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New items of the server - May 2010
June 22, 2010

YABLOKO wins a case in the Constitutional Court

Press Release, June 22, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his satisfaction with the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation on the complaint from YABLOKO’s member Andrei Malitsky.

The Constitutional Court ruled out that some provisions on the Russian Federaiton law “On the Basic Guarantees of Franchise and the Right to Referendum” connected with a ban for the citizens residing in a foreign state to be members of electoral commissions. Being a Russian citizen Malitsky obtained in 2009 a residence permit in Lithuania. Due to this fact he was expelled from a territorial electoral commission in Moscow where he represented YABLOKO’s interests...

YABLOKO conducted the “1,418 Candles in Memory of the War” action in the Russian cities

Press Release, June 22, 2010.

YABLOKO’s activists conducted memory actions in different Russian cities on the night from June 21 to June 22, on the day of the 69th anniversary of the beginning o the Great Patriotic War (Ed. The term used in Russia and the CIS countries to describe the period of 1941-1945 of the Second World War, when Hilter invaded the USSR)...

June 21, 2010

Freedom of expression: EU should learn from Iceland

Press Release, ALDE, June 21, 2010

Europe must protect freedom of expression and press following the example of Iceland" said Marietje Schaake (D66, NL) during today's ALDE seminar on " Censorship and Self censorship" hosted with Alexander Lambsdorff (FDP, DE) which looked at challenges to freedom of expression, with a special focus on the role the internet plays and with the aim to be informed, and inspired by good practices, to be alerted to worst cases, and to consequently look at concrete ways to make Europe a safe haven for the free word, also online.

"Freedom of expression is under threat in Europe, which instead should be a model for the rest of the world. How can we credibly speak about a lack of freedom of expression in China or Iran if we don't apply the highest standards ourselves? Journalists, cartoonists, but also scientists are increasingly censored, or apply self-censorship, and in worst cases, individuals are not able to live in freedom after expressing certain opinions. This is unacceptable and that's why we should learn from Iceland where the most protective draft legislation for whistleblowers, confidential sources of journalists and libel-tourism prevention is being prepared." Schaake added

"No person should be afraid of the consequences when they freely express themselves. That would be contrary to European values we believe in and protect. ALDE defends the right to offend which is an essential part of freedom of expression, and we will stand with those who come under pressure to freely express their views, be they political, artistic or otherwise." said Alexander Lambsdorff...

Memory of the victims of the war is a part of personal genetic memory

Press Release, June 21, 2010.

On June 22 at 4 a.m. representatives of the Pskov regional branch of YABLOKO headed by their Chair Lev Shlosberg will pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Second World War at the Victory square by Eternal Flame. The activists will lay flowers to the Grave of the Unknown Soldier and light candles.

“Participation in this memorial action is a civil and not a party action,” Lev Shlosberg said. “This is an integral part of a personal genetic memory of a person, as well as genetic memory of the nation.” Party symbols will not be used in the action.

Grigory Yavlinsky to visit Kirov on June 24

Press Release, June 20, 2010.

Renown Russian politician and economist, one of the founders of the YABLOKO party and member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky will visit Kirov on June 24.

The first event in his programme will be a meeting with the public. Then Grigory Yavlinsky will deliver a lecture “Modernisation of Russia’s Economic and Political System” in the Vyatka State University. A meeting of Grigory Yavlinsky and Governor of the Kirov Region Nikita Belykh will take place at 2 p.m. A press-conference will be organised after the meeting. The closing event of the visit will be Grigory Yavlinsky’s meeting with the activists of the Kirov branch of the YABLOKO party...

Ombudsman against the interior and security forces

By Andrei Kolesnikov, Forbes Russia, June 18, 2010.

Mr. Lukin as Ombudsman is an experiment: a democrat of 1960s (Ed. The famous period of liberalisation in the Soviet Union) in the state structure of the Putin’s period. Will he survive or not? Will he bend or not? Will he merge with the surroundings or not? He survived, did not bend and did not merge...

