Press releases and publications

Dmitry Medvedev's statement on political reform made under the pressure of mass protests turn out a simulation and even a mockery

Statement by the YABLOKO Bureau, May 25, 2012.

This is most clearly demonstrated by hasty appointments of governors in a large number of regions. The "filters" built-in into the nomination of governors made it virtually impossible to nominate candidates from the opposition. In addition to the presidential recommendations, there were adopted extremely tough requirements to collection of signatures from municipal deputies in support of [nominated] candidates. A formally possible nomination of alternative candidates at a time when the vast majority of municipal deputies are representatives of the ruling party or its affiliated groups in reality results in the creation of an insurmountable barrier for the opposition or independent candidates in entering the election race.

A number of regional legislative assemblies where the positions of "the United Russia are particularly unstable hastily pass laws fixing the most stringent of the proposed regulatory frameworks for the candidates from other parties"...

President Medvedev supported a number of YABLOKO's initiatives
Press Release, February 15, 2012.

A meeting of leaders of registered political parties with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has just finished. The key issue of the meeting was discussion of the political reform. The YABLOKO party was represented by Sergei Mitrokhin, YABLOKO Chairman, and Sergei Ivanenko, Political Committee member.

Sergei Mitrokhin handed to President Medvedev a list of demands put forward by participants of the demonstration and rally of February 4, including the general resolution of the rally, the resolution demanding registration of Grigory Yavlinsky in the presidential election campaign and the list of political prisoners...

Opposition Slams Governor for ‘Secret’ Vote

St.Petersburg Times, August 3, 2011

...Yabloko Democratic Party said it does not recognize the elections, which were not properly announced and thus illegal in a statement on Monday, which described them as a “shameful and undignified farce.” It said that Matviyenko has a “panicked fear” of any democratic procedures and the scheme’s goal was to save her from any political competition at the election.

“It’s an utter shame and disgrace,” said Yabloko’s local chair Maxim Reznik by phone on Monday.“And this is a person who once was the governor! She simply humiliates herself”...

On fraudulent tricks of future Chair of the Federation Council

Press Release, August 1, 2011

Today YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded an address to President of Russia demanding that he should interfere into the situation with fielding of St.Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko as candidate at local elections (as only deputies of legislative bodies have a right to be nominated Chair of the Federation Council) from municipal constituencies Krasnenkaya Rechka and Okrug Petrovsky.

It should be noted that public learned about elections in these constituencies three days after closing date for registration of candidates there. In particular, newspaper Okrug Petrovsky (dated June 30) quoting the decision on appointing the election in the constituency appeared only yesterday.

“The situation when the way to the post of the third top official in the state [Chair of the upper chamber of the Russian parliament] begins from open political fraud is shameful and disgraceful for Russia and the entire system of state power in Russia,” runs the address.

The Kremlin is trying to represent St Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko’s nomination for speaker of the Federation Council as a promotion, not punishment. Some tricky formalities, however, will have to be observed. By Boris Vishnevsky. Novaya Gazeta, July 4, 2011

...How will the people of St Petersburg remember Valentina Matvienko’s eight-year tenure as governor? She is undoubtedly clever, resolute, has a way of winning people over and at a pinch can make a good impression even on her opponents. But being an authoritarian politician, she hates being criticized and sees the opposition not as people whose point of view needs to be taken into account, but as an enemy that should be destroyed if it doesn’t surrender. It is no wonder that protests in St Petersburg are broken up, opposition members are made ineligible to run for public office and the results of elections are often rigged...

The 1st of May Democratic March demanding dismissal of the Governor and elections of executive authorities took place in St.Petersburg

Press Service of St.Petersburg YABLOKO, May 3, 2011.

The 1st of May Democratic March demanding dismissal of Governor Valentina Matviyenko and elections of executive authorities took place in St.Petersburg. The participants marched along the main streets of the city and then conducted a rally. About 500 people came to the march. The participants held banners “Democratic March” and “Matviyenko to Dismissal”. A large number of police, several coaches of riot police (OMON) and a police helicopter followed the demonstration...

Over 30,000 votes in favour of dismissal of St.Petersburg Governor collected

Press Release, January 28, 2011.

Over 30,000 votes in favour of dismissal of St.Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko were collected witnin the framework of the campaign launched by St.Petersburg YABLOKO at
www.piter-bez-matvienko.ru,

“We, citizens of St.Petersburg, demand a dismissal of Governor Valentina Matviyenko: for several years in power we were demonstrated that the policies of the city administration clash with the interest of the residents of the city and represent a constant violation of our rights,” runs the statement signed by the residents of the city...

