Press releases

Publications

YABLOKO conducted a picket by the Russian Atomic Energy Agency against construction of nuclear power stations abroad on the Russian federal budget money

Press Release, April 26, 2013

Every year on April 26, the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, YABLOKO has been conducting an action by the Russian Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) to commemorate those who died, express sympathy for those who got sick in this tragedy and remind everyone of the consequences of nuclear energy sector.
The danger of explosion has not been the only issue for the past years, the topic of distribution of budgetary funds by Rosatom has also been touched. This time YABLOKO has protested against Rosatom’s plans to spend billions of dollars of budget money on construction of nuclear power plants’ abroad.
Rosatom plans to invest USD 20 billion in the economy of Turkey to construct and operate the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. Turkey’s economy will receive this colossal amount of money from Russia’s taxpayers without any counter profit for Russia. Rosatom also plans to construct a nuclear power plant in Vietnam which will cost USD 10 billion. India, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Egypt and even Bangladesh with its unstable situation and some other countries are next in turn for Russia’s budgetary funds via Rosatom...

YABLOKO’s inspection: construction of the country cottage of ex Defence Minsiter Serdyukov in a natural reserve is almost finished, the second country cottage of Governor Tkachyov will be built soon

Press Release, March 22, 2013

Today YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin has held a public inspection of the so-called "Serdyukov cottage" in the Big Utrish natural reserve area. The inspection was held within the framework of Mitrokhin’s visit to the Krasnodar region. Alexei Yegorov, leader of the Anapa branch of YABLOKO and candidate for the Mayor of Anapa, and Andrei Rudomakha, leader of the regional branch of YABLOKO also participated in the inspection.
The participants of the inspection have personally observed that construction of the cottage in a natural reserve went on despite the resignation of Anatoly Serdyukov fromk his ministerial post. In 2009, the site was transferred to the Ministry of Defence for "placement of a navigation station" there. However, mysteriously, construction of a luxury villa instead of a radar began at the site. The contractor was Serdyukov’s son-in-law Valery Puzikov. Presumably the villa is being built for him...
YABLOKO also carried out an inspection of another plot of land: not far from "Serdyukov’ villa" there may soon emerge the second villa of Governor Tkachyov. According to the activists of the regional branch of YABLOKO, the site in the natural reserve Big Utrish was transferred into property of the Stroibeton company. Most likely the owner of the cottage will be Governor of the Krasnodar Territory Alexander Tkachyov. Such a scheme – transfer of land into property of some firms controlled by him – Tkachyov had already used in the construction of his first summer cottage in the Blue Bay.
Sergei Mitrokhin is visiting Anapa to support Alexei Yegorov, YABLOKO’s candidate for the post of the city mayor. The elections will be held on March 24. Sergei Mitrokhin appealed to the Central Electoral Commission so that the Commission ensure lawful voting.

YABLOKO’s Maxim Petlin is a political prisoner

Press Release, March 21, 2013

"Maxim Petlin can be considered a political prisoner," YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin commented on the sentence to Maxim Petlin, leader of the Sverdlovsk Region branch of YABLOKO and deputy of the Yekaterinburg City Duma.

"We believe that the sentence is based on a case fabricated by the investigators with gross procedural violations. Petlin’s activities targeted at exposing corruption launched his prosecution," said Mitrokhin.

According to Mitrokhin, the court acts "in the interest of the clans controlling the city and influencing not only on the city, but also the regional Federal Security Service departments, the prosecutor's office and the court"...

Grigory Yavlinsky asks Governor of St. Petersburg to explain why the city budget has not been implemented

Press Release, March 21, 2013

The St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly rejected an inquiry from Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the YABLOKO faction in the Legislative Assembly, on non-implementation of the city budget. The Legislative Assembly referred to its new regulations. The YABLOKO faction will seek in court to cancel the new procedure for filing inquiries to officials. Meanwhile Yavlinsky expressed his concern about the "very unsatisfactory state of affairs in the budgetary process of St. Petersburg" and wants to know what measures Governor Georgy Poltavchenko is going to adopt so that to amend the situation. In his deputy inquiry Grigory Yavlinsky appeals to the Governor "in view of an extremely poor state of affairs in the budgetary process of St. Petersburg"...

YABLOKO’s Alexei Firsov, head of Kolchuginsky District, the Vladimir region, dismissed from his post

Press Release, February 28, 2013

YABLOKO’s Alexei Firsov, head of Kolchuginsky District, the Vladimir region, was dismissed from his post because of a conflict with the head of the district administration Andrei Mitroshkin. The decision on dismissal was taken at today's meeting of the Council of People's Deputies of the district by 12 votes "for" with three "against."

Most of the deputies of the Council refused to consider the appeal of Governor Nikolai Vinogradov in support of Firsov. Several dozens of local residents came to support Alexei Firsov at the Council meeting, but only a few were allowed into the assembly hall. After voting Firsov thanked his supporters after which the residents together with Firsov left the hall. Now Firsov will work in the Council as an ordinary member. His term will expire in two years...

Mikhail Nazarov, leader of the Udmurtian branch of YABLOKO, to Vladimir Putin: lands intended for families with many children were given to officials and police officers in Udmurtia

Press Release, January 25, 2013.

Mikhail Nazarov, leader of the Udmurtian branch of YABLOKO, forwarded a letter to President Vladimir Putin wit ha request to investigate into the distribution of gratuitous plots of land intended for families with many children.

"Our region demonstrates facts of corruption in the distribution of free lands to large families are mass-scale," runs Nazarov’s letter to the President.

Thus, in 2011, Galina Batolova, head of Zaviyalovsky District, was convicted for broad-scale distribution of lands to high ranking officials. However, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Udmurtia sentences her such large scale corruption only to a fine amounting to 200,000 roubles (approximately Euro 5,000). As of to-day, the Investigative Committee of Udmurtia has not conducted an investigation on those who due to fraud with lands received plots of land in the most prestigious neighborhoods. Mikhail Nazarov gave a list of such persons in his letter...

Grigory Yavlinsky: reduction of corruption in St.Petersburg implies transparency of financial procedures and control of the St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly over the city budget

Press Release, December 17, 2012.

Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of YABLOKO’s parliamentary faction in St.Petersburg, introduced his amendments to the Rules of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg. These amendments are targeted at improving the transparency of the Committee, as well as enhancing control over the budget planning. According to Yavlinsky, adoption of these amendments would reduce abuse in the field of public funds.

"We need to qualitatively change our approach to the [city] budget. The whole process should be modern and transparent. Only in this case it is possible to reduce corruption," Yavlinsky said. He proposed to the city MPs to publish the agenda of the Committee and all the relevant documents at the web-site of the Legislative Assembly. Also he noted that the agenda of the Committee should be approved in advance...

"[At present] most of St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly MPs vote for the budget without its detailed analysis or control over expenditures, being satisfied by redistribution of less than one per cent of the budget for their own goals within the frameworks of the Committee. It resembles an exchange of services: MPs do not control the budget, and the officials allow them to spend 0.5 per cent of the budget at their discretion. This is a pattern of political corruption," Yavlinsky said...

Grigory Yavlinsky: depriving of officials of their bonuses for failing to implement the budget for St.Petersburg for 2012 is a correct, but insufficient measure

Press Release, December 17, 2012.

Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the YABLOKO faction in St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly, commented on the Governor’s decision to deprive a number of city officials of their bonuses for poor implementation of the budget for 2012.

"Implementation of the budget lies in the direct responsibilities of the Government of St. Petersburg. Year after year, we have observed non-implementation of the law [on the budget]. The authorities regularly proclaim that the budget is ‘socially oriented’, however also regularly do not implement the key items of the budget: do not build social facilities such as schools, kindergartens and hospitals, they do not to build roads and other infrastructure facilities. St.Petersburg dwellers pay taxes, and the government in exchange for this promises them mountains of gold, however, in the last minute the government reports that citizens will not receive even what has been planned. The residents of the city quite correctly perceive this as a deceit and their trust to the government drops," Yavlinsky said...

YABLOKO leader spoke at the Moscow Perspectives forum

Press Release, October 27, 2012.

On October 27, YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the socio-political forum Moscow Perspectives organized by the Democratic Choice party. Other reports on the prospects of Moscow development were made by representatives of the Moscow Mayor Office, political parties, as well as research centres and business associations.

Vladimir Milov, organizer of the Forum and leader of the Democratic Choice party, told about the need to involve Moscow residents in the solution of the different tasks. Milov stated that municipalities lacked real power and bureaucratisation of the city prevented development of small and medium businesses and, consequently, the middle class – the major contributor to the city budget. According to Milov, there is a need of a dialogue between the society and experts with the city administration so that to create a strategy of Moscow development. "Moscow can set the right direction to the rest of Russia", said Vladimir Milov...
"The Moscow government in Moscow should create a platform for a dialogue with the public about the development of the city. Public hearings are a good method here. But the chief architect of the city and Sergei Sobyanin [the Moscow Mayor] government apparently believe that Muscovites are not ready for this and do not conduct hearings on the most important issues of Moscow development, " Mitrokhin stressed...

Grigory Yavlinsky on the 20th anniversary of privatization in Russia

Grigory Yavlinsky's blog, October 3, 2012.

Dear friends,

This is a part of the interview I gave on Friday to Channel 1 on their request for Sunday night news on the 20th anniversary of privatization in Russia. The channel did not show it… It is a pity, as the topic is important and the fruits of this ill-conceived privatization have been still affecting our living.

Here comes the answer to the journalist’s question whether there was any alternative privatization program.

Yes, there was another programme which I developed. This programme envisaged that all the money accumulated by people in the Soviet period had to be used for purchasing of assets. At that time money in the hands of the population amounted to about 10 trillion roubles, [this was money] in different forms including population’s savings in the Savings Bank that, according to conservative estimates, amounted to approximately 315 billion roubles. According to the dollar/rouble rate of 2007, the savings, and not only those kept in the Savings Bank, but all kinds of savings, including the State Insurance Bonds and securities, reached, according to the recent estimates, about 350 - 380 billion roubles. This is what had been cumulated throughout the Soviet period.

My programme implied that the money should be spent on the purchase of, as it was called then, the "means of production" or, as it is today called, the assets. Then there was a very large imbalance between the amount of money in hands and the commodity weight. In fact, the commodity weight reached only 14 kopeks per a rouble of savings. This means that a person intending to spend a rouble could find goods only for 14 kopeks. However, if our privatization programme had been implemented, then hairdressers’, small shops, trucks, that is, all what constituted small and medium privatization could have added to the traditional goods (such as suits, sausage, or whatever was sold in the Soviet Union then)...

YABLOKO to publish information on purchases of luxury cars by state institutions and calls to a discussion on the feasibility of such purchases

Press Release, October 1, 2012.

The YABLOKO party has launched a unique project: now all the government’s purchases of luxury cars can be tracked in real time at the party website.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin in his blog suggested a public debate which could lead to developing a norm who of the state servants should have a car, what the price of such a car can be and how often such a state servant can replace the old car be a new car.

At present yabloko.ru/auto has published information on 42 buyers of 145 luxury cars totaling RUR 1.5 bln. Last Friday, the Presidential Administration announced that it was going to purchase 60 BMW 7 Series, RUR 5 mln each. Also Oktabrskiy Concert Hall in St.Petersburg is going to buy a Range Rover for USD 5.5 mln. Among the regional authorities the most blatant example came from penal colony ? 1 in the Chelyabinsk region. They needed a Land Cruiser for RUR 3.5 mln...

Sergei Mitrokhin on a libel case against him: Let us find out in court who from MPs is engaged in unlawful activities running business companies

Press Release, September 30, 2012.

Following YABLOKO’s inquiries to the State Duma and the Investigative Committee to conduct a fair investigation on all the MPs’ businesses (in view of the recent deprivation by the United Russia faction of oppositional MP Gennady Gudkov of his mandate under a pretext of his running a business), Vladimir Zhyrinovsky LDPR party threatened to YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin of going to court and filing a libel case against Mitrokhin. In his letter to the State Duma and the Investigative Committee Mitrokhin had given facts on several United Russia and LDPR MPs...

...“I am glad that members of the LDPR party decided to find out in court who from their faction was engaged in businesses. We will have more opportunities to find out the truth in court, as the State Duma Commission has been working in camera and it is unclear what audits they have conducted,” Mitrokhin said...

YABLOKO candidate Murad Nurmuradov severely beaten in attack
LI News Bulletin, Issue 302, September 27, 2012
Russian lawyer and liberal candidate Murad Nurmuradov was badly attacked in the city of Tver on 25 September. Nurmuradov is one of the top figures on the YABLOKO (Russian United Democratic Party, LI full member) list of candidates for elections to the Tver City Duma. According to reports, two unidentified men in masks and camouflage uniforms entered Nurmuradov's office and attacked him. This has led to Nurmuradov being hospitalized with a broken arm and other multiple injuries, including to his head. In a statement Sergei Mitrokhin, YABLOKO chair and opposition member of the Moscow City Duma, said: “Members of the Tver branch of YABLOKO do not rule out the political causes of the case — an attack against a principled lawyer attorney and increasingly popular politician. An open attack against a registered candidate is a challenge to the city and its residents. We demand a thoroughly investigation of this case by the law enforcement. The goal of the crime was clearly intimidation. But they will not scare us!”

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State Duma Commission to conduct investigation on deputies’ commercial activities on Sergei Mitrokhin’s inquiry

Press Release, September 27, 2012.

Today, the State Duma Commission on the audit on the data submitted by MPs on their incomes and property will consider the case of five more Duma deputies on the inquiry of YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin. The audit will be conducted on the cases of four United Russia MPs: Andrei Skotch, Vasily Tolstopyatov, Grigory Anikeyev, Airat Khairullin and LDPR’s Vladimir Semyonov...

It would be more difficult of the Duma to apply double standards in dealing with these cases. "If the Investigative Committee conducts a careful investigation, than the circumstances of violations demonstrated by the United Russia deputies will not differ from the “Gudkov case” at all,” Mitrokhin said.

The Commission will consider the cases of nine deputies. Five cases will be considered dealing with Mitrokhin’s inquiry and four more cases (of "United Russia" MPs Yelena Nikolayeva, Alexei Knyshev, Vladimir Pekhtin and Ilya Kostunov) will be considered for on Sergei Mironov’s inquiry.
The Commission meeting is scheduled for 13:30, it will be held in camera.

