Press Release, December 14, 2013

Russia’s twenty years given for the post-Soviet transformation are over. At best the government can provide decent living standards to 25 per cent of Russia’s citizens, but without stable rules and guaranties. “The specifics of the present system is that any attempt to reform it will lead to a collapse and breakdown of Russia’s statehood, rather than to a change,” said YABLOKO founder Grigory Yavlinsky.

“The present regime inherited the logic of the Russia’s authorities of 1990s: an inadequate and even absurd decision becomes acceptable if there is no alternative”. “As people used to regularly see violence and corruption, and not be terrified, they also became accustomed not to be surprised by or resent any absurd decisions by the authorities in all the fields,” he said.

Grigory Yavlinsky called everyone feeling personal responsibility for Russia to “create a personal, political, economic and human resources alternative to Vladimir Putin and his system and struggle for this alternative by all possible lawful and peaceful means meeting ethical standards”.

According to Yavlinsky, the goal of the opposition should be “to make the alternative clear, visual and tangible.” YABLOKO’s role is to create an ideological, programme and staff nucleus of the alternative.

Yavlinsky marked the following tasks for the party: the European choice, professionalism, selflessness, independence, meaningfulness and patriotism. He urged to begin with a broad public movement, which should aim above all at its own morality, fostering culture of behavior and respect for the man; the cult of knowledge, education, freethinking, revival of traditions of the Russian intelligencia – both secular and based on deep religiosity.

Yavlinsky expressed his certainly that there was a sustainable and growing demand in the Russia’s society for an alternative, political opposition and change of power.

The Federal Council of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO is a representative body of the party. The Federal Council comprises federal party leadership, heads of regional branches, as well as one representative per each regional organisation and the party factions elected at regional conferences – 161 people in total.