A rally in protection of small business

Press Release, May 14, 2013

On May 26, the Russian Entrepreneur’s Day, YABLOKO will conduct a rally in protection of small business. The part has already applied for a permission for the action to the Moscow Mayor’s Office.

Entrepreneurs from Moscow, Samara and Tver will participate in the action.

Preliminary it is planned that the rally should take place in the centre of Moscow in Novopushkinskiy Garden.

The time of the rally will be announced after getting a permission from the Moscow authorities.

YABLOKO has been conducting a rally in protection of small business on May 26 for several years already.

YABLOKO and European democrats discussed the relations between Russia and the EU and supported Russian NGOs

Press Release, May 8, 2013

The YABLOKO party, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), Swedish People's Party in Finland and the Swedish International Liberal Centre (SILC) held in Helsinki a seminar entitled "The Future of EU-Russia Relations: the Liberal View".

The seminar was attended by 250 people from Russia, Finland and other European countries - politicians, civil society activists, political scientists, experts, journalists and students. Representatives of Russian non-governmental organisations (GOLOS, the Moscow Helsinki Group), and independent press ("Novaya Gazeta") that were subject to increasing pressure from the authoritarian government were also invited to the seminar.

The European Union was represented by Carl Haglund, Minister of Defence of Finland and leader of the Swidish People’s Party, Kristiina Ojuland, MEP, and Nils Torvalds, MEP, Astrid Thors, member of the Finnish Parliament and Vice-President of ALDE and Martin Angeby, Secretary-General of the Swedish International Liberal Centre.

Grigory Yavlinsky, founder and one of YABLOKO’s leaders, delivered a key report "Russia in Ten Years." Valery Borschev, Chairman of YABLOKO’s Human Rights Faction and member of the Moscow Helsinki Group, and Galina Mikhaleva, Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee, participated in panel discussions on human rights in Russia, and trade and economic relations between Russia and the EU.

Grigory Yavlinsky stressed in his speech that only cooperation and integration of Russia and the EU will allow both the sides to take a decent place in the world of the 21st century, and give them the opportunity to compete with the North American and Asian world economic growth centers in the nearest perspective. According to YABLOKO’s leader, the main obstacles for Russia’s integration into Europe are Russia’s domestic problems, such as "primitive authoritarianism", corruption and "deformation of the principle of freedom of conscience"...

YABLOKO pays tribute to the Second World War soldiers on the Victory Day

Press Release, May 9, 2013

On the 68th anniversary of the Victory over fascism YABLOKO leaders and supporters of the party paid tribute to the heroes of the Second World War by laying wreaths and flowers at the Eternal Flame at the mass grave at Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery in Moscow. Thousands of Muscovites - soldiers and officers who died during the Second World War - are buried here. Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery has become a traditional place for YABLOKO for paying tribute to those fallen in the war. YABLOKO activists have been coming here for several years already.

The ceremony was attended by YABLOKO Chairman Sergei Mitrokhin, members of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Alexei Arbatov, Sergei Ivanenko and Grigory Yavlinsky.

YABLOKO leaders laid a wreath and flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Press Release, May 8, 2013

On the eve of the Victory Day of May 9, activists and leaders of the YABLOKO party paid tribute to the soldiers and victims of the Second World War laying a wreath and flowers at the Eternal Flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall in Moscow.

YABLOKO Chair Sergei Mitrokhin, the members of YABLOKO’s Political Committee Alexei Arbatov, Sergei Ivanenko and Grigory Yavlinsky, Bureau members Anatoly Golov and Valery Goryachev, as well as members and supporters of the party took part in the ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of victory over fascism.

On May 9 YABLOKO will take part in ceremony at Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery where thousands of Muscovites - soldiers and officers who died in the war – are buried.

The ceremony will begin at 12:00. Gathering of the participants is at 11:30. Address: Preobrazhenskiy val, dom 17 A (metro station Preobrazhenskaya Ploschad).

YABLOKO leader proposed a strategy for the opposition at the rally in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow

Press Release, May 6, 2013

Speaking at a mass rally in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow, YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin urged democratically minded people to go to polling stations and make the elections honest, rather than ask the authorities for fair and honest elections.

"There is nothing to discuss with these authorities, they resist a dialogue, it is absolutely hopeless to ask something from the authorities, to demand something from them, it is even pointless to scold or criticize them. The only thing that makes sense is to change the government. It's time to change the power and take it into our hands," said Sergei Mitrokhin...

...According to Mitrokhin, a single from the opposition in the gubernatorial elections in the Moscow Region should be Gennady Gudkov [ousted from the Duma and the Just Russia party for his oppositional views].

Mitrokhin also said that a single list of candidates from the opposition should be nominated for the Moscow City Duma elections as well...

St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO at a democratic manifestation and a rally of May 6

Press Release, May 6, 2013

A traditional May Day Democratic Manifestation was held along Nevsky Prospekt and ended with a rally at Konnyushennaya Square. This year the main slogan of the manifestation was "For Russia Free from Political Reprisals and Religious Obscurantism!"

The democratic manifestation was prepared and conducted by an organizational committee formed on the basis of the Democratic Petersburg coalition. According to different estimates, the number of participants of the manifestation amounted to 1.5 - 2 thousand people.