But he unexpectedly presented an example of an honest politician in dishonest circumstances. There even emerged such an unconventional concept in politics as a conscience. And this is an awesome power. They all are afraid of that old honest man.

Belgium's EU Presidency well prepared despite election results

Press Release, ELDR, June 10, 2010

On Sunday 13 June, more than seven million Belgians were invited to cast their ballot in elections for both the House of Representatives and 40 seats in the Senate. These early elections were made necessary after the Belgian federal government, led by the Christian Democrat Prime Minister Yves Leterme, collapsed in April of this year over deadlock on economic questions as well as the lingering question of the electoral district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde - the last remaining in Belgium where it is possible to vote for either Dutch or French speaking political parties...

See also:YABLOKO's Sister-Parties

June 18, 2010

YABLOKO to light 1,418 candles in memory of the war

Press Release, June 18, 2010.

In the night from June 21 to June 22 (on the memory date when Hitler invaded the USSR) YABLOKO’s activists will hold an action “1,418 candles for each day of war” to commemorate the 69th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union of 1941-1945...

In St.Petersburg YABLOKO’s activists will light candles by the Blockade Ice-Hole where the citizens took water during blockade (Fontanka embankment 21) on June 22 at 4 a.m.
Traditional YABLOKO’s action “1,418 candles for each day of war” has been taking place in Moscow and St.Petersburg for several years already.

Liberals victorious in Dutch elections: difficult coalition talks ahead

Press Release, Liberal International,
Issue 188, June 17, 2010

The Dutch elections saw victories for both LI Full Members VVD and D66. VVD became the largest Dutch party for the first time since its foundation. VVD secured 20.5% of the popular vote, an increase of nearly 6%, while D66 more than doubled their support from 3% to 7%. VVD Leader Mark Rutte now faces difficult coalition talks due to the fragmented Dutch political landscape. The right-wing Freedom Party became third biggest and was regarded winner of the elections next to the VVD. Due to the big electoral gains of VVD and the Freedom Party, Rutte expressed his wish to start talks with the right-wing party and the Christian Democrats: “After all, the VVD and PVV won a total of 23 additional [seats] in the parliamentary elections. A coalition with them will be difficult, but not impossible”. Meanwhile, D66-leader Alexander Pechtold expressed his wish for a socialist-liberal coalition to “reform The Netherlands in a responsible manner. It will be a balanced and stabile coalition: something we need in times of economic troubles”...

More

Liberals victorious in Dutch elections: difficult coalition talks ahead
Past LI President Lord Alderdice new Convener in House of Lords
Keskusta elects new leader, Finland will have new female liberal PM
Westerwelle meets Clegg in Berlin: expresses concern about Kyrgyzstan
Democrat Party victorious in Bangkok local elections
Belgian liberals vow to rebuild liberal brand for Belgium
Ansip expresses Estonian ambitions at Reform Party General Assembly
Swedish People’s Party in Finland holds Congress
ADR Burundi leader arrested, and released ahead of mega-election year (Online only)
LI Human Rights Committee Convenes (Online only)

June 17, 2010

Oppositional journalist’s house burnt in the Saratov region

Press Release, June 17, 2010.

The house of Editor-in-Chief of the Ogni Povolzhiya (Lights of the Volga) newspaper and member of the Regional Council of the Saratov branch of YABLOKO Salimzhan Gaisin was burned on the night of June 15. His daughter and son in law and their two children managed to get out of the burning house. A newly built house and an adjacent old building completely burt out. YABLOKO expresses support of the colleague and considers this accident as obviously of criminal nature.

“We connect this not only with the journalistic activity, but also with a pro-active attitude and human rights activities by Salimzhan Gaisin, who conducted numerous anti-corruption investigations, revealed facts of abuse of power by local officials and identified numerous violations of election law,” runs the statement by the Bureau of the Saratov branch of YABLOKO...

Modernisation Versus Stagnation?

