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| Yavlinsky thinks that the possible
refusal by Valentina Matvienko to run in the gubernatorial
elections in St Petersburg may be due to play behind the scenes |
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Refusal of Valentina Matvienko to run in the gubernatorial
elections in St.Petersburg will make Igor Artemyev change
his tactics in the election campaign
On April 5, 2000 the St Petersburg branch of Yabloko declared
that the refusal of Valentina Matvienko to run in the gubernatorial
elections will require “serious changes to the tactics and
strategy of Yabloko's election campaign”.
The representatives of St Petersburg Yabloko recalled
that the Deputy of the State Duma Igor Artemyev was their
candidate in the elections and stated that “an agreement
had been reached on mutual support and deeper co-operation
with Valentina Matvienko”.
Presumably the position of Yabloko here “will be clarified”
after consultations with Valentina Matvienko.
Based on Interfax reports.
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Valentina Matvienko
refuses to run in the gubernatorial elections in St Petersburg
and calls on her electorate to vote for Igor Artemyev
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Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Valentina
Matvienko, announced her decision not to run in the gubernatorial
elections in St Petersburg at meeting with initiative groups
on April 5, 2000.
She called on her electorate to vote for Igor Artemyev,
Chairman of Yabloko’s Political Council in St Petersburg
and Deputy of the State Duma. According to Valentina Matvienko,
she decided not to run in the elections in St Petersburg
, as “she is not a freelancer and, working in the government
she must co-ordinate her actions with the leadership of
the country.”
“I am quitting the election campaign, but I am not quitting
the city,” Valentina Matvienko stressed.
Based on Interfax reports.
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Boris Nemtsov
says that the Union of Right-Wing Forces may support Yabloko's
candidate at the gubernatorial elections in St.Petersburg
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The Union of the Right-Wing Forces (SPS) may support Yabloko's
candidate Igor Artemyev at the elections in St Petersburg,
stated Boris Nemtsov, one of the SPS leaders and Deputy
Speaker of the State Duma.
“We have been discussing this issue. This is subject to
negotiation, and I don’t rule out any outcome, as a final
decision has yet to be taken,” said Boris Nemtsov in his
interview on April 5, 2000.
Commenting on the idea of creating a broad democratic
coalition that was proposed recently, Boris Nemtsov said
that he shares this view absolutely. "It is time to move
from words to actions. We have already agreed in the Union
of Right-Wing Forces on the procedure for adopting such
decisions,” noted Boris Nemtsov.
He also explained that a decision to join the coalition
must be taken at a meeting of the SPS parliamentary faction
and at a session of the Co-ordination Council, and then
be approved by the SPS congress, which is scheduled for
May, 2000.
“Democrats must learn to draw lessons from their own mistakes,”
added Boris Nemtsov. Based on Interfax reports. Press Release
April 5, 2000 Yabloko proposes that the Union of Right-Wing
Forces and “Unity” support a single candidate at the St
Petersburg elections Public and political movement Yabloko
once again proposes that the Union of Right-Wing Forces
(SPS) and “Unity” support a single candidate at the gubernatorial
elections to be held in St Petersburg on May 14, 2000.
The Chairman of the Political Council of the St Petersburg
branch of Yabloko and Deputy Chairman of the Yabloko faction,
Igor Artemyev, made this announcement on April 5, 2000.
Recalling that there are only nine days left until the
deadline when the lists with signatures supporting candidates
must be submitted to the St Petersburg branch of the Central
Electoral Commission, Igor Artemyev expressed his concern
that the SPS (which is discussing the idea of having their
own candidate in the St Petersburg gubernatorial elections)
would collect the 70,000 signatures required for registration
in time.
“Even Vladimir Yakovlev (the present Governor of St Petersburg,
with all his administrative resources, spent about three
weeks on this task (collecting signatures),” said Igor Artemyev.
Stressing his respect for Deputy of the State Duma Irina
Khakamada and the Chairman of the “Democratic Russia” party
Yuliy Rybakov who are considered possible candidates from
the SPS, Igor Artemyev said that “we should proceed from
the reality rather than political ambitions”.
He also noted that Yabloko (which has proposed Igor Artemyev)
has almost finished collecting signatures (they should be
submitted to the St Petersburg branch of the Central Electoral
Commission on April 12-13). He said that "Yabloko is ready
to conduct a dialogue with all the democratic forces”. He
added: “We have already demonstrated a readiness to reach
a compromise, and now the most important task we face is
to bring about a change in the criminal authority in the
city”.