The rally meeting at at Konnyushennaya Square was opened by Alexander Kobrinsky, deputy of the Legislative Assembly from the YABLOKO party...

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...

Consultations of democratic organisations on the threashold of the Moscow City Duma elections go on

Press Release, April 25, 2013

Yesterday, representatives of democratic parties and organisations gathered for their second meeting in one of Moscow clubs to discuss nomination of a single list in the Moscow City Duma elections.

Representatives of from the YABLOKO party and YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin, RPR-Parnas (Vladimir Ryzhkov), Democratic Choice (Vladimir Milov), the Civil Initiative (Nikolai Alekseyev), the Solidarity (Michael Schneider) and the Coordinating Council of the opposition (Gennady Gudkov) participated in the meeting. This time new participants joined the meeting: representatives of the The Party of December 5 (Denis Bilunov and Sergei Davidis), the Civil Initiative, the Civil Federation movement and The White Ribbon joined the consultations.

The participants agreed to conduct regular meetings so that to coordinate candidates in single-mandate electoral districts and actions targeted at the increase of voter turnout, as well as possible agreements on the general list. A working group comprising one representative from each organisation was formed. The tasks of the working group are to formulate the agenda and possible solutions for the next meeting in an expanded format. The YABLOKO party delegated Galina Mikhaleva, First Deputy Chair of the Moscow branch of the party, to the working group. The first meeting of the working group will be held this Saturday, on April 27...

Mitrokhin about political prisoners: "As long as at least one of them is in jail, any one from us can be the next"

Press Release, April 17, 2013

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin called to pay close attention to the Russian regions where dozens of people had been persecuted for political reasons. He made such a statement at a rally against the political reprisals that took place in Moscow on April 17.

Sergei Mitrokhin recalled journalist Michael Beketov who was attacked and severely injured in 2008 and died of severe injuries in April 2013. The names of those who ordered this crime were known, but they were not arrested. Also many cases of murdered journalists and public figures remained unsolved, Mitrokhin said.

"What should be done to make our law enforcement system work and so that it stopped being so sluggish and inert, amorphous and unclear? One should simply start to really fight against corruption, as Alexei Navalny has begun doing or Maxim Petlin, leader of the Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO, who was imprisoned for disclosing a corruption scheme of Yekaterinburg authorities"...

The court ordered the Department of Justice to register YABLOKO’s branch in North Ossetia

Press Release, April 23, 2013

On April 22, the Vladikavkaz Court declared unlawful the refusal of the Ministry of Justice Department in North Ossetia-Alania Republic to register the regional branch of the YABLOKO party in the Republic.

"The refusal of the Ministry of Justice Department in North Ossetia-Alania Republic to register the regional branch of the YABLOKO party should be recognised unlawful and cancelled,” runs the decisions of the court.

The court also ordered the Ministry of Justice of the Republic to register a YABLOKO’s regional branch and pass all the documents required for registration to the fiscal authority...

Democrats discussed the Moscow City Duma Elections

Press Release, April 11, 2013

On April 10, the YABLOKO party held a meeting for representatives of democratic parties and organizations. The meeting discussed YABLOKO’s proposal on compiling of a single list of democratic candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections 2014. Earlier YABLOKO had proposed to give half of places on its party list to the candidates from democratic forces.
Members of the Democratic Choice party and their leader Vladimir Milov, representatives of the Solidarity movement and RPR-PARNAS, activists from Grazhdanskaya Initsiativa (Civil Initiative) and their leader Andrei Nechayev, Gennady Gudkov , member of the opposition's Coordination Council, and Ilya Ponomaryov, deputy of the State Duma, took part in the meeting. Opening the meeting YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin spoke about YABLOKO’s initiative on creating a broad democratic and civil coalition for the Moscow City Duma elections. YABLOKO proposed to conduct primaries, where all the Muscovites could participate; whereas the winners in the primaries would be included into the YABLOKO party list of candidates and in single-mandate electoral districts. Sergei Mitrokhin emphasized that if the parties reached an agreement, YABLOKO would ready to take their representatives on the “party’s” part of the electoral list...

YABLOKO again attacked by Vladimir Putin’s supporters

Press Release, Video, April 18, 2013

On April 17, another rally organised by Vladimir Putin’s supporters took place by the office of the Krasnodar branch of YABLOKO in the South of Russia. It is already the 15th such rally held under the slogan “Hands off from Vladimir Putin!” taking place by YABLOKO’s office...

Resoulution
On the results of the Conference “Migration: International Experience and Russia’s Problems” conducted by the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (the ALDE party)

Moscow, April 6, 2013

The Russian participants of the conference – representatives of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO – basing on the discussions of the conference state the following:

Migration represents a natural development in the globalised world of the 21st century. However, the threat is represented by systemic problems in the states – the shadow economy and corruption, lack of the rule of law, encouragement of nationalistic moods and violation of human rights, - rather than migration in itself.

We are certain the problems related to migration can be resolved in compliance with international conventions, proceeding from such principles as human rights, tolerance, respect for the individual, responsibility, free and fair competition and secularism.

We believe that in the short term Russia must ratify Convention No 143 of the International Labour Organisation “On Migrations in Abusive Conditions and the Promotion of Equality of Opportunity and Treatment of Migrant Workers” (Geneva, June 24, 1975) and International Convention “On the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families” (New York, December 18, 1990)...

