Press Release, 1.05.2025

Photo: The Novgorod District Duma meeting / Photo by the Novgorod branch of Yabloko

Residents of the Novgorod District of the Novgorod Region proposed to restore, with the help of referendum, liquidated and preserve existing administrations in large settlements, establish the number of deputies at 40 people for broader representation and feedback, and elect the head of the district in popular elections. The Chairman of the District Duma, Konstantin Kharlamov, proposed to reject the referendum initiative say that it does not comply with federal and regional legislation.

Not a single deputy, not a single head of the settlement asked a question. Neither a single speech was made. Deputies from the pro-government United Russia and the LDPR factions examined the issue in just five minutes and unanimously rejected it.

The Novgorod Yabloko helped residents prepare documents for the referendum. Yabloko activists are certain that it is necessary to restore independent strong local self-government in the new democratic Russia , so that district heads are elected in elections, and residents have firm guarantees for resolving problems via referendums.

It should be noted that residents of several districts of the Pskov region also submitted documents for holding a referendum on preserving local self-government. However, they were also refused under different pretexts.