YABLOKO candidate to run in the elections in Tver severely beaten

Press Release, September 26, 2012.

On September 25, 2012, Murad Nurmuradov, a lawyer and one of the top figures in YABLOKO’s list of candidates for elections to the Tver City Duma was attacked in Tver.

Two unidentified men in masks and camouflage uniforms entered Nurmuradov’s office and severely beaten him. Nurmuradov was hospitalized with a head injury, broken arm and other multiple injuries.

According to the results of the audits conducted by Nurmuradov in seven municipal companies, all seven directors of these companies were dismissed and personnel changes in the Tver city administration were underway...

The State Duma once again demonstrated double standards

Press Release, September 20, 2012.

...The Commission did not find “any grounds for launching an investigation” on the four deputies. However, YABLOKO had laid claims to three of the MPs – Demchenko, Reznik and Lebedev – the same as the claims laid by the Duma to oppositional MP Gennady Gudkov.

“The Duma decided that MPs can set up new businesses during their term, however, they are not allowed to change directors of these companies (Ed. Gennady Gudkov was deprived of his mandate exactly for voting for a new director of a company set up before his term of office). This is a clear manifestation of double standards,” Mitrokhin noted...

...An inquiry on Adrei Skotch was filed in July 2012. A person from the Forbes list did not possess any property or income as of his official income statement. Skotch explained this discrepancy between the declared and the real property by transferring his business to his father. He also added that he lived as a dependant of his father. YABLOKO insisted that Skotch had to declare the assets allocated to him by his father.

Mitrokhin questions the legal basis for depriving Gennady Gudkov of his mandate while saying nothing about 29 MPs running businesses

Press Release, September 5, 2012.

..."The authorities accuse Gennady Gudkov of acquiring a business when he was an MP. They say that an MP can not be represented on the board of a commercial organization. However, if one gets a share in a open liability company, he or she can not avoid it, - Mitrokhin wrote in his blog. - If an MP has run such a business for a long time, and he promptly gave it in trust, than [head of Russian Investigation Committee] Bastrykin considers that such a person has not violated the law”.

"I think that such an interpretation of the law seems too broad. Perhaps it would be wise to clarify the requirements of the law first, and after punish deputies. But one thing is clear: if Gudkov is deprived of his mandate, than United Russia MPs must follow. Otherwise it is a selective enforcement of the law, " Mitrokhin concluded.

Youth YABLOKO files an application to Public Prosecutor General on investigation of financing of the Seliger Youth Forum

Press Release, July 3, 2012.

On July 3, 2012, ten activists of Youth YABLOKO led by Kirill Goncharov, Chair of the Youth Faction, filed an application to Yuri Chaika, Public Prosecutor General, demanding to investigate the lawfulness of financing the Seliger Youth Forum and find out why such huge budget funds are spent on an obvious political order.

According to young YABLOKO activists, a clearly politically and ideologically biased Forum "promotes intolerance towards political opponents of the authorities" was financed on such a grand scale by taxpayers' money. YABLOKO will also apply to the Audit Chamber of the Russian Federation asking to investigate the case.

Kirill Goncharov noted that Youth YABLOKO strongly condemned spending of budget funds on this politically biased event promoting political intolerance. "We would like to remind you that odious provocations against journalists, Kremlin’s political opponents and human rights activists were launched exactly by the Seliger Forum. For example, activists of some youth organisations made a "list of Russia’s enemies" which included many of our friends", he said.

It was disclosed that this summer Forum will get about 280 million roubles from the federal budget, as private sponsors refused to finance the event. In spite of this fact, Forum budget grew by 80 million roubles in 2012 as of 2011.

Rafgat Altynbayev, senator from the Ryazan region, may be recalled
7info.ru, May 15, 2012.

Sergei Mitrokhin, Chairman of the YABLOKO party, sent an inquiry [to the prosecutors] on verification of income statements of four members of the Federation Council, including Rafgat Altynbayev, a member of the Federation Council from the Government of the Ryazan region.

The 7 News agency asked Oleg Kovalyov, Governor of the Ryazan region, whether he had known about this fact, and what he his reaction proceeding from the results of the audit would be.
“I know about this inquiry. If the commission detects violations, then we will consider recalling of the Senator,” said the head of the region.

Public Prosecutor General's Office violated the law by refusing to investigate the circumstances of the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi
Press Release, May 2, 2012.

Public Prosecutor General's Office refused to investigate whether there was a conflict of interests in the March meeting between President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Italian citizen and businessman Silvio Berlusconi. Mr.V.Volkov, Asistant to Public Prosecutor General, informed (in the response to the inquiry by YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin) that President and Prime Minister can not be subject to the prosecutor's investigation. This contradicts the Law "On Public Prosecutor's Office", and YABLOKO is preparing a lawsuit...

Sergei Mitrokhin asks Public Prosecutor General to investigate the aims and goals of the meeting of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev with Silvio Berluskoni
Press Release, March 12, 2012.

Today YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin have sent an appeal to the Public Prosecutor Generals' office asking to check whether there was a conflict of interests in the recent meeting between President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and Italian citizen and businessman Silvio Berlusconi.

Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Silvio Berlusconi on March 8-9. It should be also noted that ex Prime Minister of Italy is under investigation in Italy for a number of criminal cases related to corruption. Also he does not occupy any government post at present and is a private person - a billionaire and owner of the FinInvest financial holding...

Unidentified persons burnt the office of "Vechrniy Krasnokamsk" weekly published by YABLOKO
Press Release, January 28, 2012.

Fire resulting from an arson fire has completely destroyed the office of "Vechrniy Krasnokamsk" weekly this night. The founder and editor-in-chief of the weekly is Olga Kolokolova, leader of the Perm YABLOKO branch and deputy of the City Council in Krasnokamsk. Olga believes that it is a revenge by Yury Chechyotkin, the city Mayor, for journalists’ investigation into his embezzlement of budget funds allocated for housing repairs in the city...

In April 2011, unknown persons assailants beat Olga Kolokolova’s father – deputy of the Krasnokamsk City Duma Arkady Kolokolov. He helped the crew of the "Riphey-Perm" television company, which investigated the circumstances of the repairs in the TSZh Parkovoi. The contractor hired by the managing company providing services for the house received 4.5 million rubles, but the works were not completed...

In addition, in November 2011, on the eve of the parliamentary elections of December 4, 2011 and the Legislative Assembly of the Perm Area, Svetlana Ivanova, candidate from the YABLOKO party was attacked by an unidentified person. She was hit on the head, the blow broke the frontal bone. She will remain disabled...

Mitrokhin demands that Putin should pay compensations to the victims of the explosions in Pugachyovo, Udmurtiya

Press Release, November 14, 2011

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin who is now in the working visit in Udmurtia is going to demand from Prime Minister Putin to implement his promises on providing aid to the victims of explosions at a military arsenal near Pugachyovo village on June 2-3, 2011. According to the local residents who came to meet Mitrokhin, the money allotted by the government for repairs and building of new houses did not come to the village. Most

Over 60 residents came to meet Sergei Mitrokhin and Sergei Pechenin, leader of the Udmurtian branch of YABLOKO. According to the local residents, most of them did not get the compensations and repairs were too slow, consequently the village was not ready for the winter.