Sergei Mitrokhin: “Putin must make them investigate the Mikhail Beketov case

Press Release, April 11, 2013

Civil funeral service in memory of journalist and public activist Mikhail Beketov took place at the House of Journalists today. Mikhail Beketov was a Russian journalist who combated against crime and corruption in the city of Khimki (including defence of Khimki Forest which had to be cut due the construction of the Moscow–Saint Petersburg highway). Beketov was attacked and severely injured by “unidentified persons” in 2008. As a result his leg and fingers on the left hand were amputated, he lost speech and became handicapped. The attackers have not been found. He died in hospital of complications due to brain damage at the age of 55 on 8 April 2013...

“Mikhail Beketov struggled face to face against the crime in Khimki, and there are a few people like him, however, there are a lot of journalists among these few. This list [of murdered journalists] coincides with the list of unsolved murders. The investigators know the name of the person who ordered this crime, but there is no will so that to bring this person to justice. The tragedy of our country is that outright criminals are in power now. Mikhail stood in their way and was murdered. President Putin should have sent not only his condolences, but had to keep up his promise and take the case under his control. What else but death can become a reason for this? May the memory to a great person Mikhail Beketov live forever,” said Sergei Mitrokhin...

International conference on migration problems takes place in Moscow

Press Release, April 6, 2013

The way towards an efficient migration policy should go through the solution of major Russia’s problems: separation of business from government, building of a law-governed and democratic state, said YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin at the opening of an international conference on Migration. The conference, organized by the YABLOKO party and the ALDE party was held in Moscow on April 6...

Four panel discussions were held within the framework of the conference: “Migration dynamics and its political, economic and cultural consequences”, “Integration of migrants of the first and further generations: positive and negative experience”, “Restraining and regulatory mechanisms: different countries’ experiences and international cooperation” and “Regulation of migration: the tasks of the state and the society”. The reports were made by Russian and foreign experts and politicians...

YABLOKO nominated 1550 candidates to Saint Petersburg electoral commissions

Press Release, April 11, 2013

The St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO nominated 1550 candidates to the electoral commissions in all the districts of the city. The registration of documents in the electoral commissions is ending today.
“All of our candidates are well educated and active citizens and their main goal is to ensure compliance with the law at their electoral districts. Unfortunately YABLOKO’s representatives were not welcome at all the territorial electoral commissions” said Olga Pokrovskaya, member of the city electoral commission.

In particular, one of the territorial electoral commissions demanded statements of income from YABLOKO’s candidates (which is not envisaged by the law), another commission demanded that the copies of the work record books should be changed as allegedly they had not been properly notorised...

The authorities in Kemerovo feared Acad. Alexei Yablokov’s lecture

Press Release, April 4, 2013

On April 3 Acad. Alexei Yabloko, Chair of YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction and member of YABLOKO’s Political Committee, delivered a public lecture "Environmental problems of Russia" in the Kemerovo business center and held an informal meeting with representatives of public and scientific organisations during his trip to the Kemerovo region.

Alexei Yablokov’s visit aroused concern of the local authorities: a formal invitation to deliver two lectures on environmental issues in the Kemerovo State University was withdrawn, as the “lecture halls were occupied”. The second public lecture by Alexei Yablokov "Ecology and Health" scheduled at the Business Center for April 4 was cancelled a few hours before it had to begin due to the "collapse of the ceiling in the conference room"...

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"...

YABLOKO files a lawsuit against the electoral commission members and the policeman who beat woman observer

Press Release, March 26, 2013

The YABLOKO party is filing a lawsuit against the electoral commission members and the policeman who beat woman observer in an attempt to snatch a falsified final protocol of the voting given to her. The incident occurred late last night at polling station No 02-13 after the counting of votes in the mayoral election of Anapa. Alexandra Garkusha, aged 23, an observer from the YABLOKO party, together with representatives from other parties and candidates was given a falsified final protocol of the voting by the commission members. The document had no legal force and could not form a basis for filing a case in court.

Alexandra Garkusha drew the attention of the Commission to this fact and refused to sign for the receipt of such a protocol. After that, the commission members expressed their dissatisfaction in extremely disproportionate aggression and attacked Alexandra trying to snatch the protocol from her hands. According to the witnesses, Irina Tropina, Chair of the Electoral Commission, was the most aggressive attacker encouraging her subordinates to more violence...

Mayoral elections in Anapa: YABLOKO leader demands from head of the Central Electoral Commission to cancel the results of the elections

Press Release, March 26, 2013

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin demanded from Vladimir Churov, head of the Central Election Commission, to cancel the results of the mayoral elections in Anapa, the Krasnodar Territory, held on Sunday. The number of cases of stuffing of fraudulent ballots does not allow a genuine expression of voters’ will to be determined. Information about all the facts of fraud was also sent to the Central Electoral Commission...

Gross violations began already on Friday, when road police detained a coach that had to transport YABLOKO and independent observers from Taganrog to Anapa...

However, on the voting day about 20 cars with about a hundred of YABLOKO’s observers could not get to the polling stations by their opening time 8 a.m., due to blocking of the road by the police and a staged “car accident” on the road Sukko-Anapa...

