*Ed. a pun on the surname of Chairman of the Gosstroi (Housing and Utilities Committee) Nikolai Koshman and a word "koshmar", nightmare.

Over 200 representatives from the Russian democratic Party YABLOKO protested on November 19, 2003 in the centre of Moscow against the policies conducted by the Russian government in the housing and utilities sector.

The action of the Moscow YABLOKO organisation "A Housing Koshman" against the governmentvariant of the housing and utilities reform. November 19, 2003. Photo by Olga Shweitzer

A group of YABLOKO activists started the march at 9.15 a.m. A group of young people carrying the symbol of the government's variant of the housing and utilities reform - a long iron tube with the inscription "The housing and utilities reform - money down the tube!" - headed the march.

Additional columns of YABLOKO activists joined the ranks of protestors during their march to the State Duma. Thus over two hundred people gathered by the Duma. They shouted, "No to the housing and utilities reform without YABLOKO's amendments!" They also carried placards "the Housing Koshman" and "Monopolists, out of the housing and utilities sector!"

Deputy Head of the YABLOKO party, deputy of the Duma Sergei Mitrokhin joined the protestors. According to Mitrokhin's proposals Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian government Vladimir Yakovlev and Chairman of Gosstroi Nikolai Koshman had to make speeches in parliament on November 19.

Sergei Mitrokhin during the campaign of the Moscow YABLOKO organisation "A Housing Koshman" against the government variant of the housing and utilities reform. November 19, 2003. Photo by Olga Shweitzer.

"YABLOKO had a number of amendments. One of the most principled amendments is to impose liability, up to criminal liability, against specific bureaucrats for failure in the housing and utilities reform, said Sergei Mitrokhin. - Our amendments protect consumers' rights from the arbitrary rule of bureaucracy."

"It is obvious that the Russian goverenment is not going to abolish the fiscal course of housing and utilities reform. In practice this simply ruins the housing and utilities sector. In winter we may again face snowballing housing and utilities catastrophes of the past year," stressed Mitrokhin.

"The government conducting such reforms should resign!" said Mitrokhin. After these words the protestors began shouting "Government resign!" Mitrokhin also announced a protest action which will take place near the Gosstroi building on November 25, 2003.

See also: