Press Release, 9.10.2026

Photo: Viktor Shalyakin at the first session of the Duma / Photo by Novgorod Yabloko

Viktor Shalyakin, head of the Yabloko faction in the Novgorod Regional Duma, has opposed the election of representatives of the ruling United Russia party to all the leadership posts in the regional parliament. At the first session of the Duma he was also nominated as a candidate for Senator (member of the Federation Council of the RF) from the Novgorod Region. However, the Chairman of the Duma did not give the candidates the floor or allow deputies to ask them questions.

All the leadership posts in the new Duma of the Novgorod Region, from the Chairman and his deputies to the committee chairs, have gone to United Russia members. The six opposition factions, which together won more than 60% of the party-list vote, were not offered the chairmanship of a single committee.

The deputies elected 75-year-old Yuri Bobryshev as Chairman of the regional parliament, and three more United Russia representatives as his deputies.

Viktor Shalyakin opposed the proposed candidates. However, the ballot papers for the secret vote had only a “For” box, so to express his position, he left them blank. These ballots were subsequently declared invalid, which meant that Yabloko’s position was not reflected in the result. The other opposition factions supported the candidates of the party of power.

Photo: Attending the first session of the Duma were Yabloko Deputy Chair Anna Cherepanova and members of the Bureau of the Novgorod branch Yelena Ivanova, Ksenia Cherepanova and Andrei Shuvalov / Photo by Novgorod Yabloko

In the election of the senator from the Novgorod Regional Duma, Yabloko nominated Viktor Shalyakin, while United Russia nominated Yelena Pisareva. Yuri Bobryshev gave neither candidate the opportunity to speak, nor did he allow deputies to ask questions and receive answers. Yabloko regards this as a gross violation of the regional parliament’s rules of procedure and of the norms of parliamentary ethics.

The speech that Viktor Shalyakin was unable to deliver at the Duma session has been published on the Yabloko website.

Following the vote, Yelena Pisareva was elected Senator. Yabloko insists on compliance with the rules of procedure and respect for deputies’ rights: discussion of candidates and the opportunity to ask them questions must be an integral part of parliamentary work.

In the new regional Duma, Viktor Shalyakin will represent Yabloko on two committees: the Committee on Budget, Taxes and Tariffs, and the Committee on Construction, Housing and Utilities, the Fuel and Energy Sector and Infrastructure.