Press Release, 3.12.2019

On 30 November, Yaroslav Shcherbakov, Chairman of the Chelyabinsk regional branch of Yabloko, opened the local branch of the party in Magnitogorsk, the Chelyabinsk region.

A general assembly of the party members in Magnitogorsk elected the governing bodies, and the Chairperson of the branch. Dmitry Deminenko, Magnitogorsk human rights activist, was elected Chairman of the branch. Local activist Tatyana Pisareva was elected Deputy Chair.

According to Yaroslav Shcherbakov, Yabloko repeatedly tried to resume its work in Magnitogorsk, but all attempts were blocked: the previous meeting of the Magnitogorsk local branch, which was to be held in the conference hall of the Alfa Centre business centre, was disrupted by evacuation due to a message about an alleged bomb.

“Now, brave and principled people who are ready to withstand the political monopoly in Magnitogorsk despite administrative pressure have come to the local branch,” the leader of the Chelyabinsk Yabloko noted.

The general assembly announced the launch of the Yabloko election campaign for the election of municipal deputies to the Magnitogorsk City Assembly of Deputies, as well as the formation of a list of candidates for the Legislative Assembly of the Chelyabinsk Region.

Yaroslav Shcherbakov also held the first lecture within the framework of the Deputy’s School project for all wishing to become a deputies. During the lecture, the Chairman of the Chelyabinsk Yabloko shared his experience of participation in the elections held in the Chelyabinsk region in 2019.

The meeting also adopted a decision on strategic cooperation with the public movement People’s Law and its leader Alexander Tishin, deputy of the Magnitogorsk City Assembly of Deputies, who took part in the meeting.

The working visit of the representatives of the Chelyabinsk regional office ended with a public inspection of social housing where Tatyana Pisareva lives. Living conditions were unanimously declared unsatisfactory. Before leaving, the team of the Chelyabinsk Yabloko honoured the memory of those who died in the explosion of a house in 164 Karl Marx Street on 31 December, 2018.