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The autumn political season has begun with a scandal in the
Yabloko movement. The scandal was preceded by protracted opposition
between Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky and former deputy leader
Vyacheslav Igrunov. The other day another figure joined this argument:
Andrei Sharomov, former chairman of the Moscow Youth Organization
of Yabloko. He accused Yavlinsky of authoritarianism and the instigation
of conflicts within the party "by Stalinist methods."
Sharomov believes that other members of Yabloko support him. However,
Yavlinsky's former deputy Igrunov, who was the cause of the conflict,
had kept silent until September 11. In an exclusive interview
with "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" Igrunov explained that he
did not intend to sit idle.
According to Igrunov, as soon as Yavlinsky returned from his
vacation, "the bacchanalia and sordid witch-hunt resumed
in the party." Igrunov noted that Yabloko members had again
started collecting signatures for some petitions and that anonymous
letters had started circulating. In his opinion, Sergei Mitrokhin,
member of the bureau of the central Council of Yabloko, had been
pressured to force all paid staff at Yablokoto sign the letter
against Igrunov. Therefore, Igrunov intends to resign from all
positions in the Yabloko on October 10.
Our correspondent asked Igrunov why he had decided to deprive
himself of the last levers of influencing the leader of Yabloko
and give up any attempts to improve the situation in the movement.
Igrunov answered, "It is just necessary to step aside."
Igrunov's passivity may be attributable to the forthcoming election
to the Moscow City Duma. This election may become a combat between
Yavlinsky and Igrunov, who is currently head of the Moscow branch
of Yabloko. Yavlinsky intends to demonstrate through this election
that Igrunov is incompetent, as only one person is likely to be
elected to the Moscow State Duma at best due to Yavlinsky’s efforts.
According to Igrunov, the Moscow branch is not funded now and
has to seek its own financial resources. He noted that if this
situation continued, there would be an exodus of the best people
from the party. He believes that people are leaving the party
already, and that not a single worthy person had joined over the
past few months.
Sergei Mitrokhin, representative of Yavlinsky's "camp,"
has announced, in turn, that the behaviour of the leader of the
Moscow branch is attributable to several factors. For instance,
"recently Igrunov took the serious political step of proving
that he is playing against the Yabloko team." According to
Mitrokhin, Igrunov is acting this way because he was deprived
of "dictatorial powers" during the recent party reform.
He also said that Igrunov and Sharomov had set up a so-called
Civil Forum, which was allegedly "an absolutely pro-Kremlin
organisation." Moreover, Mitrokhin noted that Sharomov and
Igrunov were no doubt implementing the Kremlin's plan of disorganising
Yabloko.
In any case, both sides are now waiting for the congress of
the party. At the congress members of the party will determine
the true layout of forces and the size of each "camp".
All leading positions will be redistributed at the congress, and
it will be clear which of the party leaders has more supporters:
Yavlinsky or Igrunov.
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