Statement by the YABLOKO party, 07.08.2014
The introduction of counter measures on behalf of Putin’s Administration in respond to the economic sanctions of the West gives an impulse to a new wave of the multilateral international conflict. The measures banning the food import from a number of countries have been taken only to make a respond to the western sanctions at least in some way and support Putin’s reputation of a “strong personality” within Russia.

In real situation such measures can’t be a respond to the sanctions neither in political substance nor in economic. From the point of view of politics, they don’t solve any problems, don’t influence both the situation in the Eastern Ukraine and world public opinion. From the point of view of economics, the damage is done to the citizens of Russia in the first place. If the Western sanctions hit only the interests of Russia’s corrupted high-rank authorities and nearly didn’t influence the life of ordinary Russia’s citizens then Putin’s counter measures on the contrary hit the citizens of Russia for the benefit of the satisfaction of those high-rank authorities’ ambitions.

It’s not for the first time when the authorities hit the interests of Russia’s citizens, who cannot protect themselves since they are deprived of the right of vote in their own country, under the pretence of a “respond” to the actions of other countries.
This decision was taken according to the same principle as Dima Yakovlev’s law – “beat your own citizens so that others would be afraid”. Time has shown that such logic is not only unmoral but is politically stupid: our own citizens are damaged and the “others” aren’t afraid at all.

The authorities try to persuade the citizens that they will easily find the substitution for the products which have been banned. Actually, taking into consideration the non-effectiveness of Russia’s agricultural sector, the present tempo of decline in production, inflation and crisis in the credit provision sphere it’s nearly impossible to cover the coming shortage of goods by means of Russia’s manufactures. The agreement execution with the potential contractors form other countries, establishing of the following judicial and economic basis will take much time. Russia’s agriculture is absolutely dependent on the import of equipment, fertilisation and other import products from the EU countries. It’s not difficult to imagine that our European neighbours can make a counter step and freeze these imports which will result in the collapse of Russia’s agricultural industry.

Taking such a decision Russia’s authorizes pursue one more hidden goal. They understand that economic decline due to their economic policy, corruption, non-effective governance and Russia’s self-isolation course are inevitable. Predicting mass discontent the authorizes try to confuse, lie and persuade the citizens that the reason for economic difficulties is intrigues of outer enemies and the necessity to respond to them.

YABLOKO stands against such measures as we consider than a risky and cynical adventure when the interests of people are once again sacrificed to political emotions.

Sergei Mitrokhin,
YABLOKO Chairman