However the local authorities loudly announced by television that every local resident had obtained RUR 100,000 of compensation (approximately USD 3,330). People deny this telling that they have to sign falsified payment receipts on implementation of all the repair works threatening of non-paying the compensation...

Charges brought against Eugeny Vitishko, YABLOKO candidate to the State Duma

Press Release, October 31, 2011

Eugeny Vitishko, candidate to the State Duma from the YABLOKO party and leader of the Tuapse branch of YABLOKO, detained in Tuapse during environmental action on November 30 faces charges of violation of the border regime and violation of the navigation rules. YABLOKO considers the detention and the charges unlawful, as the detention of candidate MP was held without the mandatory approval by the Prosecutor. YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin is going to appeal against such actions in court...

Eugeny Vitishko, candidate to the State Duma from the YABLOKO party, arrested in Tuapse

Press Release, October 30, 2011

Eugeny Vitishko, candidate to the State Duma from the YABLOKO party and leader of the Tuapse branch of YABLOKO, and Eugenia Chirikova, leader of the Movement in Defence of Khimki Forest, were detained in Tuapse during environmental action on November 30. Chirikova has been released by now. YABLOKO considers the detention unlawful and demands immediate release of Eugeny Vitishko...

Picket "Stop feeding state owned corporations!" took place by the Federation Council

Press Release, October 26, 2011

A series of one person pickets under the slogan 'Stop feeding state owned corporations!" took place by the Federation Council which had to adopt changes into the state budget. Five YABLOKO activists held placards "Stop stealing money from the budget!", "Where is an account on earlier spendings?" and "Spend money on budget sector workers rather than on building another Fukushima in Turkey!" ...

The activists demand that the remaining balance of the federal budget should be allotted to the salaries of budget workers (including teachers and doctors) rather than state-owned corporations. The Federation Council plans to approve redistribution of the balance; whereas state owned corporations should receive huge amounts of funds. Thus, Rosatom (the nuclear ministry) will receive RUR 23.5 bln, Rosnano (the agency on nano technologies) RUR 22.2 bln and the Russian Railroads – RUR 44.5 bln...

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin spoke at an anti-corruption rally in the Sverdlovsk region

Press Release, September 25, 2011

...According to Mitrokhin, the construction company enjoyed support not only of the city parliament which adopted corresponding amendments to the land laws neglecting the rulings of the statutory court, but they were also supported by the city government, namely, Alexander Yakob, head of city administration. “We can also see that even the governor sided with the corrupt officials and businessmen demanding to cancel the decision of the statutory court,” Mitrokhin said...

Sergei Mitrokhin demanded from President Medvedev to stop unlawful construction works for Olympic Games in the Sochi national park

Press Release, September 23, 2011

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded to President Medvedev a letter demanding to stop unlawful excavation works in the lime-pit the Sochi national park for construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi. In June 2011, after his meeting with environmentalists, Dmitry Medvedev ordered the Russian Government and the regional government to stop such works, however, President’s orders have been sabotaged.

YABLOKO’s activists and activists of the North Caucasus Environmental Watch detected these violations. Excavation of lime in the national park have already eliminated inhabitations of many species of the rare plants, inflicted irreparable damage to landscapes and fauna. However, this unlawful pit has been guarded by the Federal Security Service.

President Medvedev learned this during his meeting with environmentalists on June 21, 2011. He ordered Prime Minister Putin and Alexander Tkachyov, head of Administration of the Krasnodar Area, to stop excavation works at the Sochi national park by August 1...

Court classified documents on Transneft stealing federal budget funds as secret

Press Release, September 6, 2011

On September 6, 2011, Khamovniki Court of Moscow turned down YABLOKO’s inquiry to the Audit Chamber to disclose the report on the audit on the Eastern Pipe Line construction carried out by Transneft.

In 2010 Alexei Navalny published in his blog a document demonstrating that Transneft stole USD 4 bln of federal budget funds the Eastern Pipe Line construction. The document represented a report made by the new management of Transneft on the inquiry from the Audit Chamber. However, the final reports of the audit conducted by the Chamber were classified as secret and were not disclosed to the public...

The company polluting the environment at the Black Sea coast will be held answerable for libel against environmentalists

Press Release, August 11, 2011

Environmental organisation North Caucasus Environmental Watch with YABLOKO’s support is going to start a law suit against PR technologists employed by the Eurochim company (which has constructed and launched oil shipment terminal in the resort city of Tuapse despite loud public protests) and hold them answerable for libel...

Sergei Mitrokhin connects resignation of Vyacheslav Dudka, Governor of Tula Region, with corruption scandals

Press Release, July 29, 2011

"Resignation of Vyacheslav Dudka, Governor Tula Region, is connected with corruption scandals around him and his people," said YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin.
"It was clear for me that Dudka would resign soon after court acquitted Vladimir Timakov, MP of the Tula City Duma [who was a defendant on a libel case for his criticism of the Governor], on June 30," Mitrokhin added.
Court found that Vladimir Timakov, YABLOKO’s MP in the Tula City Duma was guilty of libel in November 2010. The court found that Timakov’s criticism of the Governor for corruption was “libel”...

Environmentalists’ lives endangered by the security of the “Putin’s Palace”

Press Release, July 27, 2011

...Dressed in black uniform and with police batons the security resembled nazies. All the time the activists reached some road the securities prohibited them to use it. Soon it became clear that they received an order to “teach them a lesson” so that to make the environmentalists keep away from the Indokopas company and “Putin’s Palace”. So the activists had to make a very difficult three-hours march through the forest via a mountain pass and past a canyon. Such a trip endangered their lives, the activists were all bruised and bleeding when late at night they managed to get on the road by Praskeyevka village.

The actions by the security of the “Putin’s Palace” were absolutely unlawful, moreover the security on purpose endangered the lives of the environmentalists. The police did not come to rescue despite of the fact that the call made by the activists was registered by the local police department...

Bulk terminal in Tuapse to be launched despite the decision of the President

Press Release, July 25, 2011

On July 26, chemical fertilizers will be delivered to bulk terminal in the centre of Tuapse, Black Sea coast, so that to begin their exports already in early August. The terminal is launched despite the order of the President to hold public hearings and consultations with environmental organisations. The YABLOKO party and North Caucasus Environmental Watch are going to conduct several actions in the city centre and by the terminal...

Actions on July 26 will be followed by a mass-scale protest rally YABLOKO and environmentalists are preparing now...

Sergei Mitrokhin demands from Public Prosecutor General to check who is funding the campaign envisaging enlisting YABLOKO as a terrorist organisation

Press Release, July 19, 2011

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin applied to Public Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to determine the sources of financing of a black PR campaign launched against YABLOKO and ecologists fighting against constructing of oil shipment terminals in Novorossiysk and Tuapse, the Black Sea coast. After loud public protests against construction of hazardous facilities in the resort cities and his meeting with environmentalists President Medvedev ordered (on June 8) the regional authorities to conduct consultations with public organisations and activists
Such a meeting was held in Krasnodar yesterday, on July 18. However, not all the environmentalists and representatives of public organisations were allowed to be present. Thus, according to a personal order of the anchor of the event, well-known Russian journalists Vladimir Soloviyov, the security did not allow Suren Gazaryan, activist of YABLOKO and North Caucasus Environmental Watch to pass to the premises were the even was held.
However, Gazaryan got hold of a document entitled “Action Plan for Creation of Broad Public Resonance in Connection with the First Public Consultations." According to the document, the goal of the PR campaign is "to achieve generally positive reaction from the Internet community on the decision to launch the terminals in Tuapse and Novorossiysk." The unknown PR technologists also set up the task to "discredit environmentalists" fighting against this project endangering the environment in the region...