By Sergei Mitrokhin
Politkom.ru, June 15, 2010

Part 2

Here we are appraoching the problem of overcoming the totalitarian past, which was solved by all the countries in transition from totalitarianism to democracy. And each case dealt not simply with exposing of totalitarian leaders and parties, but in parallel with this it dealt with eradication of the social habits carrying the inertia of totalitarianism. We have not virtually solved this problem...

June 16, 2010

Russian and European Integration

Speech by Sergei Mitrokhin
Liberal International Executive Committee
Berlin, June 11, 2010

Announcing a policy towards modernisation in Russia President of Russia put himself in line with a number of Russian rulers-reformers who aspired to perform radical transformations in the country. Some specific traits of this policy resemble those of his predecessors. The President understands modernisation primarily as acceleration of scientific and technological development. With some reservations about the need for political reform, the latter look like a number of quite shallow and very systematic activities...

Modernisation Versus Stagnation?

By Sergei Mitrokhin
Politkom.ru, June 15, 2010

Part 1

Announcing a policy towards modernisation in Russia President of Russia put himself in line with a number of Russian rulers-reformers who aspired to perform radical transformations in the country. Some specific traits of this policy resemble those of his predecessors. The President understands modernisation primarily as acceleration of scientific and technological development. With some reservations about the need for political reform, the latter look like a number of quite shallow and very systematic activities...

Svetlana Kuznetsova, head of the Soldiers’ Mothers faction on amendments to the law on the military service submitted to the Russian parliament

Press Release, June 9, 2010.

Svetlana Kuznetsova, head of the Soldiers’ Mothers faction in the YABLOKO party, says that “YABLOKO is categorically against the amendments referring to a legalized “buy-out” from the army service, as they are discriminatory and targeted at commercialization of the army. The authors of the amendments say that the state does not have enough money for a contract-based army; whereas every such one million roubles [about USD 30,000 paid by a young person wishing to avoid mandatory military service] will suffice for maintenance of two contract soldiers. Since 2001 YABLOKO has been insisting that the state has enough money on a contract army and our economists can prove that”...

June 15, 2010

Action against mandatory army conscription took place by the Ministry of Defence

Press Release, June 15, 2010

Action against mandatory army conscription organised by the Youth YABLOKO took place by the Ministry of Defence on June 15. Ten YABLOKO’s activists were holding a slogan “How many of us should die so that you abolish mandatory army conscription?” and also chanted “Away with mandatory army conscription, let’s transfer to a contract conscription!”...

...The picket resumed at the Gogol Boulvalrd. The organiser of the action Kirill Gontcharov stated that incessant chain of deaths of young conscripts made YABLOKO to hold such an action. He also noted that “due to corruption only children from poor families serve in the army”. “Instead of defending our motherland our soldiers have to build country houses for generals and clean water closets,” he added. He also said that “harassment of subordinates became a symbol of the Russian army”...

YABLOKO’s leader made a speech at the Executive Committee of Liberal International

Press Release, June 13, 2010

On June 11 YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin made a speech at the Executive Committee of Liberal International in Berlin. As Sergei Mitrokhin’s speech was scheduled in the agenda item “Human Rights in the Authoritarian States”, he spoke about police breaking YABLOKO’s picket by the Russian parliament which was conducted against adoption of the law “on preventive measures against extremism”, as well as breaking of a peaceful rally on the Triumfalnaya square in Moscow on May 31.

The participants of the Executive Committee also received Sergei Mitrokhin’s report “Russia and European Integration”. In this report YABLOKO’s leader once again stressed the necessity to work out a single strategy for EU interaction with Russia, which should be based on integration, rather than confrontation. According to Mitrokhin, the first step in realisation of this strategy would be introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and the European Union.
Another example of realization of this uniform strategy, runs the report, may be the Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence system (ABM) as a joint project of the RF and NATO countries. “Both the West and Russia will profit from such cooperation and lose from confrontation, as democracy can not develop in anti-Western hysteria”, Mitrokhin stressed.

