Press Release, 25.12.2015

Emilia Slabunova, YABLOKO Chairperson and MP of the Karelian Legislative Assembly, considers dismissal of Galina Shirshina, Petrozavodsk Mayor, be a political order of Governor Alexander Khudilainen.

“The dream of the deputies of Petrozavodsk Council and Governor Khudilainen, in the first place, has been fulfilled. Galina Shirshina is independent, active, strong and brave. Because of this, she has been recently awarded the RBC prize in the category a Statesperson. But the current authoritarian system of does not need such people, albeit the country is in dire need of them. This situation absolutely reflects the manifestation of the imitation democracy in action. The Constitution envisages independence of local self-governing. It is the local self-governing which determines the stability and strength of the state and represents its foundation. However, it turns out that in reality it the state does not need it, ” Emilia Slabunova commented on the dismissal.

YABLOKO Chair also drew parallels with the situation when the Pskov Legislative Assembly sent regional MP Lev Shlosberg to dismissal: “we observe the same methods against our team”.

Today Galina Shirshina was dismissed by the Petrozavodsk Council: 23 deputies out of 26 voted for her dismissal.

Shirshina believes that this decision is unlawful, she does not agree with the claims of deputies and will challenge the dismissal in court.