A mass protest rally held in Sterlitamak, Bashkiria

Press Release, July 12, 2011

On July 11, 2011, a mass protest rally in protection of human rights and demanding dismissal of the Eugeny Ulasevich, deputy head of the city administration, was held in Sterlitamak, Bashkiria, despite the ban of the local authorities. One of the organizers of the rally was Damir Garifullin, leader of the Sterlitamak branch of YABLOKO. The rally brought together about seven hundred people.

The city authorities tried to move the rally from the walls of the administration building, however, the indignant citizens stayed at by the administration. The police tried to detain Damir Garifullin, however the participants of the rally interfered and did not allow the police to detain him...

...Last week, a handful of environmentalists and political opposition party members made their way to the site of Putin’s alleged fairytale home to check out the mysterious place and assess its environmental impact.

In January, the FRANCE 24 Observer’s website published an article on the controversy triggered by photos published on the internet of Putin’s seaside palace near the southern town Paraskoveevka, on the Black Sea. The site also published comments made by Sergei Kolesnikov, a Russian businessman who had been involved in the building’s construction, and who maintained that the prime minister was its true owner. Although officially classified as a centre to be used for medical care, Kolesnikov was able to use a paper trail detailing the building’s financing to link it to Putin...

...Our guys were put into a jail cell in the police station 3 by 3 meters large, where about 20 people had already been crammed along with them. People were standing, squatting or lying close to each other on the dirty cement floor. One of them - a homeless person – obviously had tuberculosis. In this cell the guys were kept before sending them to court: Goncharov for nine hours and Menzheritsky for 14 hours...

...The convicts were housed in a temporary detention facility, located in the same police building in Gelenzhik. Menzheritsky was kept cell No 13. The cell was about 16 square meters. m, and was designed for seven, but the police kept 18 people there. The cops did not try to hide the fact that the temporary detention prison had several vacant cells. They tormented 18 people on purpose, so that, according to the police officers, "they would try to avoid getting there in the future”. People had to queue so that to sleep in turn on a board couch (as there were no separate beds and linen)...

YABLOKO’s activists arrested by “Putin’s country cottage” at the Black Sea Coast
LI News Bulletin, Issue 239, July 1, 2011

Kirill Gontcharov, leader of the Moscow Youth YABLOKO (LI full member), and environmentalist Sergei Menzhitsky were sentenced to five days of imprisonment for alleged “physical resistance to police orders”. They were detained in Divnomorskoye village at the Black Sea, while protesting against unlawful and illegal construction of cottages in national parks, which involved turning public beaches and territories into top officials' private property. The YABLOKO action, titled “All-Russia Protest Against the Stolen Black Sea Coast”, was launched on 24 June...

YABLOKO’s activists arrested by “Putin’s country cottage” at the Black Sea Coast

Press Release, June 25, 2011.

Kirill Gontcharov, leader of the Moscow Youth YABLOKO, and environmentalist Sergei Menzhitsky were sentenced to five days of imprisonment for alleged “physical resistance to police orders”. They were detained in Divnomorskoye village at the Black Sea.

On June 24 Kirill Gontcharov, leader of the Moscow Youth YABLOKO and environmentalists Sergei Menzhitsky and Konstantin Andramonov were detained in Divnomorskoye village at the Black Sea. YABLOKO had launched an action “All-Russia Protest Against the Stolen Black Sea Coast” protesting against unlawful and illegal construction of cottages (especially for top officials) in the national parks and turning of public beaches and territories into their private beaches and territories.

On June 25 the activists planned to conduct a rally by “Putin’s dacha” (“Putin’s country cottage”). And on June 24 they inspected the national park of the relict Pitsunda pine (as it has been detected previously that part of the relict trees were cut for construction of the Governor’s residence)...

Citizens of the Korolyov city, Moscow region, demand resignation of the city administration

Press Release, May 30, 2011.

On May 30, about 30 people - YABLOKO's activists and citizens of Korolyov, Moscow region, - gathered by the Moscow Region parliament so that to demand resignation of the city.

The participants of the picket said that corrupted city administration had been allocating even children's playing grounds such as a single children's hockey rink under commercial construction.

Sergei Mitrokhin’s blog at the Echo Moskvi web-site, June 22, 2011

The issue of today’s radio programme “People Are Against” has been whether it is possible to knockdown corruption in Russia? My answer is: yes, it is, and the key condition here is the WILL OF THE TOP OFFICIAL OF THE STATE. After which the following steps can be taken...

Bashkirian YABLOKO participated in the 1st of May demonstration and a rally

Press Release of the Bashkirian branch of YABLOKO, May 3, 2011.

On May 1 the Bashkirian branch of YABLOKO together with a number of public organisations of the Republic of Bashkortastan conducted a demonstration and a rally in protection of civil and social rights of the citizens. Over 1,000 people participated in the action.

The participants of the demonstration marched along the main street of Ufa. The slogans of the demonstration were “High Time to Change the Authorities”, “Head of Ufa Administration to Dismissal”, “We Are for Self-Government”, “United Russia [party] Means Deceit, Crime and Corruption”, etc...

Rally under the slogans "Down with the party of thieves" and "We want changes" held in Barnaul

Press Release, April 25, 2011.

On April 24 a rally against the ruling United Russia party under the slogans "We want changes" and "Down with the party of thieves" was held in Barnaul, the Altai Territory. Activists from the regional offices of the YABLOKO party, the Communist Party, the Party of People’s Freedom and the Russian People's Democratic Union participated in the action...

Public Prosecutor General does not want to open “Putin’s country cottage” case

Press Release, April 21, 2011.

Public Prosecutor General’s Office withdrew the responsibility for examination of unlawful privatisation of land for the so-called "Putin's dacha” (Putin’s country cottage). That is how YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin commented the response from Public Prosecutor’s Office on his appeal to Public Prosecutor General Yury Chaika.

V.Kroshkin, Senior Assistant of Public Prosecutor General, informed Mitrokhin that his appeal had been forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Krasnodar Area for a “rapid response." Kroshkin promised that an audit would be conducted and if grounds were found, prosecutor’s measures would be taken.

"I do not understand why the Krasnodar Public Prosecutor’s Office should deal with this case, as it is a federal facility, which belonged to the Presidential Property Management Department," Mitrokhin said...

Where did the money from the sale of Bank of Moscow disappear?

Press Release, April 20, 2011.

Such a question YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin put before Sergei Sobyanin, the Mayor of Moscow, in his letter forwarded to the Mayor’s office on April 20. A package of shares of the Bank of Moscow and the Capital Insurance Group (Stolichnaya Stakhovaya Gruppa) was first into the authorized capital of OAO the Moscow Fuel Company (MFC) and then was sold to the VTB Bank...