Mitrokhin: we can cooperate with ex-Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzkov only on some issues.

Press Release, October 12, 2010. Based on media interviews.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin agreed with the assessment which ex-Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzkov has given to YABLOKO earlier in the day. In his interview to Interfax Luzhkov confirmed his desire to engage in politics and made a critical statement about “inner political work” in Russian political parties. “Democracy can not go together with authoritarian methods. “Today we have no [democratic] parties, maybe except for YABLOKO… YABLOKO is the [only] party where inner [party] work is performed in accordance with democratic principles.”

“We can only agree here. It is really so. And it is a correct assessment,” Mitrokhin said commenting Luzhkov’s statement to the RIA Novosti on October 12. YABLOKO’s leader also added that Yuri Luzhkov knew YABLOKO’s work very well, as we were in opposition in the Moscow City Duma for four years.

Mitrokhin ruled out Luzhkov’s membership in YABLOKO. YABLOKO’s leader expressed his readiness to cooperate with Luzhkov only on certain issues noting that YABLOKO and Luzhkov have been holding the opposite positions on political issues...

Russian President should find out Muscovites’ attitude to the new candidate on the post of the Mayor of Moscow
Press Release, October 1, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin said that Russian President should order a sociological survey before appointing a new Mayor of Moscow. The survey will show the attitude of the Muscovites to the candidates proposed by the progovernmental United Russia party. “The present practices of appointing regional heads demonstrated its complete failure. After the dismissal of Yuri Luzhkov the same party bearing full responsibility for Luzhkov’s policies proposes a new candidacy,” Mitrokhin noted. Sergei Mitrokhin called such situation “absurd”. YABLOKO’s leader proposed that the candidates nominated by the United Russia should answer the following questions by the Muscovites...

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...”

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...”

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin on today’s dismissal of Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov

Based on Sergei Mitrokhin's press interviews, September 28, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin suggested that Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov may face political persecutions after his dismissal. Sergei Mitrokhin noted that the law enforcement may get interested in Luzhkov’s activities soon after his dismissal.

According to Mitrokhin, the fate of the dismissed mayor is an “unpredictable thing”. "In our country the traditions of finding a scapegoat are very strong. If one gets out of favour in politics he should be on the guard until the end,” Mitrokhin explained...

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...

On the political crisis in Moscow and the ways out of it

Statement by the Regional Council of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO, September 24, 2010.

The situation developing around Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov demonstrates a crisis of the political system created in Russia for the past ten years. Abolishing direct elections of heads of the regions the federal authorities have virtually eliminated the sole mechanism allowing for a legitimate change of authorities. Certainly this mechanism had its drawbacks, but it functioned nonetheless.

Transfer to virtual appointment of regional heads created a gigantic gap between the authorities and the people, undermined the legitimacy of the heads that were not elected by the citizens [but were appointed by the authorities] and shifted the responsibility for problems and failures in the regions onto the federal centre. Appointment of regional heads has already turned into an arena of under-carpet fight between different clans...

On the crisis of power in Moscow and the ways out of it

Statement by the Moscow regional branch of YABLOKO, September 13, 2010.

The situation developing around Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov indicates of the crisis of the political system created in Russia in the past ten years. Abolishing direct elections of regional leaders, the federal leaders have destroyed a legitimate mechanism for rotation of power. This mechanism had its drawbacks, however, it functioned.

Actual appointment of the regional leaders created a gigantic gap between the government and the people, undermined the legitimacy of the leaders who were not elected by the citizens, shifted the responsibility for problems and failures in the regions on the federal center...

Youth YABLOKO of St.Petersburg commemorated five years since abolishing of gubernatorial elections in Russia

zaks.ru, September 14, 2009

Activists of the Youth YABLOKO organisation of St.Petersburg conducted an action to commemorate five years since abolishing of gubernatorial elections in Russia, writes Zaks.ru correspondent. Activists wearing masks of governors Valentina Matvienko, Yuri Luzhkov, Valery Serdyukov, President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov and a mask of “Vladimir Medvedev” (a photoshop merging Vladimir Putin and Dmrity Medvedev) showed a theatrical performance.

Mixed reaction from Russian party leaders to Putin's political proposals
ITAR-TASS, September 13, 2004
Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Yabloko party, thinks that the president's plan to take control of regional gubernatorial elections is "anticonstitutional". In an official statement, he said the plan was "insulting" to the people of Russia.

Press releases and publications