Press Release, 01.06.2014

A provocateur tried to disrupt the speech of head of YABLOKO Gender faction Galina Mikhaleva at a rally in defence of children on June 1. Despite the provocation Galina Mikhaleva finished her speech.

In the beginning of her speech Galina Mikhaleva named several top-priority problems which the authorities should solve. “The authorities remember about the children only to remind of the demographical situation improvement but at the same time absolutely forget about the children themselves and their parents.”

Galina Mikhaleva

She reminded that Russia was a rich country and could afford the construction of a pipe line in China, a bridge in Crimea and the Glonass spacecrafts. “The authorities plan to spend 30 billion rubles (approx. 628 540 000 Euro) on military industrial sector in the coming years and what about the children? The child benefit in Russia is 2500 rubles (approx. 52 Euro), the minimum wage level is 7000 rubles (approx. 146 Euro). In Europe which is so often criticized here the amount of child benefit is 250 Euro and it is paid until a person is 27 years old. So there you are the real attitude towards the children,”she said.

According to YABLOKO Gender faction data, there are 6,5 million single-parent families in Russia. Most often they are single mothers with one or two children. Apart from the problems with child benefit, alimony payment those women have to face queues to get a space in kindergartens.

“Why not build kindergartens instead of rockets with unpredictable radius?” wondered Galina Mikhaleva.

At that time a woman ran to the stage, snatched the microphone and shouted:”We need rockets! The issue of peace between us [Russia] and the USA is being solved in Ukraine now!” The attempts to calm the woman down failed. The activists retained the woman-provocateur by the stage and Galina Mikhaleva continued her speech.

“I think that children should be the priority of Russia’s policy. In the first place the budget should be spent on kindergartens, schools, family based care homes. The children should have an opportunity to study for free. The policy of Russia should be changed!” concluded Galina Mikhaleva.

The rally was conducted by parents’ initiative group together with “The Moscow council” public movement and “In defence of children” movement.