The Audit Chamber of the Russian Federation classified the information on clandestine dealings by Transneft as secret data

Press Release, January 13, 2011

The Audit Chamber of the Russian Federation refused to submit a report on its audit of Transneft in connection with stealing of funds during construction of the Eastern Oil Pipeline. In his answer to an inquiry from YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin Mikhail Bekhmelnitzin, auditor of the Audit Chamber, informed that the audit report was classified secret on Transneft’s request, as the documentation “represent a commercial secret which is not subject to public discussion”. YABLOKO’s leader continues to insist that there are no grounds for classifying such documentation secret...

Whereabouts of $4Bln Is Classified
By Khristina Narizhnaya

The Moscow Times, January 13, 2011

The protection of "strategic interests, defense capability and state security" is the reason now given by the Audit Chamber for classifying the results of its 2008 investigation into the alleged $4 billion worth of financial violations by state-owned Transneft...

Mitrokhin requested records from the Audit Chamber after Navalny published reports accusing Transneft of stealing $4 billion. The disclosure on the Internet created a sensation, with scores of bloggers filing online complaints to the chamber and the Prosecutor General's Office, demanding an investigation into the alleged wrongdoings...

the original publication in the Moscow Times

No anti-corruption audit envisaged for Russian MPs

Press Release, October 21, 2010

“Anticorruption campaign launched by President Medvedev turned out to be another PR action,” that’s how YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin commented on the answer he received from the Apparat of the Russian government on his demand to conduct anticorruption audit against Boris Gryzlov, Speaker of the State Duma and Chair of the Supreme Council of the ruling United Russia party, and seven more deputies of the State Duma. Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded a letter to Sergei Narishkin, head of Presidential Administration and Sergei Sobyanin, head of the Apparat of the Government, demanding to initiate anticorruption audit against deputies of Duma who violated the rules of publishing income statements.

These letters became the first steps adopted by the YABLOKO party targeted at setting control over incomes and property of public persons. Such control was announced by President Medvedev after applications by Transparency International – Russia...

Public prosecutors recommend to 18 legislative assemblies to amend the situation with publishing draft laws
Press Release, September 30, 2010.

Audits conducted by public prosecutors in ten Russian regions confirmed violations of the federal law “On provision of access to information about the performance by the state bodies” and recommended to legislative assemblies of these regions to amend these violations. Violations of the law have already been amended in eight more regions after the same recommendations by public prosecutors. It should be noted that YABLOKO forwarded to Public Prosecutor General a list of 29 regions violating the federal law envisaging that state bodies should publish their draft laws in the Internet. YABLOKO is certain that publication of draft laws “is very important for public control over adopted laws”...

YABLOKO calls television channels to tell about family business of top officials in St.Petersburg
Zaks.ru, September 30, 2010.

St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO decided to address federal television channels calling them to make a film about family business of top officials in St.Petersburg

According to Maxim Reznik, head of St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO, the address will be forwarded to three federal television channels – NTV, RTR and ORT – that unexpectedly and simultaneously discovered the truth and began covering failures and drawbacks in the work of the Ex-Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov. “We think that television channels should be consistent and also broadcast films about St.Peterburg’s problems and the family business here too,” Reznik told to the Zaks.ru. “We would like to believe that they have finally opened their eyes and will be continuously releasing such materials, and we are ready to help them here...”

Russia should not be turned into international radioactive waste dump!
Statement by the YABLOKO party, September 29, 2010.

...In the past, during the cold war, huge territories in the Urals and Siberia were contaminated by waste from nuclear fuel recycling. Today it is not war, but purely commercial and immediate financial interests of Russian bureaucrats which lead to the same result – radioactive contamination of the Chelyabinsk region, dangerous transportation of radioactive waste via St.Petersburg and many other Russian cities, multiplication of radioactive risks in Angarsk, Seversk, Dmitrovgrad and other centres of Russia’s “nuclear archipelago”. Our position is clear and unchanged: in accordance with the international principle of equal environmental security, the country producing nuclear waste should bear responsibility for this waste, it is impossible to pay for ensuring health of population in some countries with the health and welfare of the residents of other countries.

Sergei Mitrokhin to President Medvedev: The Defence Ministry does not implement the anticorruption laws

Press Release, September 29, 2010.

Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded an appeal to President Dmitry Medvedev in connection with dismissal of General Gaidukov in connection with his fraud in the income statement. YABLOKO’s leader asks the President to oblige the Ministry of Defense to fully comply with the requirements of Russia’s anti-corruption legislation. At present the Ministry's website provides no data on the income of its civil servants as required by law. "I'm not surprised that the first civil servant to be sacked was from the Defense Ministry. This Ministry has taken steps targeted at concealing the incomes of its civil servants from the civil control ", runs Mitrokhin’s letter...

Grigory Yavlinsky visited Vladimir

TV-6 channel, Vladimir, September 23, 2010.

Grigory Yavlinsky, economist and politician of 1990s with the highest reputation arrived to the Vladimir region. Yavlinsky was Vice-Premier of the Soviet government, deputy of the State Duma of three convocations and former leader of the democratic YABLOKO party. The programme of Yavlinsky’s official visit Yavlinsky is very tense: a meeting with the Governor of the region, negotiations with the heads of the Electrocable plant in Kolchugino, a lecture in the Vladimir branch of the Academy of the State Service, press conferences and numerous interviews. Such high interest to Yavlinsky is very easy to explain considering Russia’s monotonous political landscape. Any alternative professional view is in demand now by the thinking part of the Russian society. Does the opposition have chances to destroy the political monopoly of the [progovernmental] United Russia party? Why do food-stuff prices fell in the developed countries but rise in Russia? And why does the Kremlin once again issue licences for mobbing of governors? An independent evaluation by an authoritative expert on the key political and economic issues leaves no comment...

Opposition from the Republic of Mordovia demanded resignation of President of Mordovia at its rally in Moscow

Press Release, September 16, 2010.

Today, on September 16, an action against corruption in the Republic of Mordovia took place by Representation of Mordovia in Moscow. Activists of the Mordvin and the Moscow branches of the YABLOKO party and farmers from the Lyambirsky district of the republic who had suffered from raider related crimes participated in the action. The key demand of the picketers was resignation of President of Mordovia Nikolai Merkushkin, who had been leading the region for 15 years already.

“No only Mordovia failed to leave the ten of economically most backward regions of Russia, but even increased the gap with the developed regions for the years Merkushkin had been President of the republic,” Vladimir Gridin, the leader of the Mordovian YABLOKO said. However, Mordovia has been topping the list of the most corruption affected regions, he said...

Public organisations concerned about lack of anti-corruption measures of the Investigation Committee

Press Release, September 7, 2010.

The Council of Public Organisations of the Klin District, Moscow region, where YABLOKO participates conducted picketing by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Klin under the slogan “Three years of work of the Investigation Committee – and where are the results in fight against corruption?” Members of the public organisations expressed their disappointment with the performance of the head of the Investigation Committee in Klin Roman Dyachkovsky...

Anti-Corruption Commission under the Moscow Mayor dissolved after YABLOKO’s criticism

Press Release. May 19, 2010

Yesterday First Deputy Mayor of Moscow Vladimir Resin annulled his earlier order of May 5 on creation of an anticorruption commission in the Moscow construction sector.

