The Chuvash regional branch of Yabloko and the Chuvash Organisational Committee of the Union of Right-Wing Forces (SPS) decide to create a coalition of democratic forces

On July 27, 2000, a meeting was convened, attended by Evgeni Lin Chairman of the regional branch of Yabloko, Deputy Chairmen Valeri Makarevsky, Moisei Polyakov and member of the Political Council Nikolai Solovyov;

Sergei Ivanenko: meeting between Putin and oligarchs unlikely to influence the development of relations between business and the authorities

The Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction, Sergei Ivanenko, thinks that the meeting between the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and representatives of large-scale business on July 28, 2000, was convened as part of a consultative process and was virtually a working meeting. Ivanenko said that this was a "useful discussion" for both sides.

Sergei Ivanenko: the State Council will become one of the consultative structures under the President

Deputy Chairman of the Yabloko faction, Sergei Ivanenko, thinks that the State Council can only be a consultative body under the President of the Russian Federation: "In general I do not attach great importance to this structure," said Ivanenko in an interview with journalists on July 28, 2000. He also pointed out to journalists that at present there are "multiple councils, and the State Council will probably become another one".

Sergei Ivanenko calls on the Russian authorities to alter its relations with business "from a state of war at least to a state of truce"

Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction, Sergei Ivanenko, thinks that the meeting of the President of the RF Vladimir Putin with representatives of large-scale business should not be based on " purely protocol". In an interview with journalists on July 24, 2000, Ivanenko added: "The Russian authorities should move on in their relationships with business from a state of war at least to a state of truce."

St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko opposes any reduction in regional revenues envisaged by the budget for 2001

The St. Petersburg branch of the Yabloko Association has stated that it believes that it would be "wrong in principle" to reduce the revenues of the regions envisaged by the budget for 2001.

Elena Mizulina: Yabloko and the Union of Right-Wing Forces have grave doubts about one of the articles in the “second” law of the presidential package, where the State Duma needs to overrule the veto of the Federation Council

Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on Legislation Elena Mizulina (Yabloko faction) thinks that on July 19, 2000 the State Duma will support the version of the draft law on the formation of the Federation Council proposed by the conciliatory commission.

On the parliamentary inquiry on the criminal prosecution of Viktor Gitin, deputy from the Yabloko faction of the State Duma of the second convocation

On July 19, 2000 the State Duma adopted a decision to forward a parliamentary request to Public Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov on the criminal prosecution of Viktor Gitin, deputy from the Yabloko faction of the State Duma of the second convocation.

Yabloko sends its representatives to the joint Political Council for the coalition of liberal and democratic forces.

The following representatives of Yabloko were sent to the joint Political Council for the coalition of liberal and democratic forces: Vladimir Lukin, Sergei Ivanenko, Alexei Arbatov, Sergei Mitrokhin and Alexander Kuznetsov.

Grigory Yavlinsky: the absence of independent information has caused Russia’s troubles throughout its history

Lies of behalf of the authorities and the absence of independent information has been at the source of Russia’s troubles throughout its history, said Yabloko’s leader Grigory Yavlinsky, when advocating the freedom of speech at a meeting with representatives of international organisations.

Yabloko begins collecting signatures to make amendments to the Constitution on direct elections to the Federation Council

Yabloko has begun to collect signatures to make amendments to the Constitution, which would stipulate direct common and secret ballot elections for the Federation Council.

The provision on direct common and secret ballot elections to the Federation Council was written in Yabloko’s programme and was confirmed by the 8th Congress of the Yabloko Association (on July 8-9, 2000).

Grigory Yavlinsky re-elected Chairman of the Yabloko Association

Grigory Yavlinsky was re-elected Chairman of the Yabloko Association at the 8th Congress of the Association held on July 8-9, 2000.

The results of the secret ballot demonstrated that 128 delegates voted for Grigory Yavlinsky and 10 against.

Vladimir Lukin was re-elected First Deputy (199 votes for and 19 against).

Yabloko insists that the increase in excises on oil products should not be as significant as planned by the government

The Yabloko faction plans to insist that the increase in excises on oil products should not be as significant as the amount planned by the government.

Such a decision was adopted at a meeting of the faction on July 4 on the threshold of votes on another article from Part II of the Tax Code. The government plans to raise excise duties on oil products to compensate for the abolition of turnover taxes.