YABLOKO leader proposes to form Public Television Supervisory Board out of representatives of political parties
Press Release, April 26, 2012.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin in his speech at the “Open Tribune” meeting criticized the President's initiative on public television. According to Mitrokhin, the key problem was the functioning of the state-owned television "uncontrolled by the society, censored and manipulating with public opinion”, rather than absence of public television in Russia.

Mitrokhin also noted that Presidential Decree on establishing of public television represented "another bureaucratic imitation": "public's attention would be simply switched onto channels functioning of decimeter frequencies, while the meter channels would remain mouthpieces for propaganda"...
He proposed a different mechanism for formation of the Supervisory Board, which "would create truly independent television". The Board should include representatives of various political parties or parliamentary factions. “However, there should be an equal number of representatives from each of the parties, so that to avoid the dominance of the [ruling] United Russia [party]," stressed Mitrokhin.

Youth Extremism and Xenophobia discussed at Moscow Conference
LI News Bulletin, Issue 280, April 27, 2012

The noticeable rise of extremism and xenophobia among youth across Europe brought prominent liberals to discuss in Moscow, Russia liberal agenda for addressing this problem. Prominent speakers included Sergei Mitrokhin and Grigory Yavlinsky, the leader and the presidential candidate of Yabloko (LI Full member), Trine Skei Grande MP, leader of Venstre, Norway (LI Full member), Astrid Thors MP of SFP, Finland (LI Full member) and Marc Guerrero, Vice President of ELDR (LI cooperating organisation), Angelika Mlinar, leader of Liberales Forum, Austria and Kerstin Lundgren MP of Center Party, Sweden (LI Full member). In the welcome speech LI Secretary General Emil Kirjas pledged for “more opportunities for the young people to participate in decision making, starting from micro level, including in families and the local communities. That responsibility must be based on freedom of expression and dialogue, discussion, debate.” LI Treasurer Robert W. Browne spoke on the growth of xenophobia, street protests and violence in Europe, giving account of the 2011 London riots. A resolution was adopted that is likely to be further discussed at the upcoming LI Congress in Abidjan.

MORE

Populists bring down VVD-led cabinet over economic recovery plan
LI President meets with DA Parliamentary leader
LI Deputy President meets Swedish EU Minster Ohlsson
Pechtold calls for action to address Dutch political crisis
NLD boycotts parliament over constitution oath
Ouattara calls for reconciliation in Cote d’Ivoire
FDP calls for a return to its core liberal values at its annual Congress

YABLOKO conducted a picket by the Russian Atomic Energy Agency on the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster
Press Release, April 26, 2012.

...YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin, who also attended the action, said that the party had been commemorating the tragic Chernobyl anniversary for many years already. "Not only we commemorate those who died and express sympathy for those who got sick in this tragedy, but we also speak about the danger of the new Rosatom’s plans,” said Sergei Mitrokhin.

He spoke about Rostam’s plans to build a nuclear power plant on the border of Novgorod and Vladimir regions, near the town Murom. The nuclear power plant would be built on moving karst soils, where an accident may occur at any time and this would inevitably lead to a disaster similar to that in Chernobyl. At the same time Sergei Mitrokhin said that the money for this construction came from the state budget rather than private investors. "This is the taxpayers' money, the money of ordinary Russians, teachers, doctors and people with disabilities. Moreover, Rosatom builds with our money nuclear plants not only in Russia but also abroad," Sergei Mitrokhin stressed...

Academician Alexei Yablokov, leader of YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction and renowned environmentalist, told about independent assessments of the Chernobyl disaster being significantly more pessimistic than the official reports. "It's millions of deaths and diseases, cancers, premature aging and diseases of the endocrine system," stressed Yablokov.

According to Yablokov, 43 per cent of toxic sediments polluted the territory of the former Soviet Union after the disaster and the rest were spread across the globe. "Today, Chernobyl sediments can be found in the lakes of China, the Nile Delta and Japan," he said...

YABLOKO to picket the Russian Atomic Energy Agency on the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster
Press Release, April 25, 2012.

On Thursday, April 26, the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, YABLOKO will conduct a staged action by the Russian Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) under the slogan "Save the world from the peaceful atom"...

The action will start at 12:30.

Address: Tretyakovskaya metro station, Bolshaya Ordynka 24.

Also YABLOKO will hold the same action in Chelyabinsk, where YABLOKO activists, environmentalists and civil activists will pay tribute to the memory of liquidators of the Chernobyl disaster.

The activists will fly 26 balloons symbolizing 26 years since the tragedy.

The action will begin at 18:00.

ELDR in Russia and Ukraine
ELDR Newsletter March 25, 2012.

From 19 to 22 April, ELDR Vice President Marc Guerrero was on tour in Ukraine and Russia to support the activities of the liberal family.

In Kiev, an international ELDR conference with the local liberal partners from Ukraine, the Future and the European Youth of Ukraine, was held which focussed on free market and liberal policies as the best tools for a democratic and prosperous society. At the event, the Institute of Democracy and Liberalism (IdeaL) was launched.

