Press Release, 02.02.2023

Photo: Sergei Balabayev / Photo from social media

In April of this year, the term of service of the current Commissioner for Human Rights for the Yaroslavl region expires. Sergei Balabayev, a member of the Yaroslavl Yabloko Bureau, has been listed among the three contenders for the post of Ombudsman for Yaroslavl. Balabayev’s candidacy was proposed by a group of deputies of the Yaroslavl Regional Duma. Till 13 February, the regional Duma will accept recommendations on candidates from public organisations.

Sergei Balabayev was born in Yaroslavl in 1971, graduated from the Yaroslavl Higher Military Financial School with a degree in finances; in 2003 he graduated from the Russian Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation with a degree in State and Municipal Administration. He worked in a number of commercial companies, in 2002 – 2005 he worked as a deputy director and director for economy at the Municipal Unitary Enterprise Yargortrans, was a deputy of the municipality of the city of Yaroslavl of the 3rd convocation. Since 2005, he worked as Deputy Head of the Department of the Federal Antimonopoly Service for the Yaroslavl Region, where he supervised the work of the departments of antimonopoly control, advertising and natural monopolies.

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“I proceed from the fact that being the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Yaroslavl Region is a great honour and responsibility. I am ready to spare no effort to serve the interests of the residents of the Yaroslavl region, ensure and protect their rights and freedoms. The Yaroslavl Regional Duma, when deciding on the election [of the regional Ombudsman], supplements the citizens’ means of protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen. Together with you, we will consider the absence of complaints about the violation of rights and freedoms by different authorities in our region in two – three years as a victory,” Sergei Balabayev commented.

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From 2013 to 2018, Sergei Balabaev was a deputy of the Yaroslavl Regional Duma, worked in committees for parliamentary activities, ethics and regulations; budget, taxes and finance.

In 2021, he was a candidate for the State Duma from the Yabloko party in Yaroslavl single-mandate constituency No 194.

He took part in the gubernatorial elections held on 10 September, 2017. Gained 5.88% of the vote and came third.

In 2022, he applied for participation in the gubernatorial elections, but could not pass the municipal filter.

Sergei Balabayev has been a member of the Yabloko party since February 2020. Currently, he is a member of the Bureau of the Regional Council of the Yaroslavl regional branch of Yabloko.

He is married and has three children.

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According to the law “On the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Yaroslavl Region”, appointment to the post is carried out by decree of the Governor. The term of service of the post is five years. The Yaroslavl Regional Duma draws up a resolution as a consent.