“All this was done so that our observers could not get to the polling station to their opening and so that to do unhampered stuffing of ballots in favour of Sergei Sergeyev, United Russia candidate and ex police head whom Governor Tkachyov wanted to see as Anapa Mayor,” said Sergei Mitrokhin who also visited the “accident site”.

Voting demonstrated different violations – from stuffing of ballots to ousting of observers from polling stations, ban on filming, as well as threats and physical violence against observers.

See the video of violence against a woman observer Alexandra Gorkusha...

An attack was undertaken against Sergei Mitrokhin. An unidentified person sprayed some green liquid in the face of YABLOKO’s leader at one of the polling stations. The liquid got onto his neck and arms. An emergency doctor wiped the paint from the skin, but advised Sergei Mitrokhin to go to hospital for further observation, since "anything could have been mixed into the liquid"...

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.

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"...

ALDE and YABLOKO to conduct a conference on migration problems

Press Release, March 20, 2013

International conference on migration problems will take place in Moscow on April 6. The organizers are the ALDE Party (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) and YABLOKO’s Political Committee.

The conference will discuss the following topics:

- migration dynamics and its political, economic and cultural consequences;
- integration of migrants of the first and further generations: positive and negative experience;
- restraining and regulatory mechanisms: different countries’ experiences and international cooperation;
- regulation of migration: the tasks of the state and the society...

In defence of the MK newspaper. YABLOKO’s view

Press Release, March 20, 2013

The YABLOKO party believes that the stance of the State Duma deputies in their conflict with the MK newspaper violates the Russian law envisaging that it is the court which takes decisions on all the disputes relating to publications in the mass media. The MPs actions not only contravene the procedures established by law, but are also in conflict with ethical and moral norms governing public life...

The MPs’ demands to [Pavel Gusev], Editor-in-Chief of the MK to leave his post of Chairman of the Moscow Journalists’ Union represents an attempt to interfere into the spheres of public life that are completely beyond control of the legislative authority and are governed by internal corporate standards of professional communities.

The MPS’ idea to "take away" MK from Pavel Gusev [who is also the owner of the paper] is a direct attack on the principle of the inviolability of private property. Proposing such solutions to disputes with the media MPs undermine the legal foundations of the state, which again demonstrates their great incompetence and catastrophic failure as the legislators...

“Inquisition” by the Orthodox fascists against the YABLOKO party

Press Release, March 17, 2013

Orthodox activists from the God's Will (Bozhya Volya) public movement staged "Orthodox Inquisition against the YABLOKO party". A group of young men burst into YABLOKO’s Moscow headquarters on Friday night, took all the freely available books and booklets published by the party and burned them in the square by Novokuznetskaya metro station which is in 3 minutes walk from YABLOKO’s office. The video entitled "Confiscation and Burning of Waste Paper by the Party Satanists and Perverts YABLOKO" was loaded by the young people on the Internet...

Signatures for the resignation of Pavel Astakhov, Ombudsman for Children’s Rights, are sent to Vladimir Putin

Press Release, March 4, 2013

Nikolai Rybakov, member of the Federal Bureau of the YABLOKO party, has sent to Vladimir Putin over 11,000 signatures collected in favour of resignation of Pavel Astakhov, Ombudsman for Children’s Rights (notoriously known for his support of the “orphans law” and calls to return all the Russian orphans adopted abroad back to Russia).

Over 11,000 signatures were collected in just a week, despite ddos-attacks and Internet bots attacking the Demokrator.ru website where the signatures were collected.

"We believe that a man who has cynically exploited the death of a child [adopted by a US family] for his political gain, can not hold the post of Children's Ombudsman," runs Rybakov’s statement.

"I think that the president should not wave away the appeal of 11,000 citizens. Let us at least make him think whether his representative Mr. Astakhov has been acting in an honest and due manner? Our final goal is still there: Russia should have a decent defender of children," Nikolai Rybakov said...

Sergei Mitrokhin called Muscovites to change the Moscow government

Press Release, March 2, 2013

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin called the participants of the Social Manifestation to "change the authorities at the next elections to the Moscow City Duma," rather than ask the Mayor of Moscow team for some "handouts". "We offer the entire civil society to unite for the Moscow City Duma elections and agree to provide our party candidates list for this purpose, and we give half of the list for civil society activists," Mitrokhin said at a rally on Sakharov Square...

Mitrokhin also said that the policies of the Moscow authorities was "authoritarian and incompetent in many areas, but extremely self-confident and based on the most profound contempt for the Muscovites". "The Sobyanin’s team acts as if they came to some kindergarten rather than Moscow. They know what is better for us, and we should wait with our mouths open when they bring happiness to us," Mitrokhin said...

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...

Grigory Yavlinsky on the impact of the political system on economic growth

Press Release, February 27, 2013

A roundtable "Democracy and Economic Growth" held within the framework of the second Russian Economic Congress in Suzdal discussed how the type of a political system may affect economic growth.

Grigory Yavlinsky, Professor at the Higher School of Economics and founder of the YABLOKO party, set the tone of the discussion. He noted that economic growth has been considered a key indicator of economic development. However, he stressed that there has been no direct correlation between the economic growth and the type of the political system. Economics can not yet answer the question why the most developed democratic countries do not show sustainable economic growth while some authoritarian states may demonstrate impressive economic growth rates...

Proved: it is a lie!

Press Release, February 25, 2013

The Democratic Petersburg coalition YABLOKO is member of conducted a raid proving that St.Petersburg authorities did not allow the Democratic Petersburg to conduct rallies in the city on fictitious grounds. The city authorities turned down 20 sites as possible grounds for the coalition rally. "We have collected evidence of the officials’ lies and will file a law suit against them," said the coalition members.

This Sunday, the coalition planned to hold a rally against the federal law on the "gay propaganda". The application was submitted to the authorities four times proposing 20 different locations. However, all the applications were turned down. The organizers were ready to hold a rally at any time from 12:00 to 18:00, but the officials said that all proposed sites were taken by other activities at that time or some renovation works or repairs were conducted there. Each time the rally fell under some ban...

Mitrokhin on the attempted murder on Cossack chieftain Nesterenko: shooting of those fighting against criminal authorities has begun in the Krasnodar Territory

Press Release, February 22, 2013

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin believes that the attempted murder on Nikolai Nesterenko, Deputy Ataman of the Anapa City Cossack Community, demonstrates a qualitatively new stage of confrontation between public activists and criminal authorities of the Krasnodar Territory.

Attempted murder on Nikolai Nesterenko was committed in Anapa on February 22. A killer opened fire on the car of the Cossack. Nesterenko was wounded and his driver Viktor Zhuk was killed. Nikolay Nesterenko is one of the leaders of the civil society in Anapa. For many years he has been fighting against unlawfulness, violation of citizens’ rights and abuse of power by businessmen and officials in the city.

"Earlier they have exerted pressure on public activists in different forms, including their unlawful conviction on trumped up criminal cases, but now we can say that, that they begin shooting the most active public figures who do not let them to do lawlessness," said YABLOKO’s leader...

On the support of the initiative group in creation of a free trade union of university teachers in Russia

Statement by YABLOKO's Bureau, February 21, 2013

New laws adopted in the field of education endanger the future of Russia and arouse fair concerns not only from the civil society but also for the professionals working in this sector.

Many teachers decided to actively participate in the public debate and started looking for other forms of communication of their position to the society. One of such forms is creation of a free trade union of university teachers which was initiated by a group of high school professors and teachers. Unfortunately, the voice of this "official" trade union was virtually unheard in discussion of the [government’s] bills, and a broad attack on the rights of workers of the education sector undertaken by the government, has not got due assessment on behalf of the trade union.

The Bureau of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO supports the initiative of creation of the Free Trade Union of Russian University Teachers and believes that position of the professional community should form a basis for a dialogue between the government and society...

Women's Spring 2013: Start of Preparation for the 3rd All-Russian Women’s Congress

Press Release, February 20, 2013

The Independent Press Center invites journalists on February 28 at 12:00 to the press conference "Women's Spring 2013: Start of Preparation for the 3rd All-Russian Women’s Congress".

The participants of the conference are as follows: Dr. Galina Mikhalyova, Chair of YABLOKO’s Gender Faction and Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee; Natalia Dmitryeva, Co-Chair and Coordinator of the Council for Consolidation of Women's Movement in Russia, Chair of the All-Russian Public Organization "Business Women of Russia"; Natalia Velikaya, Chair of the Social Democratic Union of Russian Women, Dean of the Political Sociology Faculty of the Russian State Humanities University (RGGU);Irina Gorkova, Adviser to the Moscow Region Governor; Irina Rukina, leader of the political party "People Against Corruption," Dean of the Faculty of Large Cities Management of the International University, Moscow...

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO - information updated.

After YABLOKO’s rally acting Governor of the Moscow Region sent the General Plan of Balashikha Development back for revision

Press Release, February 21, 2013

Andrei Vorobyov, acting Moscow Region Governor, agreed with the demands put forward during YABLOKO’s manifestation and rally and sent the General Paln of the Balashikha City Development for revision.

He made such a statement at his meeting with residents of the city. The manifestation and rally organized by the YABLOKO party were in the city in the past weekend. Participants of the rally marched in the centre of the city. "The new General Plan is a shame of Balashikha" was written on the banner carried in front of the column.

"The Plan aroused outrage of the city residents by its absolute negligence of the needs of citizens and its cynical approach to the urban policy," Vladimir Konnov, the leader of the Balashikha branch of YABLOKO said at the rally...

Half of YABLOKO’s candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections will be determined by Muscovites in primaries

Press Release, February 17, 2013

The Conference of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO adopted a Manifesto on compiling of a list candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections (which are to take place in 2014) from united democratic opposition. According to the Manifesto, half of the candidates in the party list will be given to civil activists and representatives from other political forces. Muscovites will determine the nominees in the primaries.

"Moscow has accumulated a critical mass of active people, they awoke from the “sleep’ during Putin's 2000s, and they want to act. They do realise that their children will not have any normal human prospects in this country without changing of the political situation in the country, that is why they want to go into politics. We give them such an opportunity," YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin stated at the Conference.

"A year ago we promised at the rallies that we would propose a definite political mechanism to address different problems. The adopted Manifesto is a direct and earnest answer to all the questions: what people who manifested at Bolotnaya Square and Sakharov Prospect and participated in other mass opposition rallies should do now," said Grigory Yavlinsky, YABLOKO founder and member of the Political Committee. "The time of general discussions is over. It's time to act," he stressed...

