YABLOKO Intends to Take Electoral Commissions to Courts The Party continues its parallel count of the votes
By Ksenia Veretennikova, Vremya Novostei, February 27, 2004
"It is obvious already now that the results of the elections were distorted, and that YABLOKO was deprived of votes, while votes were added to United Russia’s total," said Mitrokhin.

Ombudsman Prepared to Fight
Interview with Vladimir Lukin by Valery Vyzhutovich, Moscow News, February 25, 2004
An ombudsman that is unduly admired by the ruling authorities is a bad ombudsman: This means that instead of defending citizens' rights, he simply goes through the motions. This is definitely what I am not going to do. The ombudsman is duty bound to tread on the authorities' pet corns.

Alexei Arbatov Becomes Member of the Commission on WMD Problems
RIA "OREANDA", February 25, 2004
The decision to form the Commission was taken by the Swedish government at the end of 2003 at the initiative of former Foreign Minister of Sweden Anna Lind. Hans Blix is at the head of the Commission, - according to the YABLOKO press service.

The Central Electoral Commission: No Grounds for Doubting the Elections Results
RIA "Novosti", February 25, 2004
Veshnyakov told journalists that the heads and members of the local electoral commissions who neglected their duties and were careless during the vote counting, