.
The ceremony will take place at the address: Moscow, Solyanka 5/2.

YABLOKO proposes to reduce food-stuffs prices in Russia via grain exchanges and interventions

Press Release, September 2, 2010.

“To prevent growth of prices on bread, cereals and some other basic food-stuffs it is necessary to urgently create grain exchanges, where only grain and grain products producers will get the right to register,” such a statement was made by YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin to journalists earlier today. “This will prevent boosting of prices by a chain of intermediaries, speculators and one-day firms, that have been parasiting on the agrarian sector,” Mitrokhin noted. According to YABLOKO’s leader, creation of grain exchanges will not involve any expenditures from the federal budget, as “trades can take place at electronic trading platforms organised by the Federal Anti-Monopoly Agency”.

“Also today the state has a possibility to restrain price growth by means of grain interventions from the Grain Fund reserves, whereas part of these reserves can be sold via exchanges.” “Application of these two methods will lead to reduction of the growth of prices on agricultural products in a very short term,” Mitrokhin said...

The Chelyabinsk branch of YABLOKO submitted voters’ signatures for registration in the regional election campaign

Press Release, August 30, 2010.

The Chelyabinsk branch of YABLOKO submitted 15,000 voters’ signatures for registration in election campaign to the legislative assembly of the Chelyabinsk region. The Electoral Commission will have to adopt a decision on registration of the party in the elections within 10 days.

In this campaign YABLOKO plans to focus on the environment, which is one of the most acute problems in the Southern Urals. YABLOKO’s list is topped by a well-known ecologist Natalya Mironova. The second slogan of the campaign is “Politics is Women’s Business!” This human rights issue is led by human rights Activist Farima Kobzhasarova...

YABLOKO provided aid to children’s orphanage affected by fires in the Moscow region

Press Release, August 30, 2010.

This summer Byvalino village, Moscow region, was severely damaged by fire. All the buildings by Saint Martyr Nikita Temple burnt down: children’s school by the temple, canteen, archive, sewing shops and prior’s cell. YABLOKO collected money for aid for the victims of fires throughout August. It was decided that part of these funds should go on the purchase of sporting clothes and school supplies for the sunday school, which lost virtually everything during fire: pupils’ private belongings, school supplies, toys and books...

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”...

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.

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...

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...

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"...

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...

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...

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...

A flash game “Medvedev, do not be a puppet!”

July 26, 2010.

YABLOKO's activist detained in the Red Square

Press Release, July 26, 2010.

Today on July 26, a one-person picketing under the slogan “Medvedev, do not be a FSB puppet!” was conducted at the Red Square. YABLOKO’s Artur Grokhovsky was holding a placard picturing the “KGB men” - Felix Dzerzhinsky, Lavrenty Beria and Vladimir Putin – and a photograph of President Dmitry Medvedev tied to their fingers.

YABLOKO called the President not to sign the law broadening of the proxies of secret services. The police detained the activist who was picketing at the Red Square, broke the placard picturing the “KGB men” and their “puppet” President Medvedev. Also, allegedly a FSB (Federal Security Service) officer tried to wipe out all the records from the journalists’ cameras and recorders and also tried to break a camera...

The 123 Agreement will turn Russia into the world burial of nuclear waste

Statement by the YABLOKO party, July 24, 2010.

The YABLOKO party has always opposed imports of nuclear waste into Russia. It was the only parliamentary party which in 2000 jointly voted against introduction of changes into the law allowing for imports of radioactive waste into Russia. Even at that time we were saying “we should not turn Russia into an international radioactive waste dump even for much money!” However, such changes in the law were made under the pressure from the Russian Atomic Agency (Rosatom), despite of the fact that 90 per cent of Russian citizens are against imports of radioactive waste into Russia.

The 123 Agreement on cooperation with Russia in the nuclear field has been considered by US Congress at present. In case it is approved, Russia will be able to import US radioactive waste from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and many other countries, under a formal pretext of recycling and virtually for its burial.

Submitting the bill into Congress US President said, “implementation of this agreement does not bear any risks for our security…” Such care of US President of his country security inspires respect, while the Russian authorities’ care of the security of their country arises much doubt and concern...

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...

Sergei Mitrokhin: President should not become a secret services’ puppet

Press Release, July 23, 2010.

Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the YABLOKO party, called Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev not to sign the law on broadening of the proxies of the FSB (Federal Security Service) adopted in three readings by the State Duma (the lower chamber of the Russian parliament) and approved by the Federation Council (the upper chamber).

“President’s reputation is at stake here, Sergei Mitrokhin said. – This is the moment of truth for the President: either he really targets at making Russia a modern law-governed state or all his speeches about modernization is a part of a cover operation developed within the Federal Security Bureau”...

An action against broadening of proxies of secret services took part by St.Petersburg Federal Security Service building

Press Release, July 22, 2010.

An unsanctioned action against broadening of proxies of secret services was held by Youth YABLOKO activists in St.Petsersburg. The action was held in front of the Big House (the Federal Security Service building in St.Petersburg, Liteyniy 4).

Two young activists were dressed as prisoners with inscriptions “A Victim of the Regime” on their clothes. Three other activists acting as KGB men shot the victims with red paint by the entrance to the FSB building. “We have shown the pinnacle of this amendment to the FSB law when ordinary people will become potential prisoners as it was in 1937 [under Stalin],” Alexander Gudimov, leader of St.Petersburg Youth YABLOKO said. “Then [in 1937] they had special proxies, however, they used these against people and not against criminals,” he added...

The policeman who had to deal with alleged “disobeying” by YABLOKO’s activist has given his evidence to court

Press Release, July 22, 2010.

A Moscow court of the first instance continues hearings on Artur Grokhovsky’s case. Grokhovsky is accused of “disobeying a lawful demand” of the police during the action against broadening of secret services proxies held by the State Duma on July 9. A policeman who detained “disobeying” Grokhovsky has given his evidence in court today...

The judge watched the video of detention of YABLOKO’s activist by the State Duma

Press Release, July 21, 2010.

On July 21 Judge Olga Borovkova during the hearings of Artur Grokhovsky’s case watched the video of detention of Artur Grokhovsky, Advisor to YABLOKO’s Chairman. Grokhovsky is accused of “disobeying a lawful demand” of the police during the action against broadening of secret services proxies held by the State Duma on July 9. Grokhovsky is facing admoinsitrative arrest up to 15 days...

Action in memory of Natalya Estemirova took place in Ekaterinburg

hro.org, July 21, 2010.

A picket organized by the regional Memorial branch in memory of human rights activist Memorial’s Natalya Estemirova kidnapped in Grozny, Chechnya, and killed in Ingushetia on July 15, 2009, took place in Ekaterinburg.

Maxim Petlin, leader of Sverdlovsk YABLOKO, Alexander Kalkh, Chair of the Perm Memorial branch, Tatyana Merzlyakova, Ombudsman in the Sverdlovsk region, activists of the Movement Against Violence (Glec Edelyev) and Interregional Centre for Human Rights (Vladimir Shaklein) participated in the picketing. The picket ended by a demonstration along the main street of the city and demonstration of a documentary “Aldy: Without Limitations Period” (a joint production by Memorial and YABLOKO) devoted to killings of civilians on February 5, 2000, the Noviye Aldy village in Chechnya. The film basis on the materials obtained by Natasha Estemirova with a risk to her life...

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...

Action in memory of Natalya Estemirova took place in Nevsky Prospect, St.Petersburg

Press Release, July 16, 2010.

An action in memory of renowned human rights activist Natalya Estemirova kidnapped and murdered a year ago in took place in Nevsky Prospect, St.Petersburg, on July 16, 2010. Activists from the YABLOKO party, Memorial and The House of Peace and Non-Violence dressed in T-shirts with a photograph of Natalya marched along the main street of the city Nevsky prospect and distributed leaflets about the killed human rights activist among passers-by. The latter asked questions about Natalya and about the news of the investigation...

One-person picketing against broadening of the competence of secret services conducted by the Federation Council

Press Release, July 19, 2010.

One-person picketing against broadening of the competence of secret services was conducted by the Federation Council (the upper chamber of the Russian parliament) as the latter had to examine the draft law today on July 19. Artur Grokhovsky, Advisor to YABLOKO’s Chairman, was holding a huge placard (1.5 x 1 meters) picturing Felix Dzerzhinsky, the head of the KGB, Lavrenty Beria, Stalin’s closest accomplice standing behind mass-scale reprisals and Vladimir Putin with an inscription “The KGB men are for it!”...

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...

Young YABLOKO activists detained for protesting against the secret services law by the parliament

Press Release, July 16, 2010.

Three activists of the Youth YABLOKO were detained by police by the State Duma (the Russian parliament) when attempting to conduct a protest action against introduction of amendments broadening the competence of secret services (FSB).

Today deputies of the State Duma are to consider the draft law in the final third reading. YABLOKO’s activists came to the State Duma disguised as prisoners with a placard, a scaling ladder and leaflets...

YABLOKO’s activists convicted for a one-person picket against the new law on secret services

Press Release, July 15, 2010.

Deputy Chairman of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO Galina Mikhalyova and young YABLOKO’s activist Igor Savyolov were found guilty of committing a misdemeanor and fined 500 rubles each. The cases of the other two activists - Maxim Kruglov and Arthur Grokhovsky - were postponed until July 23 as the policemen were late for the trial.
The decision states violation of Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences (Violation of the set order in organsing or conducting a gathering, rally, demonstration, march or picketing”).

YABLOKO’s activist had to stand before court for holding a one-person picket by the State Duma on June 11 - when the draft law for broadening of the proxies of the secret service (FSB) was examined by the Duma in the first reading. Galina Mikhalyova stood by the walls of the State Duma with a placard while of other party activists waiting for their turn at a distance. The police detained all the activists of YABLOKO despite the fact that a one-person picketing was conducted only by Galina Mikhalyova.

"The example of this particular case demonstrates that our courts are biased and not impartial. The court’s decision was not guided by fraudulent administrative violation cases provided by police rather than by Russian laws," Mikhalyova said...

Tula City Duma deputy persecuted for his criticism of the Governor’s work

Statement by the Tula branch of YABLOKO, July 15, 2010.

The Tula regional branch of the YABLOKO party expresses its deep concern with criminal prosecution of deputy of the Tula City Duma from our party Vladimir TImakov [launched under a pretext of a libel case].

Timakov gave his assessment of the Governor’s work at his post.

Actually Timakov’s statements are based on his believes, and, in our view, there are no grounds for criminal prosecution in our opinion no. The fact that the Investigation Committee with the Public Prosecutor's Office in the Tula region three times refused [the Governor] in launching a criminal case for the lack of the elements of crime [in such criticism] is one more proof of this.

In our opinion, this constitutes a demonstrative political "bashing" of a dissenting oppositional politician and journalist so that to force him stop his activities and give up his believes...

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...

Sergei Mitrokhin: President crossed out the course towards modernisation

Press Release, July 15, 2010.

“The President’s statement crosses out the course towards modernisation he has proclaimed. Amendments proposed to the law on the Federal Security Service demonstrate that instead of building a modern state in Russia the President has been restoring the most archaic institutions of the totalitarian past,” YABLOKO’s leader said.

According to Mitrokhin no one but corrupted bureaucracy which is afraid of the people and tries to maintain at any price its power and riches accumulated with the help of this power needs these amendments.

Today President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said at a joint press-conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the draft law “has been developed on his order”. However, the draft law was submitted to the parliament by Chair of the Government Vladimir Putin...

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service turns 20

July 14, 2010.

Dear friends,

Please receive our congratulations on the 20th anniversary of your work in the federal Anti-Monopoly Service!

Throughout the years of its functioning, especially led by a remarkable economist and a politician of principle and our friend, Igor Artemyev, the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service has become playing a significant role in the economic and political life of the country, fight against corruption and monopolies...

European Parliament members meet with YABLOKO’s leaders

Press Release, July 26, 2010.

On June 26 YABLOKO held a meeting with the delegation of the European Liberals, Democrats and Reformers party (ELDR) – Mrs. Annemie Neyts, ELDR President, Mrs.Kristiina Ojuland, MEP, Mr. Michael Jensen, member of Danish parliament and Mr.Robert Plummer, ELDR Political Advisor.

Opening the meeting YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin proposed to discuss the prospects of further cooperation between ELDR and ELDR full member the YABLOKO party.

Member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky said that the EU has not yet developed a single strategy for cooperation with Russia, therefore development of such a strategy can become a task of ELDR and its faction in the European Parliament. And YABLOKO can help in development of such a strategy. "The absence of a well-developed European strategy as regards integration with Russia is one of the key obstacles in development of relations between Russia and Europe. YABLOKO’s proposals and some provisions of our party programme could form the basis for such a strategy," Yavlinsky said.

YABLOKO’s leaders also dwelled upon some aspects of such a strategy. Thus, Sergei Mitrokhin proposed to European liberals to more actively support YABLOKO’s initiative on abolishing visas between the EU and Russia. He called the visa regime “a rudiment of the Iron Curtain preventing assimilation of the European standards by the Russian citizens”...

Judge sends the cases of young YABLOKO activists to additional investigation

Press Release, July 14, 2010.

Judge Olga Borovkova sent the cases of three activists of the Youth branch of YABLOKO (Kirill Goncharov, Vladislav Pankov and Igor Savyelov), who had chained themselves on July 9 with handcuffs to the fence of the State Duma in protest against broadening of proxies of the Russian secret service (FSB). The judge detected numerous violations in issuing the protocols. Motivated decisions will be handed to Stanislav Gorlov who defends the activists tomorrow. Hearing of the case of the fourth activist Veronica Belozerskikh has not yet been scheduled yet...

Investigation of Yuri Schekochikhin’s death should go on

Statement by the YABLOKO party. July 3, 2010.

July 3 marks seven years since the death of an outstanding journalist and fighter against corruption Yuri Schekochikhin.

On this day the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO considers it necessary to remind to Russia’s leadership that the circumstances of the death of Yuri Schekochikhin have not been determined.

The decision on termination of the investigation adopted by the Investigation Committee of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in 2009 demonstrates inability or lack of desire of the present Russian state to conduct a full-fledged investigation...

Young YABLOKO activists are facing 15 days of arrest

Press Release, July 9, 2010.

The detained activists of the Youth YABLOKO and Artur Grokhovsky, Advisor to Sergei Mitrokhin, are facing 15 days of arrest in accordance with Article 19.3 of the Administrative Violation Code “Non-obeying to the lawful police order”.
Protocols on administrative violations by the activists were made in the Tverkoye police station, Moscow. “I access this as an act of moral pressure,” Artur Grokhovsky said over the phone.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin told that this constituted an attempt of intimidation of the activists as they had dared to oppose Vladimir Putin’s initiative...”

Activists of the Youth YABLOKO enchained themselves with handcuffs by the Russian parliament protesting against the new security service law

Press Release, July 9, 2010.

Four activists of the Youth YABLOKO were detained by police after they enchained themselves with handcuffs by the State Duma (the Russian parliament) protesting against the new security service (FSB, the former KGB) law. Artur Grokhovsky, Advisor to party Chair Sergei Mitrokhin, was also detained.
“YABLOKO has been conducting this action protesting against adoption of the draft law broadening the proxies of the FSB. Today deputies of the State Duma has to examine the draft law in the second reading. Artur Grokhovsky stood by the entrance to the parliament building with a placard picturing Byeria (Stalin’s main accomplice), Dzerzhinsky and Putin with an inscription “Amendments to the FSB law – the KGB men are for it!” with the signatures YABLOKO had collected against this law...

YABLOKO wins a case in the Constitutional Court

Press Release, June 22, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his satisfaction with the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation on the complaint from YABLOKO’s member Andrei Malitsky.

