Liberal International, 01.03.2016
The Congress of the Russian Democratic Party “Yabloko”, LI Full Member, officially nominated its founding president Grigory Yavlinsky for the Russian presidential elections in 2018. Addressing the Congress, the laureate of the 2004 LI Prize for Freedom, called for development of a “positive programme” for Russia, adding that “calls to fight everyone, to despise everyone and to hate everyone cannot be a substitute for a positive program.”

Yavlinsky’s said that the major challenge that faces Russia today is the “loss of a historical perspective”, as under the current administration “there is lack of a clear understandable idea among the people of where the country should go in 20, 30, 50 years.” He identified the economy as the key area of his policy, saying that “We [in Russia] must finally admit that our economy is organically linked with the world, and that minimising the relations with the most developed countries will lead our economy not into crisis but to a total collapse.” Stressing that Russia should focus on “own development and modernization” instead of “geopolitical adventures and manoeuvring” he sent a was clear: “To see yourself like a superpower, you have to be one. With the economy [Russia] has today, that is impossible.”

The liberal leader criticised that “most of the available resources are spent on arms modernization, and most importantly – a demonstration of it all around the world”, adding that having “strong armed forces in the long term is impossible without a strong economy”. “What is being done now – it’s just a show,” said Yavlisnky.

Nominating Yavlinsky, Yabloko’s leader Emilia Slabunova characterised him as “an alternative to Putin and his system”, as “an alternative image of the future, values, priorities which fundamentally differ from Russia’s politics of today. “ She stressed: “Grigory Yavlinsky will become the president whose foreign policy will be the policy of making friends, not enemies”. Prominent opposition leaders from other parties also voiced their support for Yavlinsky’s nomination. Vladimir Ryzhkov called for the opposition to nominate a single presidential candidate, noting: “There is no doubt that this person is fully committed to the values of democracy, liberty, peaceful foreign policy, human right and fundamental rights and freedoms. He proved it with all his life.”

A year ago Grigory Yavlinsky had the opening address at the Liberal International Oxford Conference on Liberalism in the 21st Century alerting that “Russia today more dangerous than the Soviet Union”. Commemorating the anniversary of the murder of the liberal opposition leader Boris Netmstov, Russian liberals and democrats and European friends of Russia met under invitation of the liberal ALDE Group in the European Parliament to debate “Strengthening Russia’s European Foundations ”.

Russia’s parliamentary elections for the State Duma are scheduled for September this year.
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