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Photo: Viktor Pokhmelkin
and Sergei Ivanenko at a press conference in the State Duma.
November 22, 2000.
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Sergei Ivanenko: Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, we
are holding
a
joint press conference of Yabloko and the Union of Right-Wing
Forces to
consider the problem of the state symbols of Russia. Today the
State
Council will meet to consider this issue as well.
Yesterday the Coordination Council of our two factions adopted
a
decision
that we would like to inform you about.
The Yabloko and the SPS factions of the State Duma will not support
the
draft law to restore the music by Alexandrov as the new Hymn for
the
Russian
Federation, regardless of the words and texts proposed for this
music.
We think that this initiative may be placed on the same rank
as such
odious
ideas as restoration of restoring post No 1 by Lenin’s Mausoleum
(Ed.
changing of the guards by the Mausoleum)and the monument to Dzerzhinsky
(Ed. the first Chief of the KGB) at Lubyanka Square in Moscow.
We consider such attempts as a test before the restoration of
the
elements
of a totalitarian system that are far from symbolic.
We pay tribute to the symbols of the past era, but cannot forget
that
“Stalin’s” hymn is closely connected to bloody crimes against
the
nation.
We think that the hymn of Russia cannot be imposed onto society
from the
top, by decision of the State Council or the State Duma. It should
consolidate Russian society, rather than split it into opposing
groups.
Therefore the Yabloko and Union of Right-Wing Forces factions
will
jointly
vote against the draft law to restore the music of Alexandrov
as the
state
hymn of the Russian Federation.
We hope that our appeal, as well as the appeal of the broad layers
of
society, will be heard by the authorities.
Viktor Pokhmelkin: Dear ladies and gentlemen, I would like to
add a few
words.
Unfortunately, all other deputy associations in the State Duma,
other
than
Yabloko and the SPS, have supported unanimously approval of the
music by
Alexandrov as the proposed new hymn of the Russian Federation.
The
representatives of these deputy associations have already made
this
announcement at the meetings of their factions. We believe that
this is
disturbing and dangerous trend, as the adoption of this hymn will
inevitably lead to a split in society. This decision will provoke
a
protest
by a large part of the Russian people. Today, as you know, many
famous
cultural figures, representatives of the intelligentsia and victims
of
Stalin’s crimes, for whom the hymn of the Soviet Union is inevitably
connected with the totalitarian regime send their appeals to the
President.
For our factions this is a principled position. Today’s press
conference
virtually marks the beginning of a political parliamentary fight
with
the
Duma majority, who are trying to impose this hymn onto our country.
At the same time, society has not yet developed a clear understanding
of this problem and the attitude of the President of the Russian
Federation to this issue. We cannot say that President Putin has
made some choice, that the Presidential Administration has clearly
formulated its position. The task of the Administration now is
to find a maximum consensus in the State Duma and in society.
Form this point of view, it seems to me that any rush to adopt
a decision on the hymn would constitute a big mistake, even if
it receives 300 votes in the Duma and three-quarters of the required
votes in the Federation Council. In this sense we will continue
our task with the Administration to avert what is in our opinion
a serious political error.
See also:
 Yabloko
and the SPS oppose restoration of the symbols of the Soviet Union
Yabloko
proposes the march “Farewell of a Slavic woman” as a new hymn
of Russia
Yabloko
and the SPS will not support the Alexandrov hymn for Russia
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