The Constitutional Court ruled out that some provisions on the Russian Federaiton law “On the Basic Guarantees of Franchise and the Right to Referendum” connected with a ban for the citizens residing in a foreign state to be members of electoral commissions. Being a Russian citizen Malitsky obtained in 2009 a residence permit in Lithuania. Due to this fact he was expelled from a territorial electoral commission in Moscow where he represented YABLOKO’s interests...

YABLOKO conducted the “1,418 Candles in Memory of the War” action in the Russian cities

Press Release, June 22, 2010.

YABLOKO’s activists conducted memory actions in different Russian cities on the night from June 21 to June 22, on the day of the 69th anniversary of the beginning o the Great Patriotic War (Ed. The term used in Russia and the CIS countries to describe the period of 1941-1945 of the Second World War, when Hilter invaded the USSR)...

Memory of the victims of the war is a part of personal genetic memory

Press Release, June 21, 2010.

On June 22 at 4 a.m. representatives of the Pskov regional branch of YABLOKO headed by their Chair Lev Shlosberg will pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Second World War at the Victory square by Eternal Flame. The activists will lay flowers to the Grave of the Unknown Soldier and light candles.

“Participation in this memorial action is a civil and not a party action,” Lev Shlosberg said. “This is an integral part of a personal genetic memory of a person, as well as genetic memory of the nation.” Party symbols will not be used in the action.

Grigory Yavlinsky to visit Kirov on June 24

Press Release, June 20, 2010.

Renown Russian politician and economist, one of the founders of the YABLOKO party and member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky will visit Kirov on June 24.

The first event in his programme will be a meeting with the public. Then Grigory Yavlinsky will deliver a lecture “Modernisation of Russia’s Economic and Political System” in the Vyatka State University. A meeting of Grigory Yavlinsky and Governor of the Kirov Region Nikita Belykh will take place at 2 p.m. A press-conference will be organised after the meeting. The closing event of the visit will be Grigory Yavlinsky’s meeting with the activists of the Kirov branch of the YABLOKO party...

YABLOKO to light 1,418 candles in memory of the war

Press Release, June 18, 2010.

In the night from June 21 to June 22 (on the memory date when Hitler invaded the USSR) YABLOKO’s activists will hold an action “1,418 candles for each day of war” to commemorate the 69th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union of 1941-1945...

In St.Petersburg YABLOKO’s activists will light candles by the Blockade Ice-Hole where the citizens took water during blockade (Fontanka embankment 21) on June 22 at 4 a.m.
Traditional YABLOKO’s action “1,418 candles for each day of war” has been taking place in Moscow and St.Petersburg for several years already.

Oppositional journalist’s house burnt in the Saratov region

Press Release, June 17, 2010.

The house of Editor-in-Chief of the Ogni Povolzhiya (Lights of the Volga) newspaper and member of the Regional Council of the Saratov branch of YABLOKO Salimzhan Gaisin was burned on the night of June 15. His daughter and son in law and their two children managed to get out of the burning house. A newly built house and an adjacent old building completely burt out. YABLOKO expresses support of the colleague and considers this accident as obviously of criminal nature.

“We connect this not only with the journalistic activity, but also with a pro-active attitude and human rights activities by Salimzhan Gaisin, who conducted numerous anti-corruption investigations, revealed facts of abuse of power by local officials and identified numerous violations of election law,” runs the statement by the Bureau of the Saratov branch of YABLOKO...

Svetlana Kuznetsova, head of the Soldiers’ Mothers faction on amendments to the law on the military service submitted to the Russian parliament

Press Release, June 9, 2010.

Svetlana Kuznetsova, head of the Soldiers’ Mothers faction in the YABLOKO party, says that “YABLOKO is categorically against the amendments referring to a legalized “buy-out” from the army service, as they are discriminatory and targeted at commercialization of the army. The authors of the amendments say that the state does not have enough money for a contract-based army; whereas every such one million roubles [about USD 30,000 paid by a young person wishing to avoid mandatory military service] will suffice for maintenance of two contract soldiers. Since 2001 YABLOKO has been insisting that the state has enough money on a contract army and our economists can prove that”...

Action against mandatory army conscription took place by the Ministry of Defence

Press Release, June 15, 2010

Action against mandatory army conscription organised by the Youth YABLOKO took place by the Ministry of Defence on June 15. Ten YABLOKO’s activists were holding a slogan “How many of us should die so that you abolish mandatory army conscription?” and also chanted “Away with mandatory army conscription, let’s transfer to a contract conscription!”...

...The picket resumed at the Gogol Boulvalrd. The organiser of the action Kirill Gontcharov stated that incessant chain of deaths of young conscripts made YABLOKO to hold such an action. He also noted that “due to corruption only children from poor families serve in the army”. “Instead of defending our motherland our soldiers have to build country houses for generals and clean water closets,” he added. He also said that “harassment of subordinates became a symbol of the Russian army”...

YABLOKO’s leader made a speech at the Executive Committee of Liberal International

Press Release, June 13, 2010

On June 11 YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin made a speech at the Executive Committee of Liberal International in Berlin. As Sergei Mitrokhin’s speech was scheduled in the agenda item “Human Rights in the Authoritarian States”, he spoke about police breaking YABLOKO’s picket by the Russian parliament which was conducted against adoption of the law “on preventive measures against extremism”, as well as breaking of a peaceful rally on the Triumfalnaya square in Moscow on May 31.

The participants of the Executive Committee also received Sergei Mitrokhin’s report “Russia and European Integration”. In this report YABLOKO’s leader once again stressed the necessity to work out a single strategy for EU interaction with Russia, which should be based on integration, rather than confrontation. According to Mitrokhin, the first step in realisation of this strategy would be introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and the European Union.

Another example of realization of this uniform strategy, runs the report, may be the Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence system (ABM) as a joint project of the RF and NATO countries. “Both the West and Russia will profit from such cooperation and lose from confrontation, as democracy can not develop in anti-Western hysteria”, Mitrokhin stressed.

The report also indicates that cooperation between Russia and the European Union should take place in the field of environmental safety too.

According to Mitrokhin, “the present political and economic situation in the country can be characterised as the ongoing stagnation which began under Putin. Russia’s modernisation announced by President Medvedev has been taking place in words only”...

YABLOKO’s activists arrested by the Russian parliament for picketing against the FSB law finally released, however, are facing a trial

Press Release, June 11, 2010.

..Major Brezhnev personally participated in detaining Grokhovsky: first he dragged Artur to the police car and then hit him in the belly. Now Anton is heading to the hospital to certify the bruises.

Grokhovsky also told that in February he had been already arrested by the same policeman for one-person picketing. Due to the video recording made by YABLOKO Grokhovsky was acquitted by the court then. Grokhovsky hopes that the court will acquit the activists this time too, as the action was also recorded...

Liberal International to discuss arbitrary actions of Moscow police in breaking YABLOKO's picket

Press Release, June 11, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his indignation with police breaking of YABLOKO’s one-person picket and arresting the activists protesting against the amendments to the law on the Federal Security Service (former KGB) by the Russian parliament building. No permission or coordination with authorities is required for conducting one-person pickets in accordance with the Russian law. Nevertheless the picket was brutally broken and the activists were arrested.

Mitrokhin said that actions by police officers who arrested the activist holding the placard, as well as three other activists who were standing by were a rude violation of the Constitution and the law “On assemblies, meetings, demonstrations and pickets”...

Action “Preventing Extremism” brutally broken by police

Press Release, June 11, 2010. Video, photos.

Action against introduction of amendments on the law on the Federal Security Service (the former KGB), which YABLOKO attempted to hold today by the building of the State Duma (the Russian Parliament) was brutally broken by police. Despite of the fact that it was a one-person picketing (four activists had to replace each other in turn) and did not require any permissions or notifications from the authorities, four YABLOKO’s activists were arrested and taken to the local police department and a placard depicting the head of KGB Felix Dzerzhinsky, the closest accomplice of Stalin in setting terror in the country Lavrenty Beria, and Vladimir Putin and bearing a the words "The KGB people vote FOR it!" was confiscated.

On June 11, at 9.30 am, half an hour before the plenary session the Russian parliament had to start, First Deputy Chair of the Moscow Yabloko Galina Mikhalyova took her place by the main entrance to the parliament building with a placard depicting Felix Dzerzhinsky, Lavrenty Beria and Vladimir Putin against a black ground and a hand voting for them. “The law on preventing extremism. The KGB people vote FOR it!" ran the slogan under the picture. The Russian parliament will discuss this draft law in the first reading today...

Action in memory of Larissa Yudina took place by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow

Press Release, June 7, 2010

Today, on June 7, on the tragic anniversary of the murder of leader of Kalmyk YABLOKO and oppositional journalist Larissa Yudina took place by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow. The participants of the action demanded to release the names of those who ordered the murder of Larissa Yudina, who, according to YABLOKO’s data, were determined by the investigation. “We can not rule out that [President of the Republic] Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was the one who personally ordered the murder,” Sergei Mitrokhin said at the picket.

Today it is the 12th anniversary since the murder of Larissa Yudina, the leader of Kalmyk YABLOKO, editor-in-chief of Sovietskaya Kalmykia Segodnya and main opponent of the President of the Republic Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. On this day YABLOKO’s activists brought portraits of their murdered colleague and lit candles by the Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow...

Mitrokhin promised that YABLOKO will hold the action by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia every year until those who ordered the murder are punished.

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.

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...

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...

Ombudsman’s Report for 2009 published

Press Release. May 28, 2010

Russia’s Ombudsman and one of the founders of the YABLOKO party Vladimir Lukin published Report - 2009. The Report deals with the most acute problems of human rights in Russia, provides information on Ombudsman’s activities, including dealing with citizens’ requests, interaction with the state bodes and civil society institutes, analysis of the present law in the field of human rights, as well as proposals on its further development. The key factor determining the composition of Lukin’s Report was the dynamics of developments in the field of human rights in Russia...

Moscow YABLOKO delegated its representatives to the Consultative Council under the Moscow City Duma

Press Release. June 2, 2010

Yesterday, on June 1, the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO once again examined the issue of YABLOKO’s participation in the Consultative Council under the Moscow City Duma. It was decided to delegate two YABLOKO’s representatives to the Consultative Council.

Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO Sergei Mitrokhin and member of the Regional Council Elena Morozova were elected out of five candidacies by secret ballot...

Breaking up of rallies means professional incompetence of the Russian government

Statement by the YABLOKO party. June 1, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO consders the reaction of the authorities to the protest actions that took place in Moscow, St.Petersburg and other Russian cities yesterday be unacceptable and absurd.

A deliberately tough use of obviously superior police forces against the groups of citizens who simply expressed their opinion without endangering anyone’s security represents a proof of inability of state officials, top officials inclusive, to adequately assess the situation in the country...

YABLOKO demands raising of children’s allowances to the subsistence minimum at picketing by the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development

Press Release. June 1, 2010

Today, on the International Children’s Day, the YABLOKO party conducted a series of one-person pickets by the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development demanding raising of children’s allowances to the child’s subsistence minimum. YABLOKO’s activists demonstrated what a person can buy with child’s allowance amounting to RUR 750 (approximately USD 25 per month).

The Moscow authorities did not give their permit to conduct this action. The activists held placards “Raise the allowance to the subsistence minimum!” and “Subsistence minimum of RUR 7,006 = children’s allowance of RUR 750?”...

On the death of Andrei Voznesensky

Condolences by Sergei Mitrokhin
June 1, 2010

Andrei Voznesensky symbolized for many people not only a new word not only in poetry, but also in life. Bright, free and always in search of new forms he long ago became a part of our modern culture, turned into its history.

I express my deep condolences to his spouse Zoya Boguslavskaya, friends and next-of-kin of outstanding poet Andrei Voznesensky.

Sincerely,
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party

Nomination of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s candidacy by the Russian Chess Federation to the post of FIDE President means a disgrace for Russia

Decision of YABLOKO’s Bureau from May 22, 2010. May 31, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO has already made several statements that Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s regime in the Republic of Kalmykia is one of the ugliest developments in Russia’s political history of the past two decades representing a disgusting mixture of authoritarian rule, corruption and criminal.

Fight against this regime has in 1998 taken the life of Larissa Yudina, Chair of the Kalmyk regional branch of YABLOKO, and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s aid was found guilty of this murder. The political responsibility for this crime lies, in our view, completely on Kirsan Ilyumzhinov...

The eldest blogger of the Runet turns 85

Press Release. May 30, 2010

Engelina Borisovna Tareyeva, member of the Moscow YABLOKO Regional Council and the eldest blogger of the Russian segment of the Internet (Runet) turns 85 today, on May 30. Her Live Journal has over 4.500 readers.

Engelina Tareyeva writes about the events that took place 50, 60 and even 70 years ago very brightly, interesting and wisely. She writes about these developments as if they happened yesterday...

In support of Mezhduryechinsk miners

Statement by the YABLOKO party. May 29, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO once again conveys its condolences to the relatives and next-of-kin of the miners killed during the accident at the Raspadskaya mine. Regardless of the specific reasons leading to the accident at the mine, it is obvious that the problem is system-driven. This is confirmed by another accident at the Alexeyevskaya mine which followed the accident at Raspadskaya.

The owners of the mines set such rules and regulations which make the miners to neglect the safety requirement and risk their lives so that to get more or less adequate wages. A civilised dialogue with the employer turns out to be impossible: the owners of the mines being aware that the miners will not be able to find another job talk with them from a position of force. The possibilities of a labour dispute or a strike are restricted by law...

An unlearned lesson of totalitarian past

Press Release. May 28, 2010

Another lecture in the series of the Evening Party University lectures took place on May 26 in YABLOKO’s office, Moscow. The lecture “An unlearned lesson of the totalitarian past” was delivered by Galina Mikhalyova, Executive Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee and head of the Evening Party University.

Mikhalyova presented the decision by YABLOKO’s Political Committee on overcoming Bolsheviks’ and Stalin’s legacy as a condition for Russia’s modernization in the 21st century. She also presented a second edition of the book Overcoming Stalin’s Legacy which runs that Russia’s development is impossible without state assessment of totalitarian past.

Mikhlyova also noted that the crimes of the Soviet period affected virtually every family: “Stalin’s methods of governing led to deaths of millions of Soviet citizens, and dozens of millions people were affected by political reprisals and deportations”...

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...

President of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is reminded of the murder of Larissa Yudina

Press Release, May 26, 2010

Activists from the Youth YABLOKO were waiting for President of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov be the entrance to the office of the Echo Moskvi radio station so that to remind him of the murder of Larissa Yudina, a journalist and leader of the Kalmykia branch of YABLOKO, killed 12 years ago... Larissa Yudina, the leader of Kalmyk YABLOKO and Editor-in-Chief of oppositional Sovietskaya Kalmykia Segodnya paper, was murdered 12 years ago on June 7, 1998. The official investigation does not name the person who ordered this crime, however, they obviously know this person. The question about Ilyumzhinov’s personal involvement in the crime is still open, as the organiser of the murder S.Vaskin (a person with repeated convictions) was Ilyumzhinov’s Legal Advisor...

“The person who ordered the murder of Larissa Yudina and all the people involved in this crime should not avoid punishment. The goal of objective investigation should be suspend the proxy of Ilyumzhinov as President of Kalmykia,” runs the statement by YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin.

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...

Small Business Goes into Politics

Press Release. May 26, 2010

“The present political regime representing oligarchs and monopolies does not need small businesses in general. Representatives of the small business demolished as a class should resist this,” Sergei Mitrokhin, YABLOKO’s leader, said at a rally...

The rally adopted a resolution calling the authorities to stop demolishing the small businesses and also unanimously supported the proposal to call all the entrepreneurs to join around YABLOKO “which is the only party protecting small business”.

Nation-wide action “Small Business Goes into Politics” to Take Place on the Entrepreneur’s Day

Press Release. May 25, 2010

On the Entrepreneur’s Day, May 26, a nation-wide action “Small Business Goes into Politics” will take place at Bolotnaya square, Moscow. About 300 entrepreneurs from Voronezh, Tula, St.Petersburg, Tver, Tambov, Kursk, Tatarstan, Bashkiria and Moscow will participate in the action in Moscow.

The organisers of the action state that the authorities do not implement their promises to provide support to small businesses. The participants of the rally are going to voice their decision to join the YABLOKO party – the only political force which has been consistently protecting the rights and interests of the small business...

Absurd and discriminatory norms of the law “On the Basic Guarantees of Franchise…” should be abolished

Statement by the YABLOKO party, May 25, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses support to Andrei Malitsky in his litigation of the norm of the Federal Law “On the Basic Guarantees of Franchise and the Right to Participate in a Referendum”.

According to the present norm of the law, a citizen of the Russian Federation having residence permits in other states is not allowed to be member of electoral commission...

The court once again recognised the killer of the leader of the Dagestan YABLOKO guilty or murder

Interfax, May 22, 2010

The Jury of the Supreme Court of Dagestan return a verdict on the murder of the leader of the Dagestan regional branch of the YABLOKO party Farid Babayev.

According to Interfax correspondent, one of the accused was recognised guilty, and the second was acquitted.

The Jury ruled out the Rasil Mamedrizayev who had been accused of the murder and keeping of weapon was guilty of the crime...

The Moscow branch of YABLOKO elected its leading bodies and proposed to change the Moscow Mayor

Press Release, May 24, 2010

The conference of the Moscow YABLOKO which took place yesterday, on May 23, confirmed its opposition to the Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov and his government and called the country to return to the direct election of the Moscow Mayor (the Moscow Mayor enjoys the Governor status).

“In the federal authorities are not ready to return to the election of all governors, it can at least make an exception for the cities of federal importance – Moscow and St.Petersburg – where the city dwellers unlike residents of other cities are deprived of the right to elect the city heads,” runs the statement of the Moscow YABLOKO.

Draft statement “On the political crisis in Moscow and the ways out of it” was submitted by YABLOKO’s leader and chair of its Moscow branch Sergei Mitrokhin...

On pressure on the witnesses in the case of Farid Babayev, the murdered leader of the Dagestan YABLOKO

Statement by the Bureau of the YABLOKO party. May 20, 2010

The YABLOKO party has been closely following the trial on the murder of Farid Babayev, the leader of the Dagestan YABLOKO and a human rights activist.

On June 4, 2009, the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Russia abrogated the previous decision of the Jury and a sentence passed against Rasil Mamedrizayev and Seferali Sefemerzoyev and returned the case to another trial by a new composition of the Jury. It is expected that a new sentence against the culprits will be passed soon.

The YABLOKO party has several times expressed its concern over open pressure applied by the interested side to the witnesses and the Jury, and consequently they either changed or refused from their previous testimony against the culprits...

Yekaterinburg Mayor tries to get RUR 600,000 from deputy of the Yekaterinburg Duma Petlin as compensation for criticism

Press Release. May 19, 2010

On May 17 deputy of the Yekaterinburg Duma Maxim Petlin received a notification from one of the district courts of Yekaterinburg that Mayor Chernetsky filed a protest on the court decision on the libel case (case No 2-134). Earlier the court had turned down the libel suit by Mayor Chernetsky to Maxim Petlin and television channel Russia which broadcasted Petlin’s critical statement about the situation with kindergartens in the city. The court also had charged the Mayor RUR 20,000 (about USD 700) for compensation of the legal costs incurred by Maxim Petlin...

Anti-Corruption Commission under the Moscow Mayor dissolved after YABLOKO’s criticism

Press Release. May 19, 2010

Yesterday First Deputy Mayor of Moscow Vladimir Resin annulled his earlier order of May 5 on creation of an anticorruption commission in the Moscow construction sector.

A day before this on May 17, Alexander Gnezdilov, Deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO and the Youth Chamber under the Moscow City Duma, in his speech in the Moscow parliament sharply criticized the composition of the commission. He stated that it was inadmissible when Moscow officials with criminal cases opened against them participate in the anticorruption commission. For example, Alexander Levchenko, head of the Moscow roads, bridges and infrasrtucture construction department, was included into the commission despite of the fact that a criminal persecution due to his abuse of authority had been launched against him...

Nation-wide action “Small Business Goes into Politics” to Take Place on the Entrepreneur’s Day

Press Release. May 19, 2010

On May 14, the YABLOKO party applied to the Moscow authorities for a permission to conduct an action “Small Business Goes into Politics” on the Entrepreneur’s Day, May 26. The action will take place by the Economic Ministry at the Triumfalnaya square, Moscow. Entrepreneurs from different regions of Central Russia and St.Petersburg will participate in the action in Moscow. The action will begin at 2 p.m.

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...

Miners’ demands should be satisfied

Statement by the YABLOKO party. May 17, 2010

...This problem can be solved only via a dialogue with the workers. Russian large business treating independent trade unions like enemies will no go for such a dialogue, therefore, creation of conditions for such a dialogue should become a direct responsibility of the authorities of all levels.

Miners have the right to fight for safe working conditions and decent living. The state must make a radical revision of the labour law and change its attitude to the regulators that have to control implementation of the law.

We are calling President of Russia to create a special commission for examination of the justified claims of the miners and development of social support measures for their families from the federal budget...

Youth YABLOKO conducted a flash mob under the slogan “We Do not Need Such Television!”

May 12, 2010

On May 12, the Youth YABLOKO organisation conducted a flash mob by the Ostankino TV centre under the slogan “We Do not Need Such Television!”

Four young activists brought a TV set to the entrance of Ostankino centre and placards “For the Freedom of Speech!”, “For Independent Media!”. Then young people broke the TV set shouting “Putin, change the format!” and “We are tired of TV brainwashing!”...

Sergei Mitrokhin’s condolences on the tragedy at the Raspadskaya mine

May 12, 2010

We are sharing the pain of all those who lost their relatives and next-of-kin in the explosion at the Raspadskaya mine. Whatever the objective and subjective causes of the accident were, we can not return these lives and crying only won’t help us. We know that miners are courageous people who can patiently and with great dignity bear such things. I hope God gives you strength to bear this pain.

We are sharing your pain and your grief.

On behalf of all the YABLOKO members,

Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party

YABLOKO commemorated the victims of the Second World War

Press Release, May 9, 2010

On the 65th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War the YABLOKO party commemorated the victims of the war laying flowers to the Eternal Flame over the mass grave of the largest military burial ground in Moscow – the Preobrazhensky Cemetery. Such memory actions have been traditionally conducted by YABLOKO at the Preobrazhenskoye cemetery for several years already.

On behalf of the party the wreaths were laid by YABLOKO’s leaders Sergei Mitrokhin and Grigory Yavlinsky, Political Committee member Sergei Ivanenko, deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO Ivan Bolshakov and leader of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO retired General Major Anton Goretsky and his deputy Dmitry Ilyushin...

Activists of the YABLOKO party laid flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Press Release, May 7, 2010

Today activists of the YABLOKO party lay flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexandrovsky Garden by the Kremlin Wall. YABLOKO’s leaders – its Chair Sergei Mitrokhin, members of Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky and Alexei Arbatov, and Anton Goretsky, Chair of the Moscow Region YABLOKO and General Major (retired) participated in the mourning ceremony...

President of Russia gave a state assessment of Stalin

Press Release, May 7, 2010

According to President Medvedev, Joseph Stalin’s crimes against the nation can not be forgiven. "And despite the fact that he worked hard, despite the fact that under his leadership the country succeeded, what was done to its people cannot be forgiven," Medvedev said in his interview to the Izvestia newspaper. President ruled out restoration of Stalinism in the everyday life, in particular, emergence of Stalinist symbols and placards portraying the tyrant. “This has no taken place and will not take place. This is absolutely ruled out. And this is, if you want, the present state ideology and my assessment as President of the Russian Federation,” he said.

Yesterday, on May 6, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin made a statement calling President of Russia to “give a tough official assessment of the Stalin’s system and the attempts to associate it with the Great Victory”...

An anti-Stalinist action of the Youth YABLOKO broken out by police in St.Petersburg

Press Release, May 7, 2010

Today the Youth organisation of YABLOKO conducted a series of one-person pickets by the Kazan Cathedral in the centre of St.Petersburg. YABLOKO protests against placement of Stalin portraits in the city. “We are outraged by emergence of portraits of the executioner of the people on the threashold of the Great Victory Day. It is inadmissible to place portraits (whatever they may be) of a man who broke millions of lives, was an absolutely talentless leader of the army and killed the heroes who had protected Leningrad during blockade,” stated the organisers of the action.

Four young YABLOKO’s activists dressed in prisoners’ clothes and bearing plates on their chests with a list of Stalin’s crimes were spreading leaflets. The leaflets described Stalin’s crimes and explained why his portrait was an insult of the memory of the war and its victims...

President of Russia should give his assessment of Stalinism

Statement by YABLOKO’s Chairman, May 6, 2010

The fact that Stalin’s portraits as a Marshall of Victory finally have not emerged in the Moscow streets is a great achievement of our civil society.

The YABLOKO party took an active part in the campaign. In our first statement we said that there is no place for Stalin’s portraits in the V-Day decoration of Moscow streets and squares.

However, placement of the materials of totalitarian propaganda (that have already been printed) in the Moscow museums and public centres makes us to return to this issue once again...

YABLOKO to honour the memory of the heroes of the Second World War

Press Release, May 6, 2010

On May 7, on the threashold of the Victory Day, the leaders and activists of the YABLOKO party will lay wreaths to the Eternal Flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexandrovsky Garden by the Kremlin Wall. The participants of the action should gather by the History Museum at 4:45 p.m. (Ploschad Revolutzii metro station).

On May 9 the Moscow YABLOKO will participate in the mourning action at the Preobrazhenskoye cemetery where thousands of soldiers and officers who died at the Second World War are buried...

The March of Changes took place in Moscow

Press Release, May 1, 2010

About 1,200 people participated in the March of Changes organised by YABLOKO on May 1.

The columns of demonstrators with YABLOKO’s flags and white balloons marched from the Maly Theatre towards the Lubyanka square. The leaders of the party, human rights activists and ecologists held a slogan “For the Changes!”

“For the Changes! For Russia! For YABLOKO! We are tired of stagnation! No to oligarchia, yes to democracy!” chanted the demonstrators. When the columns of demonstrators approached the Federal Security Service building a slogan “Away with the power of the KGB!” was heard...

Renowned human rights activists, ecologists and residents of the Rechnik village to participate in the March of Changes

Press Release, April 30, 2010

The May 1 March of Changes organised by YABLOKO will end by a rally. The head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Ludmila Alexeyeva, the leader of the movement For the Protection of the Khimki Forest Eugeniya Chirkova and leaders of the initiative group of the Rechnik village will speak at the rally.

The participants of the march will gather by the Maly Theatre at 10:30 a.m. The march towards the Lubyanka Square will begin at 11:00 a.m.
A rally by the Solobetsky Stone at the Lubyanka Square will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The participants of the action will get a budge “I what changes!” The rally will end by a concern of the Moscow rock group Sobaki Kachalova.

YABLOKO: organisers of the Day of Wrath are provocators

Press Release, April 30, 2010

...The information disseminated via mass media with a reference to Mr.Udaltsov, Coordinator of the Left Front Movement, that YABLOKO will participate in the Day of Wrath is incorrect.

“The “professional revolutionaries” who organise the “days of wrath” have always acted as provocators in our history, which is confirmed today when they disinform the society of YABLOKO’s participation in their actions,” said YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin. “Their methods are the same as the methods of the authorities they so ardently fight against. That is why we have nothing in common with them,” Mitrokhin added...

On the need to maintain and develop labour protection system in Russia

Statement by the YABLOKO party, April 28, 2010

...Most of violations of the labour rights are connected with non-observance of the labour protection law. Direct loss from occupational traumatism in the Russian Federation is 250 times higher than in the US and the EU countries. Also the Russian labour law has many gaps leading to mass-scale lawlessness of the workers.

For example, the Russian Labour Code does not contain a notion of labour contract. The Code does not envisage the responsibility of the employer to provide work to the employee. The owner of the company is not liable by his income or property for the company’s performance and damage to the health and life of the workers. Thus, the employers are, on one hand, often interested in bankruptcy of their companies and even prepare such bankruptcies, on the other hand, they neglect labour protection norms considering them unprofitable...

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin: The Treaty on the Black Sea Fleet forms a basis for long-term cooperation between Russia and Ukraine

Interfax, April 27, 2010

“I think that this treaty is useful and profitable for both the countries. This is a step forward towards integration creating a basis for further long-term cooperation,” YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin told to Interfax on Tuesday.

However, considering the fact that Russia simultaneously lowered gas price for Ukraine by 30 per cent, Mitrokhin noted that this was “a high price paid by Russia”.

Amendments to the law on the Federal Security Service constitute a political provocation against President of Russia

Statement by the YABLOKO party, April 27, 2010

The YABLOKO party demands from the State Duma to decline the draft law envisaging broadening of competence of the Federal Security Service (FSB) connected with the so-called “special preventive measures” against extremism.

The draft law stipulating that the FSB has the right to announce to the Russian citizens official warnings for the actions that can allegedly cause extremism and arrest them for 15 days for non-obeying to the lawful demand by the FSB officer creates grounds for violation of the law by the FSB staff and is targeted against the dissenting.

Taking into account the lack of transparency and control of the Russian secret services and an extremely wide interpretation of the notion “extremist activity”, as well as systematic bans on rallies and pickets the draft law initiated by the Russian government provides unlimited prospects for security services’ arbitrary rule.

The sanction for non-obeying the warning distorts the legal liability principle, as the liability takes place in case of a definite wrongdoing. The proposed norm envisages in some cases (e.g., for participation in the actions that are not agreed upon with the authorities) even tougher liability for the same violations than envisaged in the present law...

YABLOKO commemorated the victims of nuclear disasters by the Rosatom building

Press Release, April 26, 2010

Today, on April 26, on the Memory Day of Nuclear Disasters Victims, YABLOKO held an action commemorating the victims of nuclear disasters by Rosatom (Russia’s Atomic Agency). The police and security guards refused to let YABLOKO’s activists to the territory of Rosatom, therefore the activists fixed the placard “Memory of nuclear disasters victims” on the fence around the building and laid flowers to it.

“Rosatom is a legal successor of the Atomic Ministry and bears full responsibility for the disasters,” said YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin, who also participated in the action. According to Mitrokhin, the victims of these tragedies “have not got due compensations yet”, moreover, even “not all the victims have legal right to such compensations”...

Aid to the victims of nuclear disasters is a moral and political responsibility of the state

Statement by the YABLOKO party on the Memory Day of Nuclear Disasters Victims, April 26, 2010

Today we are commemorating the victims of nuclear disasters, the innocent victims of Novozemesky and Semipalatisnky nuclear testing sites, those who got under the radioactive cloud from Chernobyl, dozens of thousands of Chernobyl liquidators who passed out prematurely, submariners who died in the accident with the Komsomolets submarine and other submarines, and the victims of the disaster and pollution from the Mayak plant and other nuclear facilities.

The state has been trying to forget and avoid responsibility for the life and health of hundreds of thousands Russian citizens living in the territories with radioactive pollution, such as Bryansk, Tula, Oryol, Kaluga, Tomsk, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and other regions, Yakutia, Altai, Matitime, Baikal and Krasnoyarsk areas, as well as to forget about the consequences of dozens of underground “peaceful” nuclear tests conducted in Russia.

We can not agree with the ideas that “it is high time to forget Chernobyl and the consequences of the cold war” neither from moral grounds nor from academic views: all these consequences of nuclear pollution will affect the health of several further generations. These policies led to the situation when many thousands of involuntary hostages of the nuclear sector can not get just compensations...

Action commemorating the victims of nuclear disasters

Press Release, April 25, 2010

Today, on April 26, an action commemorating the victims of nuclear disasters organised by the Youth YABLOKO will take place by Rosatom (Russia’s Atomic Agency).

The activists will hold placard “Memory of nuclear disasters victims”. They will also lay flowers by Rosatom’s building...

Grigory Yavlinsky to visit PACE

www.yavlinsky.ru, April 24, 2010

On April 26-27 Grigory Yavlinsky will have a number of meetings in PACE.

Grigory Yavlinsky’s schedule includes meetings with Mr Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Melvut Çavusoglu, President of the PACE, rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee on Russia, Mr Andreas Gross and Mr Gyorgy Frunda, Mr Dick Marty and rapporteur on the North Caucasus, as well as a speech at the meeting of the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

The Spring session of PACE will take place in Strasburg on April 26-30 and will be devoted to the consequences of the economic crisis, the war between Georgia and Russia and other issues...

The residents of the Rechnik village handed a letter of appreciation to Sergei Mitrokhin

Press Release, April 23, 2010

Yesterday, on April 22, the meeting of the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO discussed the situation in the Rechnik village.

Ludmila Gaiduk, the leader of the initiative group of the residents of the village which had had suffered reprisals from the Moscow authorities, made a speech at the meeting. She expressed gratitude to YABLOKO for protection of the village and its residents.

Gaiduk handed to Sergei Mitrokhin a letter of appreciation. “Thanks to your speech at the State Council meeting and in the mass media, organisation of picketing in protection of property rights and multiple statements by YABLOKO’s activists we managed to get attention from the country leader to our problem and pulling down of houses was stopped,” runs the letter...

On May 1 YABLOKO to conduct the March of Changes

Press Release, April 23, 2010

On May 1 YABLOKO will conduct the March of Changes. “Russia has been plunging deeper into the mash of corruption and stagnation. The President has been speaking about modernisation, however these are only words. The country requires real changes, not words!” run YABLOKO’s leaflets distributed among Muscovites.

The participants of the march will gather by the Maly Theatre and will march along Teatralny Proyezd to the Lubyanka Square. A rally will take place by the Solovetsky Stone at the Lubyanka Square.

YABLOKO’s leaders and renown human rights activists, including Ludmila Alexeyeva, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, will speak at the rally...

The residents of the Rechnik village to award Sergei Mitrokhin a certificate of honour

Press Release, April 21, 2010

The upcoming meeting of the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO will discuss the situation in the Rechnik village. The residents of the village are going to express their gratitude to Sergei Mitrokhin for protection of their rights and are going to award him a certificate of honour.

Also the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO will introduce amendments into the provisions on the Public Consultative Council of Political Parties with the Moscow City Duma. These amendments have to considerably broaden the proxies of the Council...

Valery Borschyov: Any shrinking of the field for trials by a jury court is unfavourable

Svoboda Radio, April 21, 2010

Valery Borschyov is ex deputy of the State Duma, member of the Moscow Helsinki Group and Secretary of the YABLOKO Bureau.

Valery Borschyov: Any shrinking of the field for trials by a jury court is unfavourable. It is very bad that cases connected with terrorism and extremism and many other issues connected with this notion have been removed from the jurisdiction of the jury court. Obviously, there is a problem, that, for example, it is impossible to have a trial on terrorists in Chechnya, Ingushetia or Dagestan by a jury court. However, Russia is a large country, and certainly [such cases] can be examined by a jury court in a different federation subject, or by a higher court and not necessarily in the Northern Caucasus, if the terrorist comes from this region. There were concerns voiced that the jury court may acquit terrorists. However, what is the essence of a trial by jury? The jury acquits the accused when investigation has failed.

Sergei Mitrokhin to participate in a rally

Press Release, April 21, 2010

A rally “For Installing Order in the Housing and Utilities Sector” will take place in Yaroslavl on Saturday, April 24. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will participate in the rally.

The population of Yaroslavl is outraged by unprecedented growth of tariffs on utilities set by monopolists – Yaroslavl Sbit Company.

“I am planning to forward an address to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on the results of the rally with a demand to install order in calculating payment tariffs for utilities,” Mitrokhin said...

An action “For St.Petersburg Without Matviyenko” started in the Internet

Press Release, April 20, 2010

Web-site “For St.Petersburg without Matviyenko” (http://www.piter-bez-matvienko.ru/) collecting signatures in favour of resignation of St.Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko has been launched.

“We, citizens of St.Petersburg, demand resignation of Governor Valentina Matviyenko; for six and a half years she has been in power we have been clearly shown that the policies conducted by her administration is hostile to the interests of the citizens and represents a consistent violation of their rights,” runs the address to the citizens...

The Russian authorities should take up responsibility for prevention of violence in Kyrgyzstan
Statement by YABLOKO's Chairman, April 19, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses its extreme concern by the growth of havoc and violence in Kyrgyzstan, which also led to the acts of violence and robbery against Russian citizens and ethnic Russians living in Kyrgyzstan.

In the situation of abrupt weakening of the power and virtual negligence by the law enforcement, nationalistic bashing can end in multiple victims. The duty of the Russian authorities is to prevent murders of our compatriots, as well as the citizens of Kyrgyzstan and all other nations that are left without protection.

We are calling President of Russia and Prime Minister of Russia to take under their personal control the issue of preventing mass killings in Kyrgyzstan, make corresponding public statements and use all the leverages so that to influence the situation...

Sergei Mitrokhin demands that Interior Minister should investigate the corruption scandal with Daimler

Press Release, April 16, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin applied to Rashid Nurgaliyev, Russia’s Interior Minister, demanding to file a criminal case on bribes received by federal and regional bureaucrats by Daimler.

This loud corruption scandal around Daimler led to publication in the Internet of some documents from the US Ministry of Justice relating to the case. The documents provide detailed information what officials and of which Russian ministries received the bribes and how much. The overall amount of bribes received by Russian bureaucrats from Daimler is assessed at about Euro 5 mln...

YABLOKO joins the action of the Russian motorists
Statement of YABLOKO's Chairman, April 14, 2010

The YABLOKO party supports the action of the Federation of Russia’s Motorists targeted at introducing amendments into the traffic rules regulating the use of special signals on officials’ cars.

The recent developments on the Russian roads, in particular, a scandal with Presidential Advisor (the post represents virtually a kind of honourable discharge) abusing his right of preferential passage shows the importance of this action and its public importance...

Arrest of scientists in St.Petersburg discredits presidential policy
Statement of the YABLOKO party, April 15, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO calls to release St.Petersburg scientists Eugeni Afanasyev and Svyatoslav Bobyshev.

Considering the “practices” of work of the Federal Security Bureau in the recent years we have all the grounds to state that the accusations set against the scientists in their alleged transfer of state secrets to China are groundless.

Any investigation that the law enforcement consider necessary can be performed without bringing the scientists in custody. We consider such measure of restraint as excessive and demonstratively repressive by nature...

On political reprisals against The New Times
Statement of the YABLOKO party, April 15, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses its support to The New Times magazine in connection with an attempt of the law enforcement to conduct unlawful inspection of documents in the editing house. We think that these actions represent an act of punitive censorship which has to produce a chilling effect on Russian journalists in case they wish to publish articles inconvenient to top military and police officials.

We hope that this event will not interfere with functioning of the editorial house and conducting of serious journalist investigations by the magazine...

Presentation of the book Overcoming Stalin’s Legacy in Voronezh

Press Release, April 12, 2010

Executive Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Galina Mikhalyova presented the book Overcoming Stalin’s Legacy in Voronezh on April 10, 2010.

Over 20 people participated in the discussion: members of the Regional Council of the YABLOKO party, heads of the Voronezh branch of the Memorial society, history teachers, representatives of youth human rights movement, independent students’ paper Perekhod and the Young Europe international network, those who suffered Stalin’s reprisals and representatives from other parties and movements. Chair of Voronezh YABLOKO Inna Kudryashova stressed that communists were trying to revive Stalin’s cult in Voronezh as well as in other Russia’s cities...

Interregional conference “Women’s Movement in Russia” took place in Voronezh

Press Release, April 12, 2010

Interregional conference “Women’s Movement in Russia: the Present and Socio-Political Prospects” and the meeting of the Council for Consolidation of Women’s Movement in Russia will take place in Voronezh on April 9, 2010. The conference marked the 10th anniversary of the Voronezh regional movement Women’s Unity.

Co-organisers of the conference were the Council for Consolidation of Women’s Movement in Russia and the Russian Academy of State Service...

A rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” held in Moscow

Press Release, April 10, 2010

A mass rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” organised by the YABLOKO party was held at the Pushkin square, Moscow, on April 10. About 600 people participated in the rally, including initiative groups of Muscovites from different Moscow districts...

“Ten years ago YABLOKO proposed a principally new reform of the housing and utilities sector, where tough control over monopolies had to play the key role. However, our proposal was turned down and the reform developed toward monopolization: the vertical of power began deriving super profits via raising tariffs for the citizens,” Sergei Mitrokhin said at the rally...

Police considers Sergei Mitrokhin’s calls to Governor Gromov to resign as extremism

Press Release, April 10, 2010

Mass rally took place in Tuchkovo, the Moscow region, on April 10. The election of the new head of Tuchkovo was conducted under tough pressure from the city administration composed our of United Russia members. The election results have not been recognised valid yet, as the residents of the area voted for Viktor Alksnis who was in opposition to United Russia...

The police considered Sergei Mitrokhin’s calls to Governor Gromov to resign as extremism and summoned Viktor Alksnis as organiser of the rally to the local police department for explanations. Sergei Mitrokhin and Viktor Alksnis gave their explanations in the police department...

YABLOKO's representatives lay flowers to the Polish Embassy

Press Release, April 12, 2010

YABLOKO's leader Sergei Mitrokhin, Secretary of YABLOKO's Political Committee Galina Mikhalyova, deputy head of the Moscow YABLOKO Ivan Bolshakov and other activists laid flowers to the wall of the Polish Embassy.

Condolences on the death of Polish President in the aircrash

April 10, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses sincere condolences to the people of Poland and all the next-of-kin of the victims of the aircrash by Smolensk.

On this hard moment of pain we are wishing you strength so that you may overcome it with courage so characteristic of the Polish nation.

The memory of the Katyn tragedy and of those killed in the aircrash will make our nations even closer.

We are sharing your pain and joining you in mourning over the victims.

Sincerely,
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party

A rally in Tuchkovo, the Moscow Region, to demand resignation of the Governor

Press Release, April 8, 2010

A rally that will be held with YABLOKO’s support in Tuchkovo, the Moscow region, on Saturday, April 10, will demand resignation of the Governor of the Moscow Region Boris Gromov and will ask the President to install order and lawfulness in the region.YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and deputy head of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO Dmitry Ilyushin will participate in the rally.

For three years the Moscow Region has been deep in debt and ex Finance Minister of the region has been under criminal investigation, YABLOKO notes. Bureaucrats from the United Russia party has been pressing small and medium businesses, and business has been leaving the region and the number of unemployed has been steadily growing. Housing and utilities sector has been falling to pieces while tariffs on housing and utilities skyrocketed...

The leaders of YABLOKO and the Russian Medical Association signed a Memorandum on development of a healthcare reform

Press Release, April 8, 2010

The leaders of YABLOKO and the Russian Medical Association (RMA) signed today a Memorandum on state policies in healthcare and a healthcare reform.

“The positions, approaches and the concept of the healthcare reform proposed by the RMA completely coincide with YABLOKO’s approach,” Sergei Mitrokhin said opening the press-conference. According to Mitrokhin, the party will reinforce its programme in the part of healthcare measures and will get a possibility to work with Russia’s medical community.

“Our common task is not only formulate a concept of a healthcare reform and translate medical and research tasks into a political language, but also to protect doctors and patients,” added Galina Mikhalyova, Executive Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee.

“The slogan of our party has been “Freedom and Justice”, Mitrokhin reiterated. “However, the main drawback of the present healthcare system is the lack of both of them. And YABLOKO and the Russian Medical Association completely agree in their vision of this problem,” he said...

Press conference by YABLOKO and the Russian Medical Association on the healthcare reform

Press Release, April 7, 2010

A press conference by YABLOKO and the Russian Medical Association (RMA) on the healthcare reform will take place in the Independent Press Centre, Moscow, on Thursday, April 8. YABLOKO and RMA will tell in detail about the Memorandum on the State Policies of Healthcare and the Healthcare Reform that will be signed by YABLOKO and the RMA. The draft document was adopted at YABLOKO’s Political Committee meeting on March 27, 2010. YABLOKO’s Chairman Sergei Mitrokhin and RMA President Ashot Sarkisyan will sign the Memorandum at the press conference.

The press conference will begin at 12-00.
Address: Prechistinka, 17/9, ground floor

YABLOKO commemorated the victims of bombings in the Moscow metro

Press Release, Photo Report, April 6, 2010

On the ninth day after the acts of terror in the Moscow metro YABLOKO’s activists and students of Moscow universities commemorated the victims of the tragedy.

A rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” to take place in Moscow

Press Release, April 6, 2010

A mass rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” organised by the YABLOKO party will take place at the Pushkin square, Moscow on Saturday, April 10. The Moscow authorities gave a permit to conduct a rally for 300 people.

The participants will speak against growth of tariffs on housing and utilities services, creation of false servicing companies and deceit with capital repairs of the buildings, as well as speak about some other problems of the sector affecting all the Muscovites...

Students’ march in memory of the victims of the acts of terror to take place in Moscow

Press Release, April 6, 2010

Today on April 6, on the ninth day since the acts of terror in the Moscow metro, the Youth YABLOKO organisation initiates a students’ march in memory of the victims of the acts of terror will take place in Moscow.

The demonstrators will meet at 6 p.m. by the Lubyanka metro station (the station where the first explosion took place) and will march to the Park Kultury metro station. The action will be conducted without party symbols and placards. The demonstrators will light candles and lay flowers by the entrances to the metro stations.

The Youth branch of YABLOKO calls to introduce a visa-free regime between Russia and EU during its action by EU representation in Moscow

Press Release, April 5, 2010

An action by the Youth branch of the YABLOKO party “To Europe without Visas” took place by EU representation in Moscow today, on the day on coming into force of the Visa Code of the EU. Young YABLOKO’s activists were holding flags of Russia and the European Union and were chanting slogans “Russia is a part of Europe!”, “To Europe without visas!” and “No wasting time in queues by the consulate departments!” “A visa-free entrance of the Russian citizens to Europe conditions Russia’s becoming an integral part of Europe,” Maxim Kruglov, one of the leader of the Youth YABLOKO said. “Young people would like to get education in Europe, to travel there and to see how Europeans live,” he added.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin also came to the Embassy to support the young activists. Mitrokhin said that the initiative of elimination of visa barriers between Russia and EU belongs to YABLOKO. For the first time this idea was proposed by the Yabloko faction of the Russian parliament in 1995. “This idea was supported by Russia’s Foreign Ministry after a long period of our talks and negotiations with them,” Mitrokhin said. YABLOKO's leader also raised the issue of a visa-free regime the congress and meetings of the ELDR party (of which YABLOKO is a fully-fledged member), as well as the meetings of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group (ALDE), the third largest group of the European Parliament...

Presentation of Alexei Arbatov’s book “The Equation of Security

Press Release, April 5, 2010

Presentation of a book “The Equation of Security” by Dr.Alexei Arbatov, member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee, head of the International Security Centre with the Russian Academy of Sciences, took place in YABLOKO’s Moscow office today. YABLOKO’s leader Dr.Sergei Mitrokhin and member of Political Committee and the founder of the party Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky participated in the presentation.

The book offers an assessment of the international security system and the place of the Russian Federation in the present changeable concept of international relations. Some of the key postulates of the book lie in the decision of YABLOKO’s Political Committee “On Russia’s Foreign Policies”...

Conference “Women’s Movement in Russia: the Present and Socio-Political Prospects”

Press Release, April 2, 2010

Interregional conference “Women’s Movement in Russia: the Present and Socio-Political Prospects” and the meeting of the Council for Consolidation of Women’s Movement in Russia will take place in Voronezh on April 9, 2010. Chair of YABLOKO’s Gender faction and Co-Chair of the Council for Consolidation of Women’s Movement Galina Mikhalyova will make a report at the conference “The Political Prospects of Women’s Movement at the Present Stage”...

The leader of Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO wins the libel case initiated by Yekaterinburg Mayor

Press Release, April 2, 2010

Today, on April 2, Yekaterinburg district court turned down the libel claim motioned by the city Mayor Arkady Chernetsky against deputy of the city Duma and leader of the local branch of YABLOKO Maxim Petlin. The court charged the Mayor RUR 20,000 (about USD 700) for compensation of the legal costs incurred by Maxim Petlin.

Chernetsky started a legal case against Petlin after the latter said in the TV programme that Chernetsky had “sold half of kindergartens buildings”. The Mayor called this phrase a libel and motioned a libel case against Petlin. The second defender in the court was Rossiya television channel which had broadcasted Petlin’s interview and showed an item on alienation of large number of kindergartens in favour of Chernetsky’s family members...

Sergei Mitrokhin: Murderers of Chechen farmers should be punished

Press Release, April 1, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded to the head of the Investigative Committee at the Public Prosecutor’s Office Alexander Bastirkin a second address demanding to start criminal persecutions on the murder of Chechen farmers gathering herbs by the Arshty village in Ingushetia on February 11-12...

Mitrokhin’s letter based on the facts obtained during investigation of the Memorial human rights centre. Memorial proved that the versions voiced by the top officials that the militants had allegedly used the civilians as a shield and that people had been killed due to the air strikes were incorrect...

“I realise that after yesterday’s statement by Umarov [where he took the responsibility for the acts of terror in the Moscow Metro] the Investigative Committee may have psychological difficulties with the adoption of such a decision, however, this body has to be guided by lawful interests of the citizens protected by law rather than by bandits’ provocative statements,” runs Mitrokhin’s letter...

New edition of the book Overcoming Stalin’s Legacy published

Press Release, March 31, 2010

The book provides the decision of YABLOKO’s Political Committee on overcoming Stalin’s and Bolsheviks’ legacy, offers political assessment of the key issues of Russia’s history in the 20th century and also suggests that overcoming Stalinism and Bolshevism should be the key pre-requisite of Russia’s modernisation. Such a political decision containing an assessment of the Stalin’s system and the coup of October 1917 was adopted for the first time in Russia...

Grigory Yavlinsky paid tribute to the victims of bombing in the Moscow metro

Press Release, March 31, 2010

Today, on the day of mourning of the victims of the acts of terror in the Moscow metro, the founder and the first chairman of the YABLOKO party and member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky laid flowers at the Park Kultury metro station...

Sergei Mitrokhin on explosions in the Moscow Metro

Statement, March 29, 2010

On behalf of the YABLOKO party I am expressing our deepest condolences to all the relatives of the victims of today’s acts of terror, and our support and compassion to all the victims.

I demand an objective and urgent investigation of these crimes. I find it necessary that not only the organisers of these acts of terror but also the heads of the security bodies who did not draw any lessons out of the previous crimes of this kind that took place in Moscow and other cities in different parts of the world.

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...

YABLOKO and the Russian Medical Association announce their cooperation

Press Release, March 27, 2010

On March 27, the Political Committee of the YABLOKO party and the Russian Medical Association (RMA) signed a Memorandum on cooperation in reforming the healthcare in Russia.

The Memorandum fixed the intentions of YABLOKO and the RMA to cooperate in development of new approaches to the healthcare reform, determining the priorities for the sector and protection of the rights of the medical workers and the patients.

Representatives of the RMA headed by their President Ashot Sarkisyan gave YABLOKO’s Political Committee of their proposals on each of the lines of cooperation...

YABLOKO to apply to the Constitutional Court

Press Release, March 26, 2010

At its today’s meeting the Bureau of the YABLOKO party adopted a decision to challenge in the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation the provisions of the federal law on elections binding non-parliamentary parties to gather signatures so that to get registration in election campaigns. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin had already mentioned the party’s intention to do this. “The main thing that we shall challenge is demonstrative inequality of parties participating in the elections. This barbarian inequality does not allow to recognise Russia as a civilised country,” Mitrokhin said.

The Bureau also drew the results of March municipal and local elections in Russia. The decision of the Bureau marked that the results of the recent elections showed growth of support to YABLOKO. Thus, elections to the Tula municipal parliament demonstrated that the share of YABLOKO’s votes grew from 3.25 per cent to 11.22 per cent in less than six months. Four YABLOKO’s activists were elected to the Tula City Duma. YABLOKO’s candidates also passed to the deputies assembly of the Nevelsky area of the Pskov Region and City Duma of Solnechny settlement, the Tver Region...

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...

Election results in Miass, Chelyabinsk Region

Press Release, March 24, 2010

Vassily Potapov, leader of the Miass branch of YABLOKO, again won the election race to the assembly of the Miass city district. At the first meeting of the new assembly Potapov was unanimously elected chair of the Commission on Regulations, Ethics and Public Relations.

“My first deputy term was a kind of credit of trust, by my second term I regard as support of my views as regards organisation of city governing and my initiatives on making the district more comfortable,” Potapov said. “However, it is a pity that my colleague Viktor Strutz did not manage to win in his electoral district. It would be more difficult for me to find support in the assembly without his participation...”

Stalin’s portraits will split the nation on the Victory Day

An open address to the President of the RF and Pobeda organisational committee, March 24, 2010

Respected Dmitry Anatolyevich,

On behalf of the YABLOKO party I am supporting the decision of the Pobeda (Victory) organisational committee [of the May 9 festivities] on inadmissibility of using the Victory Day for Stalinist propaganda.

However, there are still doubts that placards picturing Joseph Stalin, the executioner of the Russian nation and other nations of the Soviet Union, will not emerge in Moscow streets.

The Moscow government is free to initiate such “social advertising”.

And the fair Victory Day will split the nation as of the attitude to Joseph Stalin rather than become a national unity day. We should not allow that...

About 500 people came to a rally in Penza

Press Release, March 20, 2010

A rally against raising of transport tax took place in Penza. The rally was organised by an initiative group of Penza car owners at support of the YABLOKO party.

The regional authorities tried to use the media of the city so that not to let people come to the rally. However, about 500 people came to the rally (a good result for Russia). The action was also supported by the activists of the Volya party and the Left Front movement...

The activists held slogans “Government to dismissal!”, “Who will be responsible for fiscal lawlessness?”, “A car is not a luxury. The luxury is the tax”, etc...

YABLOKO brought 1,000 people to a rally in Saransk, Mordovia

Press Release, March 21, 2010

On March 21, 2010, a mass-scale rally against corruption in the housing and utilities services sector took place in Saransk, Mordovia. About 1,000 people gathered at the rally organised by YABLOKO.

Chair of the Mordovian YABLOKO Vladimir Gridin opened the rally. In his speech he spoke about unjustified raising of tariffs on electricity, heating and other utilities, also he spoke about fraudulent schemes of transfer of communal lands into municipal land.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin also spoke at the rally. He laid the liability for corruption and violations in the sector on the United Russia party [as its members held the key posts in the sector].

“This party [United Russia] has been stealing your money which deputies and bureaucrats make you pay for the poor quality or even lacking services, as it has been stealing your votes, ascribing itself 99 per cent of the votes at the State Duma elections, “ Mitrokhin said.

A mass-scale rally against corruption in the housing and utilities sector to take place in Saransk, Mordovia

Press Release, March 19, 2010

On Sunday, March 21, a mass-scale rally against corruption in the housing and utilities sector and unlawful seizure of lands by the authorities of the republic will take place in Saransk, Mordovia. The rally will begin at 1 p.m. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will also make a speech at the rally.

The organiser of the action, Chair of the Mordovian YABLOKO Vladimir Gridin told about unlawful action of the companies providing housing and utilities services. Thus, for example, heating payments reach 2,000 roubles per a one bedroom flat, whereas average wage amounts to only 5,000 roubles. The city administration, despite the decisions of the court, also refuses to transfer land belonging to the blocks of flats to the citizens owning flats in such houses...

Criminal persecution against three activists of the Youth YABLOKO in Omsk

Press Release. March 19, 2010

Three activists of the Omsk Youth YABLOKO organisation arrested at night of March 18 are have been still detained. The Main Interior Department informs that they are accused of vandalism, however, the local police department which is detaining the activists denies this and promises to release the activists soon.

An annual action in support of freedom of speech in Belarus has been held at night March 18 – 19. This is a part of international campaign European Youth Against the Belarus Dictatorship. The participants of the performance gag statues with banners saying “Freedom to Belarus!”

Omsk YABLOKO activists Anton Zhebrun, Mikhail Maglov and Andrei Yermilov were arrested by police when they were gaging a Dostoyevsky statue. They were escorted to the local police department Centralnoye, where they were kept the whole night without water and food. Anton Zhebrun had a heart attack, the police called an ambulance. However, the policemen did not allow the young people to make calls via their mobile phones...

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.

Results of local elections of March 14

Press Release. March 17, 2010

The YABLOKO party obtained over 11 per cent of votes at the Tula City Duma elections getting the right from three to four mandates.

Also YABLOKO’s list got 28.5 per cent of the votes at elections to local legislative assembly of the Solnechny settlement, the Tver region. At present YABLOKO’s deputies are forming a faction YABLOKO – United Democrats in the municipal parliament.

Olga Kurmanskaya, Chair of Commission for Education, Culture and Social Policies and Anatoly Makarov, pensioner and acting deputy of the Astrakhan City Duma were supported by YABLOKO and became deputies of the Astrakhan City Duma getting 49 per cent and 67 per cent of the votes respectively.

YABLOKO’s list at elections to the local assembly of the Nevelsky Area of the Pskov Region was supported by 7.58 per cent of the voters (fourth place). Thus, the party overcomes the barrier and obtains one mandate (as nine mandates out of 17 are distributed in accordance with party lists). Lawyer Svetlana Arsenyeva will become a deputy from YABLOKO.

Bribing of voters in Tula confirmed by statistical analysis

Press Release. March 15, 2010

Statistical analysis of the voting in Tula at Sunday’s elections to the city parliament demonstrates an obvious correlation between the percentage of the votes obtained by the parties and the voters turnover. The higher is the turnout at an electoral district (a territory), the higher is the average number of voters giving their votes for progovernmental United Russia party, and, consequently, the lower is the percentage for other parties.

This abnormal correlation is observed both at breakdown of the votes as of polling station and as of electoral district (territory). Such a correlation is one more proof that United Russia was bribing voters.

Candidates supported by YABLOKO get mandates in the Astrakhan City Duma

Press Release. March 15, 2010

Two candidates – Anatoly Makarov and Olga Kurmanskaya – supported by the YABLOKO party got mandates in the Astrakhan City Duma. Both Makarov and Kurmanskaya led in the vote in their electoral districts getting 66.7 and 56.9 per cent of the votes, respectively.

Other YABLOKO’s candidates – Tatyana Semyonova, Igor Avdeyev and Oleg Alexeyev – obtained from 7 to 18 per cent of the votes failing to win the mandates.

“All the participants of the electoral process mark the imitational character of the election to the city parliament. All the results of the voting have been falsified to a lesser of greater extent: for example, there were cases when about 30 per cent of the electorate at one of the electoral districts voted per-term and all for the same candidate,” noted Vadim Monin, leader of the Astrakhan branch of YABLOKO.

YABLOKO obtains 11 per cent of the votes in Tula. Press Release. March 15, 2010

YABLOKO obtained over 11 per cent of the votes at parliamentary elections in Tula, which gives a right of three or four mandates in the regional parliament. However, election campaign was accompanied by multiple violations. Bribing of votes in favour of the United Russia party was observed during pre-term voting and multiple violations took place on the election day.

YABLOKO’s list at the Solnechniy settlement of the Tver Region obtained about 30% of the votes.

YABLOKO’s list at elections of the Assembly of the Nevelsky Area of the Pskov Region is on the verge of overcoming the barrier, however due to multirple fraud the data has not been submitted to the GAS Vibory system (electronic election data base) yet. Nevertheless YABLOKO’s activists obtained 13 mandates in other municipal settlements of the region.

Olga Kurmanskaya and Anatoly Makarov supported by YABLOKO became members of the Astrakhan City Duma obtaining 49 and 67 per cent of the votes in the region electoral districts respectively.

YABLOKO will also get two mandates in the Assembly of the Krasnokamsky Area of the Perm Region. Svetlana Ivanova obtained over 55 per cent of the votes in her district and Arkady Kolokolov over 57 per cent.

Vassily Potapov, YABLOKO’s leader in Miass of the Chelyabinsk Region, obtained about 50 per cent of the votes and was reelected deputy of the Council of Deputies of Miass...

YABLOKO participates in elections in 15 Russia’s regions.

Press Release. March 14, 2010

The YABLOKO party participates in local and municipal elections in 15 Russia’s regions: Astrakhan, Voronezh, Kirov, Lipetsk, Tula, Omsk, Pskov, Rostov, Tver, Chelyabinsk regions, Krasnoyarsk, Perm and Khabarovsk areas, the Moscow region and St.Petersburg.

Chair of YABLOKO’s branch in the Khabarovsk area Igor Khovansky runs at parliamentary elections in the Khabarovsk area from YABLOKO.

YABLOKO’s activists also compete for the posts of heads of two large municipal entities: Igor Pershin runs for the Mayor of Shakhti, the Rostov region, and Sergei Parvitsky runs for the post of the head of the Shatura municipal area, the Moscow region.

57 members of YABLOKO compete for 48 parliamentary mandates in the Tula city parliament. YABLOKO’s list is topped by Sergei Filatov, the present deputy of the city Duma.

A heated campaign has developed in the Pskov region. YABLOKO’s candidates run in 12 municipal areas of the region.

However, electoral commissions of the Kaluga and Sverdlovsk regions refused to register YABLOKO in the campaigns to regional parliaments on faked pretexts.

Tula: violations elections to the city parliament. Press Release. March 14, 2010

Counting of votes at parliamentary elections in Tula goes on. According to the preliminary data YABLOKO obtains 13 per cent of the votes which means three or four mandates in the city parliament. At the same time observers have fixed multiple violations.

Thus, abnormally high voting outside the polling station was observed at electoral district No 421. About 400 people referring to this district voted at home. YABLOKO’s observer Olga Ushakova lodged a complaint so that the results of the voting at this electoral district should be recognised void. The electoral commission insisted on counting these 400 votes and threatened to expel her from the polling station...

Polling station No 390 demonstrated that about half of all the notifications of voting at home (totaling 89) was received in a single pool at 10 a.m...

For the visa-free travel between Russia and the EU as a way to promote mutual trust and cooperation

Speech by Sergei Mitrokhin at ELDR Council meeting, Rome, March 12, 2010

In my view, elimination of visa barriers between Russia and Europe should be examined and solved by politicians rather than bureaucrats. All we need is political will towards such strategic decision-making. Long-term advantages here both for Russia and Europe considerably overweight bureaucratic problems. And it will also allow us to solve such issues as, for example, work permits and registration for foreign citizens working in Russia, which should be part of the general agreement on elimination of visa barriers.

For the Russian citizens the freedom of movement within Europe is not reduced only to facilitation of their business, study or tourist trips (though this is also very important). This means their normal life within a single European civilization on the basis of mutually shared principles and values. This issue has become especially acute when visa barriers separated us from our close Eastern European neighbours. However, close interaction with them has always been very important when we speak about European trends in Russia.