YABLOKO to call for nomination of candidates from a united democratic opposition for the Moscow City Duma elections

Press Release, February 14, 2013

On Sunday, February 17, the Conference of the Moscow branch of the YABLOKO party will adopt a Manifest on the creation of nomination of a joint list of candidates from united democratic opposition for the Moscow City Duma elections of 2014.
The Manifesto will appeal to civil society activists and representatives of political forces sharing democratic values to participate in the formation of a joint list of candidates. YABLOKO will provide to such joint candidates half of the number of places allotted to the YABLOKO party nominees, as well as half of places in single-mandate precincts.
The candidates will be nominated via primaries. YABLOKO proposes to hold primaries in all the 22 electoral territories...

Environmentalists on the Sochi Olympic Year loudly announced by the governments

Press Release, February 10, 2013
On February 7, the day of celebration of the "Year of the Olympic Games" in Sochi, environmentalists from the Kudepasta village opposing the construction of the Kudepsta thermal electric power station in the area and YABLOKO activists of the Sochi branch of YABLOKO conducted an action targeted at drawing public attention to the environmental problems in the region and maintaining of healthy environment...

YABLOKO collects signatures against destruction of a unique Sochi park

Press Release, February 6, 2013
The Sochi branch of the YABLOKO party joined the campaign for collection of signatures under an appeal to the federal and regional authorities to preserve the unique park Southern Cultures, as an asphalt concrete factory is being built by the park.

The construction site is located within the buffer zone of the park. A walk among 60 rare trees enlisted in the Red Book which has become a place interest in Sochi is used now as a road for trucks. And cutting of trees has been going on.

In 2012, the Federal Property Management Agency (Rosimuschestvo) transferred the Southern Cultures Park to the Ministry of Natural Resources. However, in the process of transfer it turned out that a 250-meter walkway connecting the park with the sea shore, was not part of the park any more and was in the disposal of the city administration...

Stalinisation of the Russian society targets "tightening of the screws"

Statement by the YABLOKO Party, February 6, 2013

...When officials of such a high rank as Vice-Premier Dmitry Rogozin support the idea of returning the name of Stalin to the city of Volgograd and [Chair of the Federation Council] Valentina Matviyenko and [head of the Central Electoral Commission] Vladimir Churov say that a referendum should be conducted on this issue, they think least of all of historical justice. The Battle of Stalingrad is part of the world history, as well as the heroic defence of besieged Leningrad. However, if we speak about returning of previous names to these cities, then we can speak only about their original names, as it was in case with St. Petersburg. And in case of Volgograd this should be Tsaritsyn. And without any referendum.

After all, if [head of the Central Electoral Commission] Vladimir Churov counts the votes, there is no doubt that 146 per cent will vote for returning Joseph Stalin’s name to Volgograd. It willl be done in accordance with the saying attributed to Stalin: "Those who cast the votes decide nothing, those who count the votes decide everything".

The YABLOKO party demands to put an end to the Stalinist sabbath around the anniversary of the victory at Stalingrad. To make it, as President Putin have said, so that Russia "would always be victorious", first we must get rid of the salves complex, which Stalin instilled in the people and condemn the executioners...

On political reprisals against YABLOKO activists

Statement by YABLOKO’s Bureau, February 5, 2013

The YABLOKO party notes with concern a new wave of reprisals against YABLOKO members.

The adoption of the Federal Law "On the Counteraction to the Extremist Activity" encouraged the law enforcement activities that are clearly violating the law: gathering information about the members of the party and their activities, inviting them for ‘conversations’ [in the police], detentions, searches, seizure of documents and institution of criminal proceedings.
According to the Federal Security Bureau Department (FSB) for the Sverdlovsk region, the YABLOKO party is a radical oppositional structure sharply criticising the state authorities and negatively assessing broadening of the proxies of the FSB of Russia. According to FSB, it is a party setting such a goals as changing Putin-Medvedev’s regime, elimination of monopoly in politics, economy and media and the democratisation of the country.

Such a political stance of the party was laid in the basis of the ruling of the Sverdlovsk Region Court giving a permission to wiretap all the telephone conversations conducted by Maxim Petlin, Chair of the Sverdlovsk Region branch of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO, control all his postal, telegraph and other messages and information from technical communication channels, as well as put him on surveillance.
After the decision of the court, further supported later by a judge of the Supreme Court in response to a complaint filed by Maxim Petlin [to the Supreme Court], we can conclude that a political surveillance regime has been introduced in respect of the YABLOKO party, as well as other opposition parties claiming similar goals...

St.Petersburg Governor officially responded to deputies of the St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly on the closure of public hospital with a unique children oncology department

Press Release, January 29, 2013

Boris Vishnevsky, Alexander Kobrinsky and other deputies of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg received an official reponse from Governor Georgy Poltavchenko on the collective parliamentary inquiry about the closure of St.Petersburg public hospital No 31.

The Presidential Administration plan to turn this hospital specialising in treating children with cancer into a medical centre for Russia's top judges arouse public uproar in Russia. YABLOKO deputies initiated several inquiries about the public hospital in the St.Peterburg parliament. The St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO organised collection of signatures in its St.Petersburg headquarters against turning the public hospital into a special medical centre for the judges. St.Peterburg residents conducted a special rally in support of the public hospital and its doctors.