The report also indicates that cooperation between Russia and the European Union should take place in the field of environmental safety too.

According to Mitrokhin, “the present political and economic situation in the country can be characterised as the ongoing stagnation which began under Putin. Russia’s modernisation announced by President Medvedev has been taking place in words only”...

European Liberals congratulate their two Dutch member parties with their fantastic election results

Press Release, ELDR, June 10, 2010

The VVD has won the Dutch parliamentary elections on Wednesday 9 June, becoming the number one party in the Netherlands for the first time in its 62 year history, with 20.4% of the votes. The election night started with exit polls showing the Liberals and Labour running neck-and-neck, but when 90% of the votes were counted the VVD took the lead with 31 seats (an increase of 9 seats) against 30 for Labour, which lost three seats.

VVD Leader Mark Rutte, who is expected to become the next Prime Minister, made a victory speech in the early hours of Thursday 10 June: "During the campaign, we have tirelessly tried to convince people of our convictions how to get our country out of the crisis. This result gives our party an obligation which we can all sense. We will respect the result and the trust which the voters have given us." The VVD campaigned with the slogan "putting affairs in order," calling for a stop to reckless public spending and a rigorous budget cut to ensure sustainable state finances.

The Dutch voters, however, have given a difficult task to Mark Rutte as the political landscape remains fragmented and any government coalition will have to consist of at least three parties.

The other ELDR member party, the social liberal D66 obtained 7% of the votes and more than tripled its number of seats, from 3 to 10. D66 achieved the highest result in Wageningen, the hometown of its Political leader Alexander Pechtold; 15%.

ELDR President Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck MEP: "I am thrilled to see that both our Dutch member parties have achieved such good results. It confirms our conviction that citizens expect leadership in these times of crisis and support parties which are not afraid to implement liberal reforms and tough measures to achieve again a sustainable budget."

June 11, 2010

YABLOKO’s activists arrested by the Russian parliament for picketing against the FSB law finally released, however, are facing a trial

Press Release, June 11, 2010.

..Major Brezhnev personally participated in detaining Grokhovsky: first he dragged Artur to the police car and then hit him in the belly. Now Anton is heading to the hospital to certify the bruises.

Grokhovsky also told that in February he had been already arrested by the same policeman for one-person picketing. Due to the video recording made by YABLOKO Grokhovsky was acquitted by the court then. Grokhovsky hopes that the court will acquit the activists this time too, as the action was also recorded...

Liberal International to discuss arbitrary actions of Moscow police in breaking YABLOKO's picket

Press Release, June 11, 2010.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his indignation with police breaking of YABLOKO’s one-person picket and arresting the activists protesting against the amendments to the law on the Federal Security Service (former KGB) by the Russian parliament building. No permission or coordination with authorities is required for conducting one-person pickets in accordance with the Russian law. Nevertheless the picket was brutally broken and the activists were arrested.

Mitrokhin said that actions by police officers who arrested the activist holding the placard, as well as three other activists who were standing by were a rude violation of the Constitution and the law “On assemblies, meetings, demonstrations and pickets”...

Action “Preventing Extremism” brutally broken by police

Press Release, June 11, 2010. Video, photos.

Action against introduction of amendments on the law on the Federal Security Service (the former KGB), which YABLOKO attempted to hold today by the building of the State Duma (the Russian Parliament) was brutally broken by police. Despite of the fact that it was a one-person picketing (four activists had to replace each other in turn) and did not require any permissions or notifications from the authorities, four YABLOKO’s activists were arrested and taken to the local police department and a placard depicting the head of KGB Felix Dzerzhinsky, the closest accomplice of Stalin in setting terror in the country Lavrenty Beria, and Vladimir Putin and bearing a the words "The KGB people vote FOR it!" was confiscated.