In Moscow, Marc Guerrero and ELDR Vice President Astrid Thors MP were present at the conference "Youth under threat of Extremism and Xenophobia. A liberal response" organised by ELDR member YABLOKO.

Sergei Mitrokhin demands from the Investigative Committee to file a criminal case against the lawyer promising "to flood Moscow with blood"
Press Release, April 25, 2012.

Leader of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin demands from the Investigative Committee to file a criminal case against Dagir Khasavov, lawyer promising "to flood the city [Moscow] with blood" in the REN TV channel, "unless sharia courts are created in the capital [of Russia]”.

"Muslims do not want to get involved into the judicial system. You think that we are coming here to Russia as to some strange place. And we believe that we are at home. Maybe you are foreigners here, but we are at home. And we will establish the rules that suit us, whether you like it or not. Any attempt to stop this will lead to bloodshed. The second dead lake will be here. We will flood the city with blood," announced the lawyer and Assistant to Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy and Healthcare in the federal television channel. He was quoted by the Russian News Service...

Sergei Mitrokhin: Dmitry Medvedev will have less opportunities to promote liberties at the Prime Minister post than now
Interfax, April 24, 2012.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin doubts that the acting President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev will be able to do more for liberalisation of Russia’s political system at the Prime Minister post than now.

"I doubt that in his new post he will do more for realisation [of this] than at present. And he has not done much for this at the post of the President," Mitrokhin told to Interfax...

YABLOKO-ELDR conference "Threats of Extremism and Xenophobia Among Youth: the Liberal Answer". Resolution
Moscow, April 21, 2012.

...We think that such liberal response should include the following:

- steady rejection by the society of all forms of xenophobia and extremism and personality cult, as well as revival of nazism, Stalinism and fascism; abolishment of the cult of superiority and crude force, as well as manipulations with public opinion by means of pseudo historical myths and conspiracy theories;

- broadening of possibilities for engaging people in social and political life, provision of free and fair elections and independence of the judiciary; development of institutes of democracy and civil society which allow each citizen to participate in the social and political life and feel that his or her beliefs, points of view and interests influence government’s politics;

- protection of human dignity protection, person immunity and freedom of individual choice; strengthening of the secular state principles and freedom of conscience and rejection of all forms of anti-Semitism;

- conducting policies stimulating maximum integration and socialisation of people into economic, political and cultural life of Europe; gradual liquidation of barriers either in the society or between the states. Creation of a pan-European visa-free area...

YABLOKO-ELDR conference "Threats of Extremism and Xenophobia Among Youth: the Liberal Answer" adopted a resolution
Press Release, April 21, 2012.

Participants of the conference "Threats of Extremism and Xenophobia Among Youth: the Liberal Answer" adopted a resolution where they expressed their deep concern of noticeable rise of extremism and xenophobia among youth in almost all European countries.

Nevertheless, "liberal and democratic forces are capable of tackling these challenges basing their response on human rights, individual freedoms, respect for the individual, tolerance and civil and moral responsibility of each person"...

International Conference organised by ELDR and YABLOKO "Youth under Threat of Extremism and Xenophobia. A Liberal Response" to be held in Moscow on April 21
Press Release, April 17, 2012.

The European Party Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) and the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO will hold an international conference “Youth under Threat of Extremism and Xenophobia. A Liberal Response” on Saturday, April 21.

The conference will be opened by Dr.Sergei Mitrokhin, Chair of the YABLOKO party, Emil Kirjas, Secretary General of Liberal International, Dr. Marc Guerrero, ELDR Vice President, Vladimir Lukin, Russia’s Ombudsman and Dr. Astrid Thors, ELDR Vice President.

The conference will consist of four panels...

Rally held on the birthday of Vladimir Putin's censorship on TV
Press Release, April 14, 2012.

About 300 people took part in the rally "For the freedom of the media! Against the lies and censorship on TV! The rally was held by the Ostankino TV centre on April 14. The action began and ended with demonstrations. A column of YABLOKO activists led by party Chairman Sergei Mitrokhin marched from the metro station to the site of the rally despite the ban of the authorities on a march. In the end of the rally the participants made a “present” to "Putin's censorship" on its birthday.

April 14 is considered to be the birthday of Vladimir Putin's censorship on television. At night of April 13 on April 14, 2001, there was forceful change of the Board of the key Russian independent private television company NTV...

ALDE calls for EU wide visa ban on Russian officials involved in the Sergei Magnitsky case
Press Release, ALDE, April 11, 2012

The ALDE Group in the European Parliament has today launched a procedure inside the European Parliament seeking to establish a common EU list of officials responsible for the death of Sergei Magnitsky, for the subsequent judicial cover-up and for the on-going and continuing harassment of his mother and widow...