A day before this on May 17, Alexander Gnezdilov, Deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO and the Youth Chamber under the Moscow City Duma, in his speech in the Moscow parliament sharply criticized the composition of the commission. He stated that it was inadmissible when Moscow officials with criminal cases opened against them participate in the anticorruption commission. For example, Alexander Levchenko, head of the Moscow roads, bridges and infrasrtucture construction department, was included into the commission despite of the fact that a criminal persecution due to his abuse of authority had been launched against him...

Sergei Mitrokhin demands that Interior Minister should investigate the corruption scandal with Daimler

Press Release, April 16, 2010

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin applied to Rashid Nurgaliyev, Russia’s Interior Minister, demanding to file a criminal case on bribes received by federal and regional bureaucrats by Daimler.

This loud corruption scandal around Daimler led to publication in the Internet of some documents from the US Ministry of Justice relating to the case. The documents provide detailed information what officials and of which Russian ministries received the bribes and how much. The overall amount of bribes received by Russian bureaucrats from Daimler is assessed at about Euro 5 mln...

Liberals Give Police Tips on Reforming

The Moscow Times, February 26, 2010

By Alexander Bratersky

President Dmitry Medvedev's police reforms will turn into a sham if the public is excluded from the process and other law enforcement agencies are left untouched, opposition politicians and human rights activists said Thursday.

“It is impossible to reform the Interior Ministry without reforming the prosecutor's office and the justice system,” Yabloko party leader Sergei Mitrokhin said at a round table organized by the Moscow police to discuss the reforms with the public...

Sergei Mitrokhin: the reform of the interior should begin from the “clean hands” operation

Press Release. February 25, 2010

Round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society” initiated by Deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO Andrei Babushkin took place in the press centre of the Moscow Interior department on February 25.

Representatives of human rights organisations including such renowned figures as Ludmila Alexeyeva and Valery Borschyov participated in the round table. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin also participated in the discussion. “The interior needs not simply to make staff reduction, but anti-corruption cleaning,” Mitrokhin said.

YABLOKO to organise round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society”

Press Release. February 24, 2010

Round table “The Reform of the Interior Must Meet the Expectations of the Civil Society” will be conducted on the initiative of Andrei Babushkin, Deputy Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO and Co-Chair of the Human Rights faction of the party in the press centre of the Moscow Interior Department, on Thursday, February 25.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will participate in the round table. Other guest speakers are:
Ludmila Alexeyeva, the Moscow Helsinki Group,
Valery Gribakin, head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the Interior Ministry of the RF,
Alexander Zharov, Ombudsman for the Moscow Region,
Alexander Zimin, leading expert of the Moscow University of the Interior Ministry,
Svetlana Gannushkina, Grazhdanskoye Sodeistviye (Civil Support)
Vladimir Lukin, Russia’s ombudsman,
Alexander Muzikantsky, Moscow ombudsman,
Ella Pamfilova, Civil Society and Human Rights Council under the President of the RF,
Lev Ponomaryov, For the Human Rights movement,
Genry Reznik, Moscow Bar Association...

Brief Outline of Sergei Mitrokhin’s Report at the State Council meeting

January 22, 2010

The key problem of Russia’s political system is monopolism which manifests itself in three major ways:

1) bodies of power and parliaments of all levels demonstrate monopoly of one party representing the interests of bureaucracy and large-scale business merged with it;
2) complete dominance of the executive over the judicial authority;
3) dictate of one social class – the bureaucracy – over all other social groups.
Thus, the present political system generally reproduces the Soviet system, with its key flaw – the monopoly of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on power.
Such monopoly led to the insensibility of the political system of the USSR to the challenges of the time. Attempts to reform the system were considerably belated and that, consequently, led to a collapse of the USSR.

Assessment of Russia’s Present Political System and the Principles of Its Development. Brief note for the State Council meeting (January 22, 2010) by Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky, member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee. January 22, 2010

...In the absence of serious attention to the raise of political culture and freedom of speech, elections in our country will become a fest of demagogues and populists killing the system.

The main problems and goals of the society and the state in the field of creation of modern political system and political reform do not represent a mere correction, they mean bringing of life and sense into Russian politics.

Only in this case it will be of interest for the people and will be worthy of their attention. To achieve this we should first of all raise the level of public consciousness and open opportunities for public participation in the power and politics.

We think that to prevent dissolution of the Russian political system in 2010 – 2012 we need to undertake the following gradual but nonetheless decisive steps...

The residents of the city of Klin and YABLOKO picket by the office of the Public prosecutor of the Moscow Region

Press Release, January 14, 2010

“Klin Should Get an Honest Public Prosecutor,” – such is the slogan of pickets conducted by the residents of the Klin district, Moscow Region, and YABLOKO by the office of the Public prosecutor of the Moscow Region.

Oleg Stalnov, Public Prosecutor of Klin, was dismissed from his post and downgraded to the post of deputy Public Prosecutor of the city of Domodedovo. It has been unclear who may take the post in Klin.The residents of the city and representatives of public organisations conducted several actions and rallies demanding to dismiss Oleg Stalnov due to the growth of corruption and general negligence of his office. Thus in September 2009, YABLOKO initiated a rally of about 500 people demanding to dismiss Stalnov.

After his dismissal YABLOKO, the Society for Preservation of Nature of the Moscow Region and the Farmers’ Front sent a letter to the Public Prosecutor General demanding to “control the appointment of a new Public Prosecutor for Klin and ensure that Klin would get an honest Public Prosecutor”.

YABLOKO’s Political Committee determined the tasks of the responsible opposition in modern Russia

Press-Release, September 26, 2009

A meeting of YABLOKO’s Political Committee took place on September 26. The Committee developed the goals of the party in modern Russia.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin indicated in his report to the Committee that a system of bureaucratic cronyism developed in modern Russia. Its goal is to maintain in power one and the same ruling group for an unlimited period of time.

“Supporting a number of President Medvedev’s recent statements on the need of modernisation in Russia YABLOKO states that their realisation is incompatible with the real goals of this system,” Mitrokhin said.

Mitrokhin expressed his certainty that this system “can lead Russia to stagnation reminiscent of the stagnation of the Brezhnev period in the USSR, when the political elite lost the chance to conduct modernisation of the USSR, thus dooming it to disintegration”.

According to Mitrokhin, the task of the opposition is to offer an alternative to the political course of the country present leaders, such as building of a modern state based on democratic institutes and procedures.

Corruptive-prone legal consciousness

Sergei Mitrokhin’s blog at the Echo Moskvi web-site,

September 18, 2009

Yesterday I made a speech at the State Duma hearings devoted to the problems of city building. The main idea of my speech was as follows: the notorious “vertical of power” is the main source of corruption today.

The modern state President Medvedev is dreaming about does not imply only the vertical of the executive power, it should also imply horizontal of control over the executive by the legislative and the judicial power.

When such a horizontal is lacking, we have an archaic and weak state, or a corrupt state, to put it shortly, instead of a modern and strong state. I told this to Dmitry Medvedev during our meeting on June 11.

The term “modern state” shifted from that discussion to the topic of the conference in Yaroslavl. The term shifted, however, the mechanisms of democratic governing I was speaking about did not.