On June 11, at 9.30 am, half an hour before the plenary session the Russian parliament had to start, First Deputy Chair of the Moscow Yabloko Galina Mikhalyova took her place by the main entrance to the parliament building with a placard depicting Felix Dzerzhinsky, Lavrenty Beria and Vladimir Putin against a black ground and a hand voting for them. “The law on preventing extremism. The KGB people vote FOR it!" ran the slogan under the picture. The Russian parliament will discuss this draft law in the first reading today...

Journalist and YABLOKO member Yuri Schekochikhin would have turned 60 today…

Grigory Yavlinsky’s letter to Vsevolod Bogdanov, Chair of Russia’s Journalists Union, June 9, 2010.

Yuri Schekochikhin is an event in the lives of all of us, an event both in our journalism and in politics. Whatever he did - wrote play scripts, engaged in journalist investigation or worked as a Russian parliament member – all was very different from how other people did this, all had an imprint of his personality, talent and his understanding of freedom and justice.

Yuri Petrovich was not merely a politician in the ordinary sense or the word, he understood life as the one who had the ability to transform it. A special atmosphere always emerged around him, and there was place for different people by his side. And he still unites us all, we do not simply keep memories of him, but feel his presence in our life.

Yuri Schekochikhin has always been and remains our friend.

Sincerely,
Grigory Yavlinsky

June 10, 2010

Verhofstadt congratulates Dutch Liberal parties on election success

Press Release, ALDE, June 10, 2010

Guy VERHOFSTADT, President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament, today sent his congratulations to both Liberal parties on their outstanding election results in the Netherlands.

"The victory of VVD in topping the polls will bring another Prime Minister to the Liberal table in Europe and marks an historic achievement for the Party. The 31 seats that Mr Rutte's party gained in the national parliament will provide a strong base for taking the necessary, if tough, measures on the economy to create growth and job opportunities in the longer term."

"Alexander Pechtold's D66 also did exceptionally well in more than tripling their score of parliamentarians. I look forward to working with both parties in the months and years ahead."

June 7, 2010

Action in memory of Larissa Yudina took place by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow

Press Release, June 7, 2010

Today, on June 7, on the tragic anniversary of the murder of leader of Kalmyk YABLOKO and oppositional journalist Larissa Yudina took place by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow. The participants of the action demanded to release the names of those who ordered the murder of Larissa Yudina, who, according to YABLOKO’s data, were determined by the investigation. “We can not rule out that [President of the Republic] Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was the one who personally ordered the murder,” Sergei Mitrokhin said at the picket.

Today it is the 12th anniversary since the murder of Larissa Yudina, the leader of Kalmyk YABLOKO, editor-in-chief of Sovietskaya Kalmykia Segodnya and main opponent of the President of the Republic Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. On this day YABLOKO’s activists brought portraits of their murdered colleague and lit candles by the Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia in Moscow...

Mitrokhin promised that YABLOKO will hold the action by Representation of the Republic of Kalmykia every year until those who ordered the murder are punished.

Flash mob in protection of the Lake Baikal at the Red Square

Press Release. June 5, 2010. Video, photographs.

On June 5, the World Environment Day, the activists of the YABLOKO party conducted a flash mob at the Red Square. YABLOKO’s activists carried a large white banner showing the Lake Baikal chanting "Hands off of the Lake Baikal!" The same slogan was printed on their shirts. However, this march was broken by police and all the participants of the action were taken to the police station.

YABLOKO submits application dispute lawfulness of the recently adopted General Plan of Moscow Development

Press Release. June 7, 2010

Today, on June 7, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin submitted an application to the Moscow City Court disputing lawfulness of the General Plan of Moscow Development. Mitrokhin asks the court to recognise adoption of the General Plan of Moscow Development null and void....

June 4, 2010

On June 7, 2010, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will start litigation in the Moscow City Court disputing lawfulness of the General Plan of Moscow Development

Press Release. June 4, 2010

On Monday, June 7, 2010, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will start litigation in the Moscow City Court disputing lawfulness of the General Plan of Moscow Development. “The conclusion of the state expertise was signed on December 22, 2009, a month after the draft General Plan of Moscow Development was submitted to the Moscow City Duma. This fact alone will suffice for abrogation, however, in our statement we indicate a number of other procedural violations,” Sergei Mitrokhin said...

