Statement by the Yabloko party, 25.11.2022

Photo: Svetlana Vasilkova  / Photo by the Grazhdanin newspaper

On 24 November, deputies of the Assembly of Deputies of the Pustoshkinsky District of the Pskov Region, by a majority of votes, prematurely terminated the powers of Svetlana Vasilkova, head of the Pustoshkinsky District and a member of the Yabloko party.

The decision of the Assembly of Deputies was adopted by the votes of deputies from the [pro-government] United Russia and the LDPR parties.

Svetlana Vasilkova became the head of the district in 2019 in direct elections, through a difficult struggle, having received an absolute majority of votes. The decision of the deputies is a direct disrespect for the will of voters and the whole society. The United Russia party has once again shown that it is ready to trample on any expression of the will of the people which does not suit the ruling regime.

The Yabloko party places full political responsibility for the voluntaristic decision that has taken place on Mikhail Vedernikov, the Governor of the Pskov region, who personally supported the removal of Svetlana Vasilkova from office.

The Yabloko party categorically does not accept such actions of the Governor and deputies. We believe that the adopted decision has no legal grounds. This is an act of political revenge by United Russia for its defeat in the 2019 elections and a reaction to the impeccably honest work of Svetlana Vasilkova as the head of the Pustoshkinsky District. Moreover, this is a reaction to Svetlana Vasilkova’s counteraction to the shadow and corrupt businesses in the Pustoshkinsky District.

The Yabloko party is providing all necessary assistance to Svetlana Vasilkova in challenging in court the decision removing her from office and will do everything necessary to protect her legal rights and the rights of the citizens who elected her head of their district.

Nikolai Rybakov,

Yabloko Chairman