Urgency Resolution submitted by the YABLOKO party to the ELDR Council. Rome, March 12, 2010.

The ELDR Council convening in Rome on March 12-13, 2010,

Expresses concern in view of:
- ongoing discrimination of its member-party YABLOKO at Russian elections, especially in the Sverdlovsk and Kaluga regions;
- discrepancy between President Medvedev’s statements on liberalization of elections and persecutions against YABLOKO

States that:
- ELDR will submit the issue to the CE and Europarliament

Calls on the Russian authorities to:
- take urgent remedial measures in ensuring free and fair elections and maximum public control over voting;
- observe Russia’s obligations on ensuring democratic standards under its membership in the OSCE and the CE.

Progovernmental United Russia is buying off votes in Tula

Statement by the party Chairman. March 12, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO is expressing its indignation with the situation when the United Russia party has been openly and blatantly violating the law at the Tula City Duma elections. Mass-scale and virtually open bribing of voters has been taking place in the city. A vote in favour of the United Russia party costs from 400 to 500 roubles at pre-term voting. About 10 per cent of the electorate have already voted at eight polling stations (No 419, 423, 424, 428 – 432).

The Altair cable television channel has been broadcasting a reel where those voting for the United Russia party are guaranteed free subscription to the channel.

Bribing of voters has been at polling station No 52 was video recorded and confirmed by the witnesses at the police station.

Such actions by the United Russia party on the threashold of the election day make us doubt the results of the overall voting in the city.

The Supreme Court did not let YABLOKO to participate in the election campaign in the Sverdlovsk Region

Press Release. March 12, 2010

The Supreme Court did not let YABLOKO to participate in the election campaign to the regional parliament in the Sverdlovsk Region. YABLOKO’s complaint on the decision of the Sverdlovsk Region Court (which ruled out the refusal of the regional election commission to register YABLOKO is the race was lawful) was not satisfied.

Thus, YABLOKO was not allowed to participate in the regional elections. On March 9 the Supreme Court also adopted the same decision on the complaint of the Kaluga branch of YABLOKO.

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 leader to meet with electorate in Tula

Press Release. March 11, 2010

Today, on March 11, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will meet with electorate in Tula.

Elections to the Tula City Duma will take place on Sunday, March 14. YABLOKO’s list is topped by the present deputy of the city parliament Sergei Filatov. At this election 57 members of YABLOKO will compete for 48 mandates.

The key topics for Sergei Mitrokhin’s meeting with the voters will be transparency of the tariffs and fight with corruption in the housing and utilities sector, as restoration of lawfulness in the sector has become the key slogan of YABLOKO’s campaign in Tula.

European liberals to discuss a visa-free regime between Russia and the EU

Press Release. March 11, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin is going to get support to YABLOKO’s initiative on introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and the EU from European liberals during the annual meeting of ELDR Council which will take place in Rome on March 12-13.

On the threashold of the meeting Russian Vedomosti newspaper published an article by Finnish Foreign Minister Mr.Alexander Stubb where he stated the adherence of Finland to the agreement between the RF and the EU on facilitation of the visa regime which came into force in summer 2007, as well as called the Russian authorities “to concretize and accelerate” the work in this direction. “Finland would welcome a visa-free regime between the EU and Russia and will spare no effort for hitting this goal,” Mr. Stubb stated. “I hope that Russian leaders will have enough insistence and political will so that to facilitate the necessary reforms,” he wrote.

Sergei Mitrokhin discussed the problem of introduction of the visa-free regime at the meeting with Ambassador of the Republic of Finland to the Russian Federation Matti Anttonen on February 17.

Mass-scale buying of votes in favour of the United Russia and the Just Russia party observed at pre-term elections in Tula

Press Release. March 10, 2010

The Tula branch of YABLOKO recorded a mass-scale buying of votes in favour of the United Russia and the Just Russia party observed at pre-term elections to the Tula parliament. A vote cast for United Russia cost 500 roubles and a vote for the Just Russia party cost 100 roubles.

Today, on March 10 at about 11 a.m., YABLOKO’s election headquarters received a telephone call about a bribe of electorate at polling stations No 369 and 370 located in school No 52. Several cars were parked in the yard of one of the houses near the school. Unknown persons from the cars first put down the data of the voters and after their voting gave money to them.

Sergei Filatov, one of the leaders of YABLOKO’s election list and deputy of the Tula parliament, arrived to the polling station and discovered queues by the school building. He recorded all he saw (see the recording), interviewed the voter and also called the police.

YABLOKO to dispute the legitimacy of collection of signatures in the Constitutional Court of the RF

Press Release. March 9, 2010

The Supreme Court of the RF refused to annul the decision of the regional electoral commission not to register YABLOKO at elections to the parliament of the Kaluga region. YABLOKO is going to appeal to the Constitutional Court of the RF with a claim to abrogate the norms requiring a number of parties to collect signatures so that to get registration at election campaigns.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the hearings in the Supreme Court and said that the “decision of the Supreme Court was arbitrary”. The Supreme Court did not consider YABLOKO’s arguments, Mitrokhin added.

Public organisations and political parties of Kaliningrad join in a coalition

Press Release. March 4, 2010

On March 3 during the second meeting of the Coordination Council leaders of political parties and public organisations and movements functioning in the Kaliningrad region signed a joint document on creation of a coalition targeted at stopping the monopoly of the progovernmental United Russia party in the Kaliningrad region.

A press-conference of the new coalition will take place in the Regional Duma on March 5 at 1 p.m. The participants will present the text of the agreement opened for all the parties and organisations sharing this platform and will also answer the journalists’ questions.

Grigory Yavlinsky visited the Astrakhan Region

Press Release. March 4, 2010

On March 3 member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee made a visit to the Astrakhan Region within the framework of election campaign to the Astrakhan City Duma.

Grigory Yavlinsky had a meeting with Governor Alexander Zhilkin. The Governor spoke in detail about implementation of the long-term strategy of socio-economic development of the region. “The executive authority of the region has been working in close contact with the Public Chamber of the region, trade unions, deputies and representatives of political parties,” Zhilkin noted. The Governor also showed his interest in further cooperation with YABLOKO.

The Governor also highly assessed the work of the representatives of YABLOKO in the Administration of the region.

Conference “Women’s Movement in Russia: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” took place in YABLOKO’s Moscow office

Press Release. March 1, 2010

Conference “Women’s Movement in Russia: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” took place in YABLOKO’s Moscow office on February 26. 75 heads of leading women’s organisations and experts from Moscow, St.Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Ekaterinburg and Perm participated in the conference. The conference was broadcasted life via YABLOKO’s web-site.

Galina Mikhalyova, moderator of the conference, Chair of the Gender faction of the YABLOKO party and Co-Chair of the Council for Consolidation of Women’s Movement in Russia stressed the difficulties in the development of women’s movement in the situation of increasing discrimination of women in Russia in all spheres of life and the need to consolidate efforts of public organisations, expert community, journalists and political forces for realization of the gender equality principles. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin noted that YABLOKO is the only Russian party fighting for gender equality and proclaiming equality of rights and opportunities for men and women.

Sergei Kovalyov has turned 80!

Congratulations from Sergei Mitrokhin. March 2, 2010

Dear Sergei Adamovich,

On behalf of all YABLOKO members I am sending you our heartiest congratulations on your birthday.

Your life deserves not only admiration, but careful study. The hard moral choice you’ve always been making confirms one thing: following the way of truth and one’s own convictions can lead to any consequences – either to establishment or break of human relations, – however, in the end it always proves that such a choice must be made against all the odds. You have never recoiled from your truth. We are proud that we are working together with you and that we can adopt from you the best qualities of Russian human rights defenders.

We are wishing you health, strength and patience!

Sincerely,
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party

Action “Churov, it’s time for you to have a shave!” led to arrest of YABLOKO’s activists

Press Release. March 3, 2010

Today, on March 3, YABLOKO conducted a protest action against withdrawal of YABLOKO’s lists of candidates from election race in the Kaluga and Sverdlovsk regions by the Central Electoral Commission office. A large balloon filled with helium took large scissors up to the window of the cabinet of Vladimir Churov, head of the Central Electoral Commission.

“Do I have to swear by my beard that I shall do all I can so that elections [in Russia] be honest? I swear!” said Vladimir Churov, Chair of the Central Electoral Commission during broadcasting at the REN TV channel on March 15, 2007. Activists of the Youth YABLOKO’s reminded Vladimir Churov of his oath. They also held a slogan by the Central Electoral Commission office “Stop withdrawing us from elections!” and demanded that Vladimir Churov should come down from the office to them and answer the questions. “We have not witnessed such a situation before when our party could be withdrawn from elections in two regions simultaneously,” YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin who also participated in the action told to the journalists. “We have been patient for a long time as we remembered Churov’s promise to guarantee honest elections, however, now our patience is gone,” he added.

Sverdlovsk Region branch of YABLOKO appeals to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation

Press Release. March 2, 2010

The Sverdlovsk Region branch of YABLOKO filed an appeal in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation with a demand to abrogate the decision of the Electoral Commission of the Sverdlovsk Region which did not allow YABLOKO to run in the election campaign to the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk Region.

YABLOKO had already filed a complaint to the Sverdlovsk Region Court with a plea to annul the decision of the electoral commission denying YABLOKO a registration in the race. The working group of the electoral commission had announced that 56% of the signatures collected in favour of YABLOKO and required for registration in the elections be void. The regional court had not left the decision of the electoral commission without change.

Picketing in Ufa: “Decent Pensions to the Military Pensioners!”

Press Release. March 1, 2010

Picketing for the right of the military pensioners to decent pensions took place in the centre of Ufa (Bashkiria) on February 27.

The picket was organised by the Bashkirian regional branch of the YABLOKO party. The picket was conducted under the slogan “Decent Pensions to the Military Pensioners!”

In spite of the fact that 30 activists had to participate in the action, the actual number of participants grew to 50. Citizens dissatisfied with the actions of Bashkirian government, administration of Ufa and the law enforcement also joined the picket...

Picket against discrimination of military pensioners in Blagoveschensk

Press Release. February 26, 2010

Picket against discrimination of military pensioners took place in Blagoveschensk (the Amur Region) on February 23 (Defender of the Fatherland Day).

The action was organised by the Amur Region branch of YABLOKO. The city government gave a permission to conduct the action in the center of the city...

Despite preliminary announcements of the action none of the local journalists risked to go against Governor’s order and report on the action in the media...

Non-registration of YABLOKO in the regional elections: a hypocrisy or a weakness of the presidential power?

Statement by the Bureau of the YABLOKO party. February 27, 2010

Right after President Medvedev’s statement made at the State Council meeting on the need to
facilitate political competition and democratization of the political system YABLOKO was cynically and unlawfully withdrawn from elections to the legislative assemblies of the Kaluga and Sverdlovsk regions, the regions where YABLOKO enjoyed considerable support from the electorate.

The signatures collected in support of YABLOKO’s election lists were announced “invalid” on
factitious unlawful grounds. The Chair of the electoral commission of the Sverdlovsk region publicly announced that signatures in support of YABLOKO would be recognised invalid already when YABLOKO had only been collecting these signatures. The electoral commission of the Kaluga region made all it could so that not to allow the leaders of the regional YABLOKO branch to participate in the audit of the signatures.

YABLOKO’s lodging complaints of such refusals in courts did not lead anywhere – the courts, as well as electoral commissions, refused to examine the evidence submitted by YABLOKO’s activists...

YABLOKO protests against sending schoolchildren to the barracks

Statement of the YABLOKO party. February 26, 2010

The YABLOKO party expresses its resolute protest against the plans of the Moscow government to restore the [Soviet] system of preservice military training with regular encampments of schoolchildren and introduction of the fundamentals of the military service as a subject in the school curriculum.

We think that the Concept of Preservice Training of the Young People in Moscow Until 2020 endangers life and health of the young Muscovites and is targeted at conservation of the present problems rather than reconstruction of the army, which inevitably leads to further degradation of the armed forces.

The present system of conscription to the Armed Forces of Russia serves only for justification of the existence of the Russian military bureaucracy and their deriving profits from gratuitous soldiers’ labour. Mass-scale violations of the rights of the young people of the conscription age and harassment – derision, beatings and blackmail – have become a daily reality in the army.

Regional Court did not let YABLOKO to participate in the election campaign to the Sverdlovsk Region parliament

Press Release. February 26, 2010

Sverdlovsk Region Court left without changed the decision of the Electoral Commission not to register YABLOKO in the election campaign to the Sverdlovsk Region parliament. The decision was adopted yesterday night.

The working group of the electoral commission basing on the graphological expertise recognised 56% of the signatures collected by YABLOKO in support of its election list invalid.

The court heard only one expert who explained that “he and his colleagues based on their experience and qualification”. However, he failed to give a detailed answer to a single question, repeating that “such was the result of the expertise”.

Sergei Mitrokhin: the reform of the interior should begin from the “clean hands” operation

Press Release. February 25, 2010

Round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society” initiated by Deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO Andrei Babushkin took place in the press centre of the Moscow Interior department on February 25.

Representatives of human rights organisations including such renowned figures as Ludmila Alexeyeva and Valery Borschyov participated in the round table. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin also participated in the discussion. “The interior needs not simply to make staff reduction, but anti-corruption cleaning,” Mitrokhin said.

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.

20 years ago the citizens of Saratov struggled for freedom and decent life

Press Release. February 25, 2010

A series of mass manifestations against the party of power took place in Saratov 20 years ago, in February 1990.

On February 11 the first meetings of the citizens took place and public organisation The Committee of February 11 was organised. On February 24 thousands of people marched through the streets of the city, broke the police cordons and gathered on a rally at the Revolution Square (the Theatre Square at present) under the slogans “Out with Dogmatists, Bureaucrats and Conservatives!”, “The CPSU Brakes Perestroika!”, “For the Soviets without Communists!” and “The USSR Is Prison of Nations”. The citizens demanded social justice and free elections into representatives bodies of power – the Soviets of People’s Deputies – so that to break away with the political monopoly of the ruling party (the communist party then) and negligence of the bureaucrats leading the country to the collapse.

Kaluga Region Court turns down YABLOKO’s claim regarding registration of the party in the election campaign

Press Release. February 25, 2010

The Court of the Kaluga Region turned down YABLOKO’s claim regarding registration of the party in the election campaign to the regional parliament.

The experts of the regional electoral commission announced 600 signatures out of total 8,452 collected in support of YABLOKO’s list invalid (at permissible number of defective signatures amounting to 400). YABLOKO managed to prove in court that the signatures were valid only in 77 cases, however, to get registered the party had to obtain such a decision on 201 signatures.

YABLOKO’s activist and deputy of the Kaluga regional parliament Sergei Fadeyev who participated in the trial on behalf of YABLOKO, said that the electoral commission “had lied and mixed everything up wherever possible”. YABLOKO’s activists gave their reasoning for annulment of the decision not to register YABLOKO’s list, however, the court did not consider them “worthy of consideration”.

YABLOKO continues “Decent Pensions to the Military” campaign

Press Release. February 24, 2010

Rallies and pickets took place in different Russia’s cities within the framework of YABLOKO’s campaign “Decent Pensions to the Military” on February 23, the Defender of the Fatherland Day.

About thousand people came to the rally in Lipetsk demanding to raise scanty military pensions. Military pensioners, YABLOKO’s activists and CPRF activists held slogans “Putin to Dismissal!”, “Military Pension – a Disgrace of the Government!”...

Four pickets were organised in Novgorod: YABLOKO’s activists distributed leaflets and collected signatures under the address to the Russian President. The residents of the city even queued at one of the pickets located in the centre of the city so that to put their signatures under an address to Dmitry Medvedev demanding to change the system of calculation of military pensions...