YABLOKO’s leader to visit Nizhni Novgorod

Press Release. June 4, 2010

On Saturday, June 5, YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will visit Nizhni Novgorod. As part of his mission, Mitrokhin and political scientists and businessmen from Nizhny Novgorod will take part in a roundtable discussion "Environmental and political situation in Russia. The upcoming elections in autumn 2010”. The event will be held at the Higher School of Economics from 09:30 to 10:40. Then Sergei Mitrokhin, will participate in a press conference for regional journalists devoted to the elections. The press conference will take place in the Interfax office (beginning at 11:00).

Then YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and Chair YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction Acad. Alexei Yablokov will conduct a picket against the raising of the water level in the Cheboksary reservoir. Members of the environmental organization Dront will also participate in the picket...

Destruction of nature has been accelerating

Statement by the YABLOKO party. June 4, 2010

The biosphere of our planet has not improved for the past year. We have been facing dangerous ongoing climate change, deterioration of the condition of the world ocean, shrinking biodiversity, disappearance of the rain forests, aging nuclear power stations and proliferation of nuclear weapons threaten us with another Chernobyl, chemical contamination and the spread of GMOs. Influential international bodies – the G-8 and the G-20, the World Bank, the European and the Asian Banks of Reconstruction and Development - declaring the importance of preserving the planet's ecosystems in words, virtually support quick-profit technologies detrimental on nature.

Lack of stringent environmental control over implementation of commercial projects at the national and the international level leads to a terrible disasters like that we observe in the Gulf of Mexico...

Ombudsman Lukin: Rallies can not be “unsanctioned”

Human Rights in Russia, hro.org. June 2, 2010

Russia’s Ombudsman and one of the founders of the YABLOKO party Vladimir Lukin says that the heads of the interior should apologise before the participants of the rally they arrested at the Triunfalnaya Square, Moscow. He also refuses to sign an agreement on cooperation with the Interior Ministry until this is done, runs the BBC service.

Lukin has also prepared or is going to prepare and submit to the heads of the state proposals on “normalisation of the situation with conducting rallies,” Grani.ru informs with a reference to the Echo Moskvi radio station. Lukin announced this while commenting on police breaking of the action held in protection of Article 31 of the Constitution of Russia which guarantees freedom of assembly. “The Russian law does not contain such words as “sanctioned” or “unsanctioned”, and all the talk about sanctions are purely subjective,” Lukin stated. He also added that the heads of the Interior Ministry should conduct a thorough investigation of the events at the Triumfalnaya Square in Moscow on May 31.

Lukin also reiterated that he himself had been present at the rally and “can state that the law enforcement acted in an extremely tough and rude manner”. He also noted that on the same day the authorities gave a permission to conduct “a ‘gala-medical’ action”; whereas all the participants of this action were allowed to conduct a rally in the centre of Moscow from early in the morning till late at night...

Ombudsman’s Report for 2009 published

Press Release. May 28, 2010

Russia’s Ombudsman and one of the founders of the YABLOKO party Vladimir Lukin published Report - 2009. The Report deals with the most acute problems of human rights in Russia, provides information on Ombudsman’s activities, including dealing with citizens’ requests, interaction with the state bodes and civil society institutes, analysis of the present law in the field of human rights, as well as proposals on its further development. The key factor determining the composition of Lukin’s Report was the dynamics of developments in the field of human rights in Russia...

June 3, 2010

The murderer of the leader of the Dagestan YABLOKO sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment

newsru.com. June 3, 2010

According to Interfax, the Supreme Court of Dagestan sentenced Rakhil Mamedrezayaev to 15 years of imprisonment in the colony of strict regime, the Jury found Mamedrezayaev guilty of murder of Farid Babayev, the leader of the Dagestan YABLOKO, and unlawful keeping of guns.

