Press Release, 07.06.2014

Youth YABLOKO activists from different regions of Russia conducted a protest action called “14 years of Putin’s Russia” in Moscow on June 7.

The activists held a banner which said “14 years of Putin’s Russia: Do officials steal money? Do submarines sink? Do rockets fall? Yet the Crimea is ours!” and 17 different posters which said “Fair elections? – 146%” [The “146%” refers to a screen capture from a Russian news broadcast that spread across the internet, appearing to show total votes for all of the parties adding up to 146% during the parliamentary elections 2011], “Fight against corruption? – Serdyukov amnestied” [former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who had been charged with criminal negligence], “Do we protect orphans from foreigners? Let them die at home”[about the so called Dima Yalovlev’s law forbidding the Americans to adopt Russia’s orphans], “Submarine Kursk”?- “It has sunk” V.Putin.

Alexandra Maxyutova and Nikolai Kavkazsky

One of the organizers of the event Nikolai Kavkazsky said that the main aim of the action was to sum up the long-term Putin’s promises. The activist held a banner which said “Ferderalisation according to Putin: 2004 – abolition of gubernatorial elections, 2014 – abolition of mayoral elections”. “Our authorities claim they support federalisation in Ukraine but actually Putin’s regime constantly curtails federalisation which is witnessed by abolition of gubernatorial elections and the plans to abolish mayoral elections,” explained Kavkazsky.

Chair of St.Petersburg Youth Yabloko Alexandra Maxyutova noted that taking the current situation in the country into consideration one could state that in the future the situation would get worse. “We will struggle and try to change and control the situation even at the minimum level. The St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO will participate in the municipal elections this year and I hope we will succeed,” said the activist.

Maria Yefimova
Banners: social state? The expenses for education and health decrease.The expenses for police and defense increase. The police state! and Ministry of Defense or Ministry of Attack?

The organizer of the action Maria Yefimova said that one of the priorities of the YABLOKO party was to restore youth opposition movement and activate protest moods among the youth. “We understand that at the moment the protest movement has become weak but we want to move on, work out an action plan and show that we exist and fight for a better life in this country,” she announced.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin approved of the action and noted that the young members of the party managed to attract the attention to the most important issues that take place in Russia. Mitrokhin claimed that Putin’s regime had done no good for Russia during those 14 years.

Alexandr Korovayny

“I’m interested in the youth’s fresh look since they were children when Putin came into power. The outcome is said. As a result Russia heads the list of countries with the highest rate of social stratification and corruption. We slowly sink to the bottom. It’s important that young people characterise the results of Putin’s actions adequately,” commented Mitrokhin.

Sergei Mitrokhin

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Alexandr Orlov and Alan Alikov

Olga Tsarepova