In his letter the Governor stated that “a decision was taken not to station” the medical centre for Russia’s top judges in the hospital...

YABLOKO's tasks up to 2018: participation in elections and support of protest actions

Press Release, January 27, 2013

Participation in elections, as well as the organisation and support of civil protest actions are the priorities for the YABLOKO party for the period 2013 – 2018. Such a decision was taken at yesterdays’ meeting of YABLOKO Bureau held in Moscow.

"Our country has been experiencing a systemic crisis: that of the legitimacy of power, legitimacy of large-scale private property, public confidence in the government and the political system in general," runs a special statement of the Bureau on the objectives of the party in the long term.

YABLOKO must respond to the systemic crisis of the legitimacy with formulation of a clear political platform of the democratic opposition, which can base on YABLOKO’s programme that has been developed during decades on the basis of European democratic values. "It is clear for us that the nationalist and the radical left (Stalinist) assessments and proposals [for the further development] are dangerous for the country, and therefore unacceptable," emphasizes the Bureau.

YABLOKO is going to take part in the next key election campaigns: to nominate their candidates for the presidential elections and the mayoral elections in Moscow, and register lists of candidates for the parliamentary elections and the Moscow City Duma elections...

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...

YABLOKO picketed the State Duma against two anti-constitutional bills

Press Release, January 23, 2013.

YABLOKO activists held one-person pickets in front of the State Duma, as the Duma had to consider two unconstitutional projects: one of them had to simplify the procedure of requisition of land title from the residents of the "new Moscow territories" (ex Moscow Region territories) like was the case in the Olympic Sochi, and the other would allow regions to replace election of governors by their appointment...

YABLOKO’s candidate to run for the post of the head of Chudovo, the Novgorod Region

Press Release, January 22, 2013.

A conference of the Novgorod regional branch of the YABLOKO party took place on January 21. Members of the party discussed nomination of a candidate from YABLOKO for the post of the head of the city of Chudovo, Novgorod region. According to the results of the secret ballot, the conference unanimously supported the nomination of Yelena Skorodumova.

To date, YABLOKO’s candidate has been registered in the Territorial Electoral Commission of Chudovo and has begun preparations for the election campaign. Skorodumova’s competitors in the elections will be United Russia’s Andrei Alexandrov, Communist Igor Kovalyov and LDPR member Alexei Maximov...

Grigory Yavlinsky led YABLOKO’s column at the anti-fascist manifestation in Moscow

Press Release, January 19, 2013.

Grigory Yavlinsky, YABLOKO founder and member of its Political Committee, led YABLOKO’s column at the anti-fascist manifestation in Moscow. The action was held in memory of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova killed by Neo-Nazis in the centre of Moscow...

Party activists held a banner "Fascism will not go" and photographs of the killed Stanislav Markelov, Anastasia Baburova, Yury Schekochikhin, Farid Babayev, Anna Politkovskaya and Larissa Yudina.

"Fascism is very dangerous: it emerges all of a sudden and embraces a vast mass of people. This is a huge problem in human history and probably one of the most tragic and terrible pages in the political history of mankind. In our country fascism may be very dangerous especially when linked with Stalinism, so even the slightest movements towards it have to be stopped it. And there are lots of such movements in life and politics now. Therefore, the more people will consciously, openly and loudly oppose fascism, the better it is. And this must be done continuously," said Yavlinsky...

United Russia and the LDPR blocked the law on equipping police stations with video cameras in St.Petersburg

Press Release, January 16, 2013.

The Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg lacked two votes so that to adopt Grigory Yavlinsky’s bill on equipping police stations and cars with video cameras. The initiative was supported by the following factions: YABLOKO, the Communist Party, the majority of the Just Russia. Even Vyacheslav Makarov, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and leader of the United Russia faction, voted for the bill. Thus the bill gathered 24 votes in its favour. However, another 24 deputies present at the plenary session did not participate in the vote and did not allow to adopt the law.

Speaking to the MPs, Yavlinsky mentioned the example of Tatarstan, where the tragedy in one of the police stations where a detained man died of tortures made the President of Tatarstan promise to install video cameras in all the police departments and this promise has almost been fulfilled. "Last year a young man died in one of St. Petersburg police stations," said Yavlinsky...

YABLOKO to participate in an anti-fascist manifestation

Press Release, January 18, 2013.

The YABLOKO party will take part in an anti-fascist manifestation in memory of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova. The action will be held in Moscow on January 19. Party activists will hold a banner "Fascism will not go". YABLOKO’s column will be headed by Grigory Yavlinsky, YABLOKO founder and member of its Political Committee.

"Nationalism is impermissible in Russia and is far more dangerous than in other countries. Xenophobia and demonstration of the extreme nationalist views is a time bomb for such a multinational country as Russia. I am urging all who oppose fascism in Russia and in the world to come to the manifestation on January 19 and honor the memory of the victims of neo-Nazis," said YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin. He himself will be in Kemerovo on that day, as mayoral elections will be held there in a week.

The manifestation under the slogans "Moscow is an antifascist city" and "For Freedom! Against fascism!" will start at 2 p.m. from the crossing of Tversloy Boulevard and Tverslaya Street (by the Pushkin Square) along Nikitsky Boulevard.