The state prosecution asked the court to sentence the accused to 12 years of imprisonment in accordance with Article 105 of the Criminal Code (murder) and to additional five years of imprisonment in accordance with Article 222 of the Criminal Code (unlawful weapons-bearing and keeping of guns). Considering this fact, the Jury acknowledged the accused deserving leniency, the prosecutor asked to give him 16 years in total...

A long silence by the head of the state

Nezavisimaya Gazeta. June 3, 2010

Yesterday the European Union publicly expressed its concern over the situation with human
rights in Russia. Such a statement was made by deputy head of the EU delegation in Russia Michael Webb. On the threashold of the Rostov-Don summit Moscow police brutally supressed an opposition rally. The head of state in the meantime did not respond to both of the developments. NG experts comment that Dmitry Medvedev is deliberately disassociating himself from the urgent problems. They note that Premier Vladimir Putin does not avoid the human rights topic.

Michael Webb of the EU mission said at the news conference in Rostov-on-Don that the European Union was particularly upset by the “situation with human rights activists and murders of journalists in Russia”. “We have also expressed our concern with the fact that the crimes committed by the law enforcement go unpunished,” Webb added...

June 2, 2010

Moscow YABLOKO delegated its representatives to the Consultative Council under the Moscow City Duma

Press Release. June 2, 2010

Yesterday, on June 1, the Regional Council of the Moscow YABLOKO once again examined the issue of YABLOKO’s participation in the Consultative Council under the Moscow City Duma. It was decided to delegate two YABLOKO’s representatives to the Consultative Council.

Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO Sergei Mitrokhin and member of the Regional Council Elena Morozova were elected out of five candidacies by secret ballot...

June 1, 2010

YABLOKO demands raising of children’s allowances to the subsistence minimum at picketing by the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development

Press Release. June 1, 2010

Today, on the International Children’s Day, the YABLOKO party conducted a series of one-person pickets by the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development demanding raising of children’s allowances to the child’s subsistence minimum. YABLOKO’s activists demonstrated what a person can buy with child’s allowance amounting to RUR 750 (approximately USD 25 per month).

The Moscow authorities did not give their permit to conduct this action. The activists held placards “Raise the allowance to the subsistence minimum!” and “Subsistence minimum of RUR 7,006 = children’s allowance of RUR 750?”...

On the death of Andrei Voznesensky

Condolences by Sergei Mitrokhin
June 1, 2010

Andrei Voznesensky symbolized for many people not only a new word not only in poetry, but also in life. Bright, free and always in search of new forms he long ago became a part of our modern culture, turned into its history.

I express my deep condolences to his spouse Zoya Boguslavskaya, friends and next-of-kin of outstanding poet Andrei Voznesensky.

Sincerely,
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party

Breaking up of rallies means professional incompetence of the Russian government

Statement by the YABLOKO party. June 1, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO consders the reaction of the authorities to the protest actions that took place in Moscow, St.Petersburg and other Russian cities yesterday be unacceptable and absurd.

A deliberately tough use of obviously superior police forces against the groups of citizens who simply expressed their opinion without endangering anyone’s security represents a proof of inability of state officials, top officials inclusive, to adequately assess the situation in the country...

Nomination of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s candidacy by the Russian Chess Federation to the post of FIDE President means a disgrace for Russia

Decision of YABLOKO’s Bureau from May 22, 2010. May 31, 2010

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO has already made several statements that Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s regime in the Republic of Kalmykia is one of the ugliest developments in Russia’s political history of the past two decades representing a disgusting mixture of authoritarian rule, corruption and criminal.

Fight against this regime has in 1998 taken the life of Larissa Yudina, Chair of the Kalmyk regional branch of YABLOKO, and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s aid was found guilty of this murder. The political responsibility for this crime lies, in our view, completely on Kirsan Ilyumzhinov...

 

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