The Yabloko and the Union of Right-Wing Forces (SPS) factions in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg are holding negotiations on the creation of a bloc. This was announced to Interfax by a source in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg on Wednesday November 28, 2001.

According to the source, last week the leaders of both the factions –Mikhail Brodsky (SPS) and Mikhail Amosov (Yabloko) held "intense consultations" aimed at the long-term creation of a bloc which could bring together 11 deputies (five from the SPS and six from Yabloko).

According to Interfax, last Monday at a meeting the Yabloko faction passed a decision to join the bloc.

On Tuesday, November 27, 2001, the SPS faction also conducted a meeting devoted to creation of a bloc. However, they did not pass any decision.

Interfax supposes that "preparations for the forthcoming elections to the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg probably intensified the creation of blocs by the factions. The elections should take place in 2003.

The question with the date of elections to the city parliament is much debated, as deputies propose a different time for the election referring to different normative acts.

Based on Interfax reports.

See also:

Yabloko and SPS