The activists and supporters of the YABLOKO party will gather by the office of the Izvestia paper (Tverskaya metro station) at 1:30 p.m...

Grigory Yavlinsky: "Deputies of St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly were right in refusing to consider the bill on rallies”

Press Release, January 16, 2013.

According to Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the YABLOKO faction, adoption of the draft law on rallies with the restrictions it envisaged could lead only to a sharp increase in the number of unauthorized actions and, consequently, increase of tension in St. Petersburg.

"It will not restoration of order, but violation of order," said Grigory Yavlinsky.

According to the BaltInfo agency, this morning, the Governor's bill lacked only one vote so that to be included into the agenda of the Legislative Assembly. MPs from YABLOKO, the Communist Party and Just Russia voted against it".

The bill proposed a ban on rallies, meetings and other events on Nevsky Prospekt, the St. Isaac's and the Palace Squares, and also contained many other prohibitions and restrictions...

Sergei Mitrokhin: Moscow Mayor Sobyanin must sack Chief Architect of Moscow who advocates abolishing of public hearings

Press Release, January 15, 2013.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his satisfaction with the call of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to the deputies of the Moscow City Duma to preserve the institute of public hearings on different construction and development projects in Moscow. Earlier, the Public Advisory Council of Political Parties under the Moscow City Duma severely criticized the amendments introduces by the ruling United Russia and targeted at cancelling of public hearings.

Mitrokhin also noted that the "attempt to cancel public hearings has clearly revealed the utter incompetence of the Moscow City Duma which is ready to obey any orders from the Moscow government, no matter how senseless and harmful for the Muscovites it could be"...

YABLOKO calls its supporters to participate in the March against the Anti-Magnitsky law on January 13

Press Release, January 11, 2013.

The YABLOKO party will support the March against the “Anti-Magnitsky law” which will take place in Moscow on Sunday, January 13. Activists will gather by the Izvestia paper office (by Tverskaya metro station) at 13:30. The march along boulevards to Sakharov Prospect will begin at 14:00. The action got a permission from the Moscow authorities.

..."We oppose the barbaric so-called Dima Yakovlev law. We believe that with this law represents a kind of a human shield of orphans put by the government around its corrupt officials. That is, our government has virtually told the world: we will protect our corrupt officials so that the whole world will tremble in terror," YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin said to journalists. According to Mitrokhin, the Anti-Magnitsky law shows that our government is cannibalistic in nature, therefore all the forces of our society that are in favor of a civilized development must unite so that to say 'no' to the cannibalistic state".

He also stressed that it was important that there were no Nazis or leftists among the organizers of the March...

YABLOKO’s Alexander Kobrinsky sends an art reproduction of the painting "Taking a Snow Town" by Vasily Surikov to Governor Poltavchenko

Press Release, January 9, 2013.

Alexander Kobrinsky, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg from the YABLOKO faction, sent a letter to St.Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko in connection with dispersing of the "Snow Battle" flash mob organised by young people in Marsovo Polye (Champ de Mars), St.Petersburg.

St.Petersburg police dispersed several hundreds of young people who gathered for a traditional snowball fights at Marsovo Polye on January 6. Several people were detained by police.

In his letter YABLOKO’s MP asked the Governor to give an answer whether he would go on with "tightening of the screws" and whether the principle "more than three people make a crowd" would become fundamental for St.Petersburg dwellers.

Alexander Kobrinsky urged the Governor to give an assessment to the actions of the police and demand from the heads of the St. Petersburg interior to change their attitude to the city residents who gathered to play snowballs.

"Such harmless actions are held without any problems and permissions all over Europe," Kobrinsky wrote. In confirmation of his words Kobrinsky set the Governor a reproduction painting by Vasily Surikov "Taking a Snow Town" (1891), depicting ancient Russian fun game, noting that the same game was banned by St.Petersburg police three days ago...

YABLOKO to support the March against the “Anti-Magnitsky law” on January 13

Press Release, January 9, 2013.

The YABLOKO party will support the March against the “Anti-Magnitsky law” which will take place in Moscow on Sunday, January 13.

YABLOKO has consistently opposed the so-called Dima Yakovlev law prohibiting Americans to adopt Russian children. YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin called this law "profoundly anti-human." "Adopting the Anti-Magnitsky law all the branches of power demonstrated their willingness to protect their corrupt officials in such a way that the whole world was left horrified," Mitrokhin said.

YABLOKO’s MPs in the Legislative Assemblies of St. Petersburg and the Pskov Region opposed the bill, but were not supported by the parliamentary majority. Activists from the Youth Yabloko conducted a series of one person pickets by the Federation Council on the day the senators had to examine the law. The slogan of the action was "Children are frozen in the Cold War". Four party members were detained by police and now they face large fines or community service works...

Open letter to actor Gerard Depardieu from Vladimir Gridin, leader of the Mordovia branch of YABLOKO

January 8, 2013

Dear Mr. Depardieu,

In connection with your plans to settle in Mordovia, let me ask you a few questions as so to say your new compatriot.

1. A few days ago you visited Mordovia and, as you put it, you were stunned by the hospitality shown to you there. Vladimir Volkov, President of the Republic of Mordovia, offered you in a handsome gesture an apartment or a plot of land under a house. The generosity of the head of the region struck many people in the republic, especially the residents of Tambovskaya street in Saransk...