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Press Releases 2010
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| March 11, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| March 10, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| March 5, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| March 4, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| March 3, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| March 2, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| March 1, 2010 |
| 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... |
| February 27,
2010 |
| 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.
|
| February 26,
2010 |
| 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.
|
| February 25,
2010 |
| 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”.
|
| February 24,
2010 |
| 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.
|
| February 23,
2010 |
| 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. |
| February 20,
2010 |
| 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. |
| February 19,
2010 |
| 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. |
| February 17,
2010 |
| 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. |
| February 16,
2010 |
| 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.
|
| February 15,
2010 |
| 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!”
|
| February 12,
2010 |
| 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.” |
| February 5, 2010 |
| 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. |
| February 4, 2010 |
| 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... |
| February 3, 2010 |
| 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”.
|
| February 2, 2010 |
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...
|
| February 1, 2010 |
| 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. |
| January 29, 2010 |
| 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. |
| January 28, 2010 |
| 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”. |
| January 27, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| January 26, 2010 |
| 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. |
| January 25, 2010 |
| 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.
|
| January 21, 2010 |
| 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. |
| January 20, 2010 |
| 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!”
|
| January 19, 2010 |
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. |
| January 14, 2010 |
| 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”. |
| January 13, 2010 |
| 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. |
| January 11, 2010 |
| 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... |
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