Shishlov elected as the Human Rights Commissioner in St. Petersburg
LI News Bulletin, Issue 278, April 13, 2012

Alexander Shishlov, member of Yabloko's (LI Full member) Bureau and LI Vice-President, was recently elected as Commissioner for Human Rights in St. Petersburg. His candidacy was supported by 45 out of a total of 50 deputies from St. Petersburg's Legislative Assembly. Speaking to parliamentarians Shishlov promised to focus on protection of labour rights, the rights of the most vulnerable groups of population, rights to education, medical care and a healthy environment. Commenting on his election Shishlov said "A Commissioner for Human Rights is not just a defender of those whose rights have been violated. It is a position that links the society with the government." He also spoke of his commitment to promoting dialogue and finding a common ground between public and government agencies and protecting citizens' rights in such a way as to create "an atmosphere of cooperation rather than mutual disputes and misunderstandings." Yabloko's leader Sergei Mitrokhin spoke about the global impact of the Arab Spring on the Russian political system at the recently convened 188th Executive Committee meeting of Liberal International in Barcelona.

MORE

Rainsy meets with LI Treasurer Eggleton in Ottawa
Egyptian Court rules in favour of suspension of Constituent Assembly
IFLRY Executive Committee meets in Budapest
Ouattara réussit à résoudre coup d'état militaire au Mali
Westerwelle: "Iran conflict is deadly serious"
Liberals back strong response to failing cease-fire in Syria
Bonino calls for a second march for liberation

Court dismissed a complaint on the arrest of YABLOKO’s Maria Kozhevatova
Press Release, April 4, 2012.

On April 4, The Kuibyshevsky District Court dismissed a complaint on the arrest of YABLOKO member Maria Kozhevatova arrested for ten days for her participation in the campaign in defense of the Article 31 (on the freedom of assembly) of the Russian Constitution.

During the hearings Judge Julia Trofimova questioned the witness A.Vinovkina, but did not consider her testimony, stating that "the witness was helping Kozhevatova”. Consequently, Kozhevatova will be held in prison until April 10...

An opposition march towards Ostankino television centre banned. A rally for the freedom of the media to take place by the television centre
Press Release, April 4, 2012.

The local authorities of the North-Western Administrative District of Moscow denied YABLOKO a permission to hold a march towards the Ostankino television centre on April 14. The officials proposed to the organizers to hold a rally instead. Also they limited the number of participants from 5,000 (as in YABLOKO’s application) to 200.

Initially it was planned to hold a march and a rally. The local authorities did not give any reasons for not giving a permission for the march...

Alexander Shishlov, member of YABLOKO Bureau, elected Commissioner for Human Rights in St. Petersburg
Press Release, April 4, 2012.

Alexander Shishlov, member of YABLOKO Bureau, is elected Commissioner for Human Rights in St. Petersburg; 45 deputies of St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly out of total 50 deputies supported his candidacy.

Speaking to parliamentarians Shishlov promised to focus on protection of labour rights, the rights of the most vulnerable groups of population, rights to education, medical care and a healthy environment.

He also highlighted protection of citizens' political rights – the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, the right to participate in governing - 'the rights and freedoms ensuring sustainable development and prosperity of the country in today’s world"...

Mitrokhin congratulated Eugeny Urlashov on winning the post of Mayor at elections in Yaroslavl
Press Release, April 2, 2012.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin congratulated Eugeny Urlashov on winning the post of Mayor at elections in Yaroslavl. "This is an important event for the whole of the opposition,” Mitrokhin said.

YABLOKO supported the candidacy of Eugeny Urlashov in the elections. About 100 YABLOKO’s observers from Moscow, Tver and Tula participated in the monitoring of the voting in the second round...

Despite of all the attempts to rig the elections, Eugeny Urlashov was supported by 69.65 per cent of the voters. His opponent Yakov Yakushev obtained 27.78 per cent of the votes.

Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the YABLOKO party, Russia
The Global Impact of the Arab Spring: fact or fiction
The case of Russia
LI Executive Committee, Barcelona, March 31, 2012

After the Arab Spring many people turned their views to Russia. Many people have been asking me if these developments resemble the Arab Spring. I will try to answer this question now.

What is the resemblance between Putin's governance and the ones of the toppled Arab leaders?

There is obviously a lot in common between the systems that existed in the Arab countries and Vladimir Putin's system in Russia.

First of all, it is a political monopoly and long-term governing of one person who is striving for a life-long rule. Secondly, it is political dominance of bureaucracy over society, and thirdly, presence of oligarchic groups (that are groups generating their profit from merger of government and business). Fourth, such a system is also characterised by huge corruption penetrating the entire state system.

These are the common traits between the Putin's system and the toppled systems in the Arab states.However, there are also large differences between political systems in Russia and the Arab states.

Putin's system is more flexible. And it is aiming at imitation of democracy. For example, it allows for more elements of the freedom of speech and provides more space to more or less independent media. Being more flexible Putin's system is more prepared to meet the challenges of the Internet than the authocratic Arab regimes...

LI Executive Committee, Barcelona, March 30-31, 2012

The 188th meeting of the Executive Committee of Liberal International took place on 30-31 March 2012 in Barcelona, Catalonia. The Catalan Group of Liberal International/Foundation 'Llibertad i democracia' hosedt the Executive Committee.

The first anniversary of the 'Arab Spring' was the general theme of the varuous panels and conferences that were related to the Executive Committee. Barcelona has yet again proven to be one of the best locations outside the Arab world to discuss the theme given its strategic position in the Mediterranean region, its history, the hosting of the headquarters of the 'Union for the Mediterranean'...