Based on Interfax reports.
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Members of the
Yabloko faction doubt that PACE will apply tough measures
against Russia
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A member of the Russian delegation to PACE (Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe) and Deputy Head of the
Yabloko faction in the State Duma, Sergei Ivanenko, doubts
that PACE will take tough measures, with regards Russia’s
membership in this organisation.
Sergei Ivanenko came to this conclusion after a meeting
of Yabloko deputies with the Speaker of PACE Lord Russell
Johnston. The meeting took place in Stasburg today. “It
is most likely that no radical decisions over Russia will
be taken in Strasbourg,” noted Sergei Ivanenko in an interview
with journalists.
According to Sergei Ivanenko, during a meeting with the
Speaker of PACE that took place on the threshold of the
discussions of the anti-terrorist operation in Chechnya
in PACE, the delegates from Yabloko informed him of their
position on Chechnya.
Sergei Ivanenko also said that his interlocutor thought
that “the government of the Russian Federation is the main
culprit for the developments in the Chechen Republic and
that the Russian parliamentary members bear no direct relation.”
According to the Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction, Lord
Russell Johnston said that the matter of Russia’s further
membership in the Council of Europe would be decided by
the Committee of Ministers of this organisation, and that
further information about this issue would be provided at
the regular PACE session in June.
Based on Interfax reports.
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Grigory Yavlinsky:
Yabloko is ready to support the democratic process in the
Balkans
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Yabloko’s leader Grigory Yavlinsky said that Yabloko is
ready to support the democratic process in the Balkans,
in particular the democratic forces which advocate the formation
of a democratic civil society in Yugoslavia.
“We are very much concerned with the situation in Yugoslavia
and in the Balkans in general,” said Grigory Yavlinsky after
a meeting with Vuko Drashkovich, the leader of the Serbian
Movement for Renovation on April 5, 2000.
According to Yavlinsky, “Serbia is a fraternal republic
and we are very much concerned about the problems of forming
a democratic civil society there, as well as in our country.”
“Therefore, stressed Grigory Yavlinsky, - we are going to
maintain contacts with all our Serbian colleagues, without
exception, who share our views on a civil society.” “That
is why we met Vuko Drashkovich today. Talks with other Serbian
public and state figures will follow,” added Grigory Yavlinsky.
Later, in response to questions from journalists, Grigory
Yavlinsky stressed that the contacts that Yabloko plans
to develop with the democratic forces of Yugoslavia are
targeted at creating a free and open society there. “As
in Russia, we will do all we can to transform Serbia into
an open, democratic and peaceful republic, free from ethnic
conflicts, nationalism and authoritarian rule,” said Grigory
Yavlinsky. He also noted that he discussed these issues
with Vuko Drashkovich.
Yabloko’s leader also said that the democratic forces in
Russia can “positively influence all present developments
in Serbia and Yugoslavia in general”. In turn Vuko Drashkovich
responding to questions from journalists, saying that he
had found support for his position, especially on holding
early democratic elections in Yugoslavia, in Moscow.
According to Vuko Drashkovich, today it was announced
that Russia “decided to give gas to Serbia on the basis
of instalment payments ”. Vuko Drashkovish believes “the
purpose of this is not to render support to the (Slobodan
Miloshevich) regime.” Vuko Drashkovich said that the Russian
side had told him that “Miloshevich is not Serbia, and this
(shipment of gas) was done to support Serbia”. According
to Vuko Drashkovich, it was also clearly stated that Russia
opposes the forms of terrorism and irresponsible policies
to isolate isolation Yugoslavia from the rest of the world.
“Russia will not demand anything from Belgrade apart from
guarantees of democratic changes,” said Vuko Drashkovich.
He also spoke in favour of a restricted presence for his
country in the Council of Europe, the development of links
with all European countries and certainly with Russia. At
the same time he noted that the policy of the present Yugoslavian
leadership is, as he termed it, “crazy policy” and also
said that Russia could become a hostage of this policy.
In conclusion Vuko Drashkovich said that he personally “will
never drive his friends to such a situation”, when “for
the sake of love between Serbia and Russia” the latter finds
itself in a difficult situation.
Based on Interfax reports.
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