YABLOKO to organise round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society”

Press Release. February 24, 2010

Round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society” will be conducted on the initiative of Andrei Babushkin, Deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO and Co-Chair of the Human Rights faction of the party in the press centre of the Moscow Interior Department, on Thursday, February 25.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will participate in the round table. Other guest speakers are:
Ludmila Alexeyeva, the Moscow Helsinki Group,
Valery Gribakin, head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the Interior Ministry of the RF,
Alexander Zharov, Ombudsman for the Moscow Region,
Alexander Zimin, leading expert of the Moscow University of the Interior Ministry,
Svetlana Gannushkina, Grazhdanskoye Sodeistviye (Civil Support)
Vladimir Lukin, Russia’s ombudsman,
Alexander Muzikantsky, Moscow ombudsman,
Ella Pamfilova, Civil Society and Human Rights Council under the President of the RF,
Lev Ponomaryov, For the Human Rights movement,
Genry Reznik, Moscow Bar Association...

YABLOKO’s leader supports the head of Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry

Press Release. February 24, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin welcomes today’s statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and EU.

“We hope that consultations conducted by experts will reach a solution in the nearest perspective and we shall be able to speak about definite time [for implementation of the visa-free regime] then. Russia is ready to transfer to a visa-free regime with Russia already tomorrow,” Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, told the journalists after his negotiations with Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union.

YABLOKO’s activists leave the court protesting against collusion of the judge with OMON

Press Release. February 23, 2010

The arrested activists – YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin, General Major Anton Goretsky and Artur Grokhovsky, aid of YABLOKO’s leader, spent over an hour in the district court waiting for hearings on their case. After an hour expired they went to the courtroom to find out when the hearings were to take place. However, they saw a judge discussing something with the OMON policemen who were witnesses on the case. According to Grokhovsky, several policemen were standing by the judge’s table and one of them was even sitting on the table. However, the judge demanded to close the door and not to interfere into the discussion.

YABLOKO’s activists left the court in protest against collusion of the judge and the police, despite resistance of the policemen who brought them to the court. “I think that what has happened is a manifestation of an arbitrary rule and also a humiliation to General Goretsky who on the Day of the Defender of the Fatherland was kept in the police station for three hours and then kept in court,” Mitrokhin said. “The judge not only behaved incorrectly towards us, but even tried to make a collusion with the witnesses who were actually a party in the case,” he noted.

YABLOKO’s leader and General Major arrested for picketing in protection of military pensioners’ rights

Press Release. February 23, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and leader of the Moscow Region YABLOKO General Major Anton Goretsky were arrested for conducting a picket in protection of the military pensioners’ rights that had not been coordinated with the authorities. The local authorities declined YABLOKO’s application to conduct picketing by the Ministry of Defence on February 23 (the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland). However, the same action had been allowed on January 20.

The participants of the picket held slogans “Scanty Military Pensions – a Disgrace to the State!” when about 15 OMON policemen arrested YABLOKO’s activists and drove them to the local police station.

The Pensioners’ Party joins YABLOKO

Press Release. February 20, 2010

Today, on February 20, All-Russia congress of the Elder Generation public association formed on the basis of the former Pensioners’ Party took place in YABLOKO’s office in Moscow. The congress adopted a decision of a merger with YABLOKO via creation of the Russia’s Pensioners faction in YABLOKO.

Delegates from 24 Russia’s regions participated in the congress: 22 delegates voted for the merger and 2 abstained. The Elder Generation has branches in 32 Russia’s regions.

The leader of the Elder Generation Alexei Borschenko called YABLOKO “the only party which can at present protect the interests of Russia’s pensioners”. He also reiterated that pensioners constitute about one third of Russia’s population.

YABLOKO enters litigation disputing the decision of the regional electoral commission

Press Release. February 19, 2010

Litigation initiated by the YABLOKO party disputing the refusal of the regional electoral commission to register YABLOKO’s list in the election race to the regional parliament began in the Sverdlovsk Region Court on February 18...

The leader of Sverdolovsk YABLOKO Maxim Petlin said “We have just begun our analysis of the lists of signatures rejected by the commission, as the commission have refused to give them to us until this moment, we shall work throughout all the four days-off [February 20-23] and I am sure that by [the next hearings] February 24 we shall have a lot of arguments supporting our position.”

Court refused to satisfy YABLOKO’s suit on cancellation of the results of the voting at two Moscow electoral districts

Press Release. February 18, 2010

Simonovsky District Court, Moscow, refused to satisfy YABLOKO’s suit on cancellation of the results of the voting at two Moscow electoral districts, where progovernmental United Russia obtained 231 additional votes via fraud.

The judge chose to conduct hearings in the absence of YABLOKO’s representative. She also prohibited journalist from the Kommersant-Vlast paper to take notes during the process.

YABLOKO’s arguments based on a considerable discrepancy between the protocols given to the observers on the election day October 11, 2009, and the official results of the voting. Thus 96 votes were taken LDPR, Just Russia and Patriots of Russia and added to the United Russia party. The chair of this electoral commission explained this by an error. “Provisional” protocols where figures represented a mere “guess work” were allegedly given to the observers, however, later the mistake was detected and amended. However, the chair of the commission failed to explain how this “guess work” managed to virtually coincide with the real results of the voting, especially in case of YABLOKO and CPRF.

Portraits of Joseph Stalin have no place in the Victory Day celebrations

Statement of the Chairman of the YABLOKO party. February 18, 2010

Placards picturing Joseph Stalin that have recently appeared in Moscow represent an insult to the memory of our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers who won a victory over fascism. This is another manifestation of hatred towards Russian people and all other nations of Russia and the former USSR that suffered from the genocide launched by Stalin.

Many years have passed since the end of the Second World War, and multiple documents and facts showing that the Victory was won despite of rather than owing to Joseph Stalin and his system have been disclosed...

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO proposes to place in Moscow streets and squares placards reproducing war-time photographs and showing the heroism of the true victors of the war.

The Pensioners’ Party to join YABLOKO

Press Release. February 19, 2010

On Saturday, February 20, the All-Russian Congress of the Elder Generation public association (formed on the basis of the former Pensioners’ Party) will take place in YABLOKO’s office in Moscow.

The congress will finalise the merger adopting a decision on formation of the Russia’s Pensioners faction within YABLOKO. A general agreement on the merger of two political organisations was reached in October 2009.

A joint briefing by YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and Alexei Borschenko, the leader of the Elder Generation will begin at 3 p.m.

Two Moscow district courts to adopt decisions on YABLOKO’s suits

Press Release. February 17, 2010

Tomorrow, February 18, Simonovsky District Court, Moscow, will adopt decision on YABLOKO’s suit regarding cancellation of the results of the voting at electoral districts No 1696 and 1701 on October 11 election. These districts added 231 votes to progovernmental United Russia party via fraud... The hearings will begin at 2 p.m. Address: Vostochnaya ul. 2, stoyeniye 6. Judge Titarova.

On Friday, February 19, Preobrazhensky District Court, Moscow, will make a ruling concerning the results of the voting at polling station No 1062. According to the copies of protocols given to YABLOKO’s observers, the official total of the votes cast at the polling station considerably increased the total of the votes cast for each of the parties in accordance with the protocols given to the observers. The hearings will begin at 10-30 a.m. Address: 2nd Bukhvostova ul. 4. Judge Yegorov.

YABLOKO insists that the Chair of the Investigative Committee at the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation should take under control investigation of a killing of civilians in Ingushetia

Press Release. February 17, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin asked Alexander Bastyrkin, Chair of the Investigative Committee at the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, to take under his personal control investigation of a killing of civilians on the Chechen-Ingush border during special operation on February 11 – 12, 2010.

“The investigation conducted on February 13 – 14 by the Memorial human rights centre showed that the versions worded by the officials – that civilians had been used by the militants as a human shield and died because of the air-to-ground attack – were incorrect,” ran the letter...

At least 70 local civilians engaged in agricultural works turned out to be in the area of a special operation. The authorities had the information about their work in the area, as they had given a special permit for agricultural works to the local residents there, however, the officials did not take measures so that to evacuate people to a safe place. At least four persons were killed. According to the Memorial’s data they were gunned at a short range and possibly fired “insurance” shots afterwards.

One more provocation against Maxim Reznik, leader of St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO

Press Release. February 17, 2010

On February 17 (about 7 a.m.) Olga Galkina, deputy of the municipal council of the Morskoi district from the YABLOKO party found out leaflets on the block of flats where she lived running that police was allegedly looking for a “dangerous criminal Maxim Lvovich Reznik accused of grave crimes”... The leaflets also called the citizens to call the telephone numbers indicated in the text so that to help the police to arrest a “dangerous criminal”. The given telephone numbers turned out to be the numbers of the local police department, St.Petersburg’s YABLOKO office and the school where Maxim works as a teacher of history...

“It is obvious that this mean action has been paid for and is aiming at exerting psychological pressure on myself and my relatives. It is especially mean that these people indicated telephone number of the school where I work,” Reznik said. “After today’s provocation I can not say that the December and January incidents [when Reznik was arrested by police when he was going home from a supermarket for alleged “drinking alcohol in a public place” and attack on their family car] were a mere coincidence.”

The hearings in the Kaluga Region Court to continue on February 17, 2010

Press Release. February 17, 2010

YABLOKO’s litigation on the cancellation of the resolution of the Regional Electoral Commission turning down the registration of a of YABLOKO and Joint Democrat’s list in the election race to the regional parliament will continue on February 17.

Sverdlovsk YABLOKO demands to annul the decision of the electoral commission not to register YABLOKO in the election race

Press Release. February 16, 2010

The Sverdlovsk region branch of YABLOKO applied to the regional court demanding annul the decision of the electoral commission not to register YABLOKO in election race to the regional parliament.

YABLOKO’s activists provide a list of violations made by the Regional Electoral Commission in checking signatures collected by YABLOKO. For example, graphology experts gave contradictory conclusions concerning the same signatures: in first group of experts acknowledged the signatures valid; whereas the second group of experts found the same signatures invalid.

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.

Boris Vishnevsky receives Russia’s Golden Pen award

Press Release, February 13, 2010

One of the most brilliant Russia’s journalists and member of YABLOKO Boris Vishnevsky has become laureate of the highest award of the Union of Journalists of Russia.

On February 12, 2010, journalist of Novaya Gazeta Boris Vishnevsky was announced to win Russia’s Golden Pen award. He has become the first journalist from St.Petersburg who was awarded the prize. Chairman of the Union of Journalists Vsevolod Bogdanov handed Vishnevsky the award for “a series of publications in the federal and regional papers on the building of the [scandalous] Gazprom’s skyscraper in St.Petersburg”.

“I am very glad to receive this award for my publications against building of the Okhta-Centre,” Vishnevsky told to his colleagues journalists. “I shall be happy if my and many other publications will help to stop building of this skyscraper. We shall not allow them to spoil St.Petersburg! If we hit this goal, this would mean that all that I’ve been doing has not passed in vain,” he said.

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!”

A shaking hand of the United Russia party

Press Release. February 10, 2010

“When they are ousting us from the election race this means that they are afraid of us!” said YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin. On February 9, 2010, the Sverdlovsk Region Electoral Commission with multiple violations of the law refused to register YABLOKO in the election race to the regional parliament.

The working group of the Electoral Commission gave a conclusion based on a graphologic expertise that 56% of the signatures collected by the party and required for registration in the race were “void”. However, the experts conducting the handwriting comparison gave contradictory answers virtually on all the lists. “Thus, the experts acknowledged 2,000 signatures void on a pretext that they had been made by a “shaking hand”, stressed Maxim Petlin, Chair of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of YABLOKO.

“Refusing to register YABLOKO’s list in the Sverdlovsk region after a refusal to register YABLOKO in the Kaluga region the authorities once again confirm that there is no evolution of Russia’ political system towards democratization and political competition,” stated YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin. “We go on living under the arbitrary rule of the bureaucrats servicing the interests of their own party – United Russia.”

Chair of Sverdlovsk Electoral Commission Mostovschikov to dismissal!

Statement by the YABLOKO party. February 5, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses its categorical protest in connection with the actions of the Chair of the Sverdlovsk Electoral Commission V.D.Mostovschikov.

Mostovschikov made multiple statements in the mass media on alleged violations of law in proposing the list of candidates to the election, the documents submitted to the electoral commission, including signatures submitted for enrollment in the race, prior to adoption of decisions by the electoral commission. We assess the actions of the Chair of the Sverdlovsk Electoral Commission as unlawful, biased and virtually representing propaganda in favour of other parties participation in the election, first of all progovernmental United Russia.

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.

Memorial’s lectures in YABLOKO. The History of the Soviet Terror

Annoucement, February 4, 2010

We are proud to announce that we are launching lectures of Memorial heads and experts within the programme of our Evening University.
Please find below the schedule of the first lectures...

Please also note that you can see Memorial’s exhibition A History of an Execution at YABLOKO’s office...

European liberals welcome Russia to the European Union

Press Release. February 3, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin called to the activisation of efforts in the introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and the European Union at the meeting of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) taking place in Brussels today. ALDE is the third largest faction in the European Parliament holding the balance between the right and the left.

Sergei Mitrokhin told in his speech that “the European Union should work out a strategy for interaction with Russia based on integration rather than confrontation”. “The European Union should initiate the projects that would involve and initiate the Russian society and elite into the European values and approaches,” he said. According to Mitrokhin, such a strategy can ensure Russia’s movement along the European way of development...

According to Mitrokhin, the idea of abolishing visas between Russia and the EU was proposed as early as in 1995 by the YABLOKO faction in the Russian parliament. “We specially invited then Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanov and persuaded him that this initiative was not a fantasy,” Mitrokhin said. He also noted that in 2003 Ivanov shared these ideas with his Italian counterpart.

A number of MPs of the European Parliament supported the idea of development of a new European strategy in relations with Russia and agreed with Mitrokhin that the European Union had not developed such a strategy yet. Some MPs also supported the proposals on the earliest introduction of a visa-free regime and also stated that they would welcome Russia’s perspective joining the European Union...

Governor Gromov motions a libel suit against Sergei Mitrokhin

Press Release, February 1, 2010

Governor of the Moscow Region Boris Gromov motioned a libel suit against YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin who had laid blame for a physical attack on Editor-in-Chief of Khimskinskaya Pravda oppositional paper Mikhail Beketov. The official claims compensation of RUR 500,000 (about USD 16,600) for the moral damage.

Sergei Mitrokhin stated that the party had grounds to think that “Administration of the Khimki city district and personally Head of Administration Strelchenko supported by Governor Gromov are behind this crime” during an action held on November 16, 2009 one year after the attack. A video record of Sergei Mitrokhin’s speech published at YABLOKO’s web-site was used by the Governor as an evidence of libel.

On November 13, 2008, Editor-in-Chief of Khimskinskaya Pravda oppositional paper Mikhail Beketov who had been opposing the construction of a paid highway Moscow – St.Petersburg, was found unconscious in the yard of his house. Doctors stated a severe head injury, multiple factions and injuries. Despite treatment Beketov remains a handicapped – he can not take care of himself and his speech functions have not restored. The action in support of Beketov was held under the slogans “Attack on Beketov Is an Attack on the Freedom of Speech” and “Attack on Beketov Is Political Terror”.

Social orphanage Zhizn (Life) in St.Petersburg needs your support!

February 2, 2010

Social orphanage Zhizn (Life) gives shelter and normal living conditions to orphans and social orphans. The orphanage was founded over 15 years ago and helped to about 600 children. The orphanage does not get any state aid and has been financed by private donations only.

At present the orphanage has to move to a new place and its expenditures have abruptly grown. Zhizn would be grateful for any aid, as it is moving to empty flats. For bank transfers pls use the following banking details (it is important to indicate that it is charity).

Even if you do not have a possibility to help us financially, you can help to the orphanage by spreading information about it.

See also:

Youth YABLOKO organisation of St.Petersburg for the protection of an orphanage. Press Release. September 8, 2009

Assessment of Russia’s Present Political System and the Principles of Its Development. Brief note for the State Council meeting (January 22, 2010) by Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky, member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee. January 22, 2010

...In the absence of serious attention to the raise of political culture and freedom of speech, elections in our country will become a fest of demagogues and populists killing the system.

The main problems and goals of the society and the state in the field of creation of modern political system and political reform do not represent a mere correction, they mean bringing of life and sense into Russian politics.

Only in this case it will be of interest for the people and will be worthy of their attention. To achieve this we should first of all raise the level of public consciousness and open opportunities for public participation in the power and politics.

We think that to prevent dissolution of the Russian political system in 2010 – 2012 we need to undertake the following gradual but nonetheless decisive steps...

On elimination of visa regime between Russia and the EU

Statement by the Party Chairman. February 1, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO considers abolishing of the visa barrier separating the European Union and Russia be the most important and a very necessary step towards RF-EU integration.
The advantages that both the sides will get in solving this problem considerably overweight the bureaucratic problems that may seem insurmountable today.

We are certain that the issue of elimination the visa barrier between Russia and Europe should be examined and solved by politicians rather than bureaucrats. A political will towards strategic decision-making will enable us to find constructive ways out in such issues as, for example, the readmission problem.

We would like to specially stress that freedom of movement within Great Europe is not reduced for the Russian citizens to facilitation of their business, study or tourist trips (albeit this is also very important). This means their normal life within a single European civilization on the basis of shared principles. And this issue has become especially acute when a visa barrier separated us from our closest Eastern European neighbours as close interaction with them has always been and continue to be very important when we speak about European trends in Russia.

Picketing in favour of Rechnik took place by the building of the Russian Government

Press Release, January 29, 2010

Today on January 29, 2010, the residents of the bulldozed Rechnik village together with YABLOKO activists organised a mobile picket in the form of automobile race. Since 2-30 p.m. picketing took place by the RF Government’s building. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitorkhin took place in the action.The participants of the picket hold a placard running “Yes to the amnesty of dachas!” and picturing President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin.

“We consider all the developments in Rechnik complete lawlessness, as not only a law on the “amnesty” of dachas but also a number of other laws make bureaucrats to file property title on land and houses in such cooperatives as Rechnik,” Mitrokhin told to journalists. “We think that this lawlessness is performed in the interests of bureaucracy and large business which would like to use this territory. The state demonstrates its cynical attitude to the people who with their own labour made money for construction of their private houses on legally purchased plots of land,” he added.

more

See also:

'Selective justice' in Moscow as houses razed overnight. Reuters. Jan.28, 2010

Brief Outline of Sergei Mitrokhin’s Report at the State Council meeting

January 22, 2010

The key problem of Russia’s political system is monopolism which manifests itself in three major ways:

1) bodies of power and parliaments of all levels demonstrate monopoly of one party representing the interests of bureaucracy and large-scale business merged with it;
2) complete dominance of the executive over the judicial authority;
3) dictate of one social class – the bureaucracy – over all other social groups.
Thus, the present political system generally reproduces the Soviet system, with its key flaw – the monopoly of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on power.
Such monopoly led to the insensibility of the political system of the USSR to the challenges of the time. Attempts to reform the system were considerably belated and that, consequently, led to a collapse of the USSR.

The staff of the Government of the Moscow Region interferes with YABLOKO’s picketing

Press Release, January 28, 2010

The staff of the Government of the Moscow Region interfered with YABLOKO’s one-man picketing in front of their building. YABLOKO protests against virtual introduction of a ban on one-man pickets which has been initiated by the Moscow Region Duma.

The parliament of the Moscow Region submitted to the State Duma a draft law stipulating that one-man pickets (in addition to demonstrations, rallies and group pickets) should be not only coordinated with the authorities but organisers of such pickets should also submit the plan and schedule of such picketing. Activists of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO call one-man picketing the only form of street protest which has been available, as normally the authorities ban rallies and pickets with a large number of participants under faked pretexts.

Ekaterinburg’s Mayor suits the leader of the regional YABLOKO branch

Press Release, January 27, 2010

Ekaterinburg’s Mayor Arkady Chernetsky set in motion a lawsuit against deputy of the city Duma and leader of the regional YABLOKO branch Maxim Petlin.

The Mayor began a defamation case stating that Maxim Petlin had libeled against him at TV programme Vesti. The Mayor assessed his moral damage at RUR 600,000 (approximately USD 20,000) which makes 30 per cent of his official annual income amounting to RUR 1,700,000.

“Once Chernetsky sold out half of all the kindergartens buildings in Ekaterinburg,” Petlin said at the Vesti programme. The Mayor considered this statement be a libel.

However, explaining this situation Chernetsky told to the anchor of the Studio 41 TV programme that he had sold “only three kindergartens”. Other had been transferred to different companies and entities “free of charge”.

The Moscow City Court to examine YABLOKO’s cassation appeals concerning annulment of the results of the voting at four electoral districts

Press Release, January 27, 2010

Tomorrow on January 28, the Moscow City Court will examine YABLOKO’s cassation appeals on the decisions of district courts rejecting YABLOKO’s claims of recounting votes at four electoral districts where the United Russia party was added over 1,500 votes by sheer fraud during election to the Moscow parliament.

A cassation appeal on the decision of the Perovo District Court will be examined in room 225 at 10-30 a.m. In late December the court declined YABLOKO’s suit on annulment of the results of the voting at electoral districts No 887 and 888. According the official data, the United Russia party obtained there 1,002 votes more than was indicated in the signed copies of the protocols handed to the observers.

The Charter Court of St.Petersburg refused to examine the Okhta-Centre case

Press Release, January 27, 2010

Yesterday the Charter Court of St.Petersburg refused to examine the complaint of Maxim Reznik, the leader of St.Petersburg YABLOKO branch. Reznik claimed the resolution of the St.Petersburg’s government on construction of 403 meter high Okhta-Centre and a number of legislative acts should be cancelled. The Charter Court as well as Public Prosecutor preferred not to interfere into the scandal around Gazprom’s skyscraper Okhta-Centre and wait until “a general jurisdiction court makes its judgment”.

Reznik applied to the St.Petersburg’s Charter Court claiming that the resolution of the city government headed by Governor Valentina Matviyenko was unlawful as allowed Gazprom to construct at 403 meter high skyscraper prohibited in the historical part of the city. Also Reznik asked to cancel several normative acts (on regulation of city construction and public hearings) that served as a basis for the scandalous resolution.

Mitrokhin: “It is barbarity to evict people in such frosts”

Press Release, January 26, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin called Vladimir Resin, head of the Moscow Construction Complex, to apply to the Bailiffs Service with a demand to suspend housebreaking in the Rechnik settlement at least by the end of frosts. Such a proposal was made by Sergei Mitorkhin during yesterday’s meeting with Vladimir Resin devoted to the problems Moscow’s construction complex.

“Whatever ideas of the Moscow authorities could be here, but housebreaking and evicting people to the street in such frosts is barbarity. I proposed to Vladimir Resin to conduct conciliatory procedures with the residents of Rechnik, however, I did not get any support here,” Mitrokhin said. Nevertheless YABLOKO’s leader has been insisting on his proposals.

“I also expect some reaction to these developments from President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin whom I reported about this situation at the State Council meeting,” Mitorkhin said.

Young people from the Northern Caucasus stand for peaceful relations among republics

Press Release, January 26, 2010

After Taimuraz Mamsurov, head of the North Ossetia, and Yunus-bek-Yevkurov, head of Ingushetia, signed a programme for broadening of cooperation among republics, activists of youth movements also held their actions targeted at prevention of conflicts.

Youth public and human rights organisations from Chechnya, North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Ingushetia met at the forum Youth for Peace at the Caucasus. YABLOKO activists from the North Ossetian branch of the party also took part in the forum.

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.

YABLOKO’s leader blocked by police in the Rechnik cottage village, Moscow

Press Release, January 21, 2010

This morning YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin arrived at the site of the Rechnik village where bulldozers began pulling down the houses early in the morning.

Mitrokhin noted that YABLOKO had been deterring pulling down of the village for two years. According to Mitrokhin, the Court Bailiffs Service, the police and the local authorities resumed their efforts as soon as the term of YABLOKO’s deputies in the Moscow City Duma expired and YABLOKO was not able to get the mandates after fraudulent elections of October 11.

On arriving at the site Mitorkhin called Ferdauis Yusupov, head of the Moscow Court Bailiffs Service. Yusupov asked Mitrokhin to find out whether there were any court decisions or documents for pulling down the houses. However, when Mitrokhin tried to find out the legal basis for demolishing of the village he was quickly blocked by police. Policemen made a cordon around him and did not let him freely move in the territory of the village.

Activists and leaders of the YABLOKO party participate in the action in memory of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova in Moscow

Press Release, January 20, 2010

Activists and leaders of the YABLOKO party participated in the action in memory of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova murdered a year ago.

Party leader Sergei Mitrokhin and member of the Political Committee Sergei Kovalyov participated in the march along Petrovsky Boulevard. Grigory Yavlinsky laid flowers to the place where Markelov and Baburova were killed and came to the picket by the Griboyedov monument where the march ended.

YABLOKO’s activists noted that they managed to escape mass-scale police reprisals only due to interference of Russia’s Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin who came to Petrovsky Boulevard.

At present YABLOKO’s activists are trying to prevent the second wave of arrests, provoked by the police who tore the megaphone from the speakers at the picket.

Picket against scanty pensions accrued to the military pensioners held by the Ministry of Defence

Press Service, January 20, 2010

Picket against scanty pensions accrued by the state to the military pensioners was held by the Ministry of Defence today. The activists of the YABLOKO party and the Elder Generation movement (the former Pensioners’ Party) protested against the present system of calculation of pensions basing on the fixed wage only and neglecting all the wage increments and bonuses the military normally get. This system leaves military pensioners with tiny pensions despite their real aggregate earnings during their service.

The activists of the Youth YABLOKO held a banner “Military Pensions Are a Shame on the State!”

YABLOKO and the Elder Generation movement to conduct picketing protesting against discrimination of pensioners

Press Service, January 19, 2010

Tomorrow on January 20, the YABLOKO party jointly with the Elder Generation movement (the former Pensioners’ Party) will conduct picketing by the Ministry of Defence building protesting against discrimination of pensioners.

Military pensioners protest against the present system of calculation of pensions basing on the fixed wage only and neglecting all the wage increments and bonuses the military normally get. This system leaves military pensioners with tiny pensions despite their aggregate earnings during their service.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin, General Major in reserve and leader of the Moscow Region YABLOKO branch Anton Gorodetsky and head of the Elder Generation movement Alexei Borschenko will participate in the action.

The picket will begin at 12:00.

Address: Gogolevsky Boulevard (by the Gogol monument).

YABLOKO demands dismissal of a top official

Press Release, January 15, 2010

Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the YABLOKO party, applied to the Ministry of Economic Development, the State Register and Public Prosecutor General demanding dismissal of O.Chapkovskaya, head of the Tikhoretsky Department of the Federal Registering Agency in the Krasnodar area. The said official completely blocked registration of citizens’ joint shared ownership to agricultural lands.

The official had been violating constitutional rights of the citizens for two years, and the latter had to seek justice in court. The court examined 107 complaints on unlawful actions of an official, making judgments on each of the cases recognizing the actions of the state registrator Chapkovskaya unlawful.

Attitude to human rights activists as a criterion of a law governed state

Statement of the YABLOKO party, January 19, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO states that the work of human rights activists and independent journalists in Russia have not become less dangerous for the year since the murder of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasiya Baburova.

It’s not only because the past year saw new attacks against human rights.

Nothing changed in the policies of the authorities and the situation with resentment of dissenting opinions promoted by the state mass media. State officials have been treating human rights activists as the enemies of the state, and their opinion coincides here with that of nationalists and fascists.

Such an attitude of the state to human rights activists demonstrates that at present Russia is not a law-governed state and, moreover, it does not try to become such.

Activists of the Youth YABLOKO summed up the results of the Year of the Youth

Press Release, January 14, 2010

“In December 2009 activists of St.Petersburg youth YABLOKO organisation summed up the results of the Year of the Youth.

The authorities reported on “great achievements” in the field of youth policy in 2009 and young YABLOKO activists decided to demonstrate these “achievements”, such as extremely low stipends (that were not raised in 2009), high unemployment among young people (young people under 25 constitute 30% of all the unemployed in the country), considerable reduction of municipal budget expenditures on the youth policy, long queues for enrollment of children to kindergartens, scandalous appointments of universities rectors, etc.

The residents of the city of Klin and YABLOKO picket by the office of the Public prosecutor of the Moscow Region

Press Release, January 14, 2010

“Klin Should Get an Honest Public Prosecutor,” – such is the slogan of pickets conducted by the residents of the Klin district, Moscow Region, and YABLOKO by the office of the Public prosecutor of the Moscow Region.

Oleg Stalnov, Public Prosecutor of Klin, was dismissed from his post and downgraded to the post of deputy Public Prosecutor of the city of Domodedovo. It has been unclear who may take the post in Klin.The residents of the city and representatives of public organisations conducted several actions and rallies demanding to dismiss Oleg Stalnov due to the growth of corruption and general negligence of his office. Thus in September 2009, YABLOKO initiated a rally of about 500 people demanding to dismiss Stalnov.

After his dismissal YABLOKO, the Society for Preservation of Nature of the Moscow Region and the Farmers’ Front sent a letter to the Public Prosecutor General demanding to “control the appointment of a new Public Prosecutor for Klin and ensure that Klin would get an honest Public Prosecutor”.

YABLOKO collected 7,600 signatures in support of YABLOKO’s list for election campaign in Ryazan

Press Release, January 13, 2010

YABLOKO collected 7,600 signatures in support of YABLOKO’s list required for registration in the election campaign to the regional Duma in the Ryazan region during the holiday period.

The list of candidates is topped by Chair of the regional party branch journalist Konstantin Smirnov, honoured teacher of the Russian Federation and deputy of the regional Duma of the second convocation Sergei Tabolin, deputy head of the party branch lawyer Dmitry Shatilov and teacher in the arts school for children Galina Vorotzova...

Campaigning among workers of the social sphere demonstrated considerable difficulties. “Despite the fact that there are many party advocates of YABLOKO among this social layer, many of them fear to sign for YABLOKO noting, for example, that the director of their school made them join the progovernmental United Russia party,” said Konstantin Smitnov, Chair of the Ryazan branch of YABLOKO. “This is not surprising, considering how toughly the regional authorities pressed the budget sphere workers at the recent elections,” he added.

YABLOKO competes for the top position

Press release, January 11, 2010

A new team striving for the top position emerged at the Zheleznogorsk football championship. Yabloko won tree games out of four and is competing for the first place in its group with the last year champion of the city the Yenisei team.

“We decided to create such a team after discussing the problems of development of football in the region at one of popular web-forums in Krasnoyarsk. Also the fact that we have been in the topic of Zheleznogorsk football for a long time and have been closely cooperating with many coachers, helping them where we can,” say party activists.

YABLOKO initiated discussion of amendments to the Charter of Kazan at public hearings

Press release, January 9, 2010

The YABLOKO party in the Republic of Tatarstan jointly with the movement Against Crime and Lawlessness conducted alternative public hearings on introduction of amendments to the Charter of Kazan connected with elections of the city Mayor. About 40 people – former deputies, well-known public figures, ecologists and representatives of the Guild of Small and Medium Businesses – participated in the discussion held on January 9.

Elections of the Mayor of Kazan and deputies of the regional parliament will take place in October 2010. The President and the present Mayor have already voiced their opinions that the Mayor should be elected by the deputies, however, the regional branch of YABLOKO disagree with this due to the following reasons...