Municipal head fired due to violations
Press Release August 4, 2009
“YABLOKO supports the decision [of the Moscow Mayor] to fire the head of the North-Western administrative district of Moscow Viktor Kozlov”, said YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin. According to Mitrokhin, such decision of the Mayor of Moscow demonstrates that he decided to reform his team. Mitrokhin also added that “the fact that Kozlov was sacked confirmed that YABLOKO’s criticism of the ex-Prefect was correct”.

YABLOKO Presents Its Anti-Crisis Plan
Press Release June 30, 2009
Boosting of domestic demand, fight against corruption and protection of human rights should become top priorities for Russia’s domestic policies. Such goals are envisaged by YABLOKO’s Anti-Crisis Plan for Russia.

YABLOKO opposes the transfer of exclusive rights to represent the state in bankruptcy cases to the Federal Service for Financial Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy (FSFRB)
Press Release, February 19, 2003
Deputies from the YABLOKO faction think that the decision to appoint the Federal Service for Financial Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy (FSFRB) as the only plenipotentiary agency representing the Russian Federation in bankruptcy cases is erroneous.

YABLOKO proposes liquidating the Federal Service for Financial Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy (FSFRB)
Press Release, January 23, 2003
YABLOKO's deputies propose liquidating the Federal Service for Financial Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy (FSFRB). On Wednesday, January 22, 2003, deputies from the YABLOKO faction Igor Artemyev and Sergei Ivanenko submitted to the Duma a corresponding draft law "On Amendments and Addenda to the Federal Law "On Insolvency (Bankruptcy)".

Deputy of the City Duma from Yabloko attacked in Tomsk
Press release, November 02, 2001
On November 2, 2001, about 11 p.m. a deputy of the Tomsk City Duma from Yabloko, Chairman of the Commission for Fight with Corruption of the City Duma, member of the Yabloko party and ex-official of the Tomsk Public Prosecutor Office Eugeni Krotov was attacked.

Yabloko will aid in the search for the perpetrators and organisers of the contract killing of one of the leaders of opposition in Karachaevo-Cherkessiya Keram Semyonov
Press release, September 24, 2001
The Yabloko party will closely monitor the investigation of the murder (on September 17, 2001) of Keram Semyonov, one of the leaders of the opposition movement Vozrozhdeniye (“Renaissance”) in Karachaevo-Cherkessiya and candidate to the post of Mayor of the city of Karachayevsk and provide assistance in urgent identification of the perpetrators and organisers of the contract killing.

Yabloko initiates the audit of the use of multibillion state credits

On March 14, 2001, the State Duma, on the initiative of Alexander Shishlov, member of the Yabloko faction, instructed the Audit Chamber of the RF to conduct an audit of the efficiency and viability of spending in 2000 and the first quarter of 2001 of credits (loans)obtained in accordance with the Programme of the State Foreign Loans of the RF for 2000-2001.

Sergei Ivanenko: we must tackle corruption ourselves

St. Petersburg Governor and YABLOKO Will Fight Corruption Together
By Yelena Rotkevich, Izvestia, November 28, 2003
Yavlinsky held several meetings in St. Petersburg on November 26; his conversation with Matviyenko lasted one-and-a-half hours rather than the scheduled 30 minutes, focusing primarily on cooperation between the party and the new municipal administration, as well as joint efforts to "overcome the bane of corruption" which has taken shape in St. Petersburg in recent years.

Russia's Biggest Problem is the State
By Anna Skornyakova, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 2, 2003
As long as law enforcement agencies are virtually uncontrolled and can blackmail businessmen and participate in the redistribution of property, any qualitative improvement in the situation is out of question, something noted by virtually all the politicians and political scientists at the meeting of the Open Forum Club devoted to the prospects of Russia's economy and the problems of relations between the authorities and business.

Grigory Yavlinsky: Russian politics is deliberately being transformed into a farce
Interview with Grigory Yavlinsky by Tatyana Chesnokova, Rosbalt, September 25, 2003
"This situation has been deliberately created to make less and less people engage actively in politics and lead more and more of the population to readily accept decision-making on their behalf by third parties".

"We'll arrange the trial of the century for RAO UES"
By Boris Sapozhnikov, gazeta.ru, September 2, 2003
"I cannot believe that Nemtsov and Khakamada know nothing of PR-campaigns that require such huge expenses, worthy of being included in the Guinness Book of Records."

Reforms that corrupted Russia
By Grigory Yavlinsky, Financial Times (UK), September 3, 2003
In those years two Marxist dogmas, albeit disguised in liberal phraseology, still shaped economic policy. The first was...

Russian Oil Man Arrested; Allies Blame Politics
By Sabrina Tavernise, The New York Times, July 4, 2003
In a political wrangle of a kind not seen in Russia since the early days of Vladimir V. Putin's presidency, the authorities have arrested a top executive at the financial group that owns Russia's largest oil company.

Duma Deputies Call For Extraordinary Measures Against Corruption
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, May 27, 2003
"Because of corruption, the long bloody butchery in Chechnya continues; the economy is stagnant; the national wealth and resources are being mercilessly plundered; industrial production and small businesses are being strangled; and arbitrary bureaucratic rule prevails..."

Bankruptcy in YABLOKO’s Variant
By Oksana Karpova, Vremya MN, January 24, 2003
YABLOKO’s deputies are fighting against corruption. Russian parliament members propose liquidating one of the "bureaucrats’ pork barrel troughs - the Federal Service for Financial Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy (FSFRB).

Duma Deputy Mitrokhin to Fight for Evacuation of Mayak Area
Bellona, October 25, 2002
MOSCOW - If you ask Yury Ryzhkov, press secretary for the Mayak Chemical Combine in the Urals town of Ozersk — birthplace of the Soviet atomic bomb project and home to Russia's single working radioactive waste reprocessing plant — he will tell you there are fewer better places to live.

The Kirsan saga
Why the Kremlin can't do anything about President Iliumzhinov of Kalmykia
By Inessa Slavutinskaya, Profil, No. 25, July 2, 2001, pp. 12-15
The Auditing Chamber Chairman Sergei Stepashin suffered a crushing defeat on June 22. The team of auditors he had sent to Kalmykia (in part, with the goal of proving misuse of state funds by President Kirsan Iliumzhinov) did find some infractions - but these were so small that they can be handled within standard procedures. This means that the expected major criminal charges in Kalmykia are unlikely to materialize.

Liberalism for Everybody
By Grigory Yavlinsky, Obshaya Gazeta, June 28, 2001, p. 7
One of the main results of the past Russian reforms is disillusionment of the people over democratic principles and liberal values. Russia has covered a lot of ground over the past ten years. The totalitarian political system and command-and-distribution economy have been left in the past.

Who Taught Crony Capitalism to Russia?

The Wall Street Journal Europe March 19, 2001
By Janine R. Wedel
Ms. Wedel, author of "Collision and Collusion: The Strange Case of Western Aid to Eastern Europe," is associate professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.

Russia's Road to Corruption

How the Clinton Administration Exported Government Instead of Free Enterprise and Failed the Russian People.

Full version:

http://policy.house.gov/russia/fullrussia/fullrussia.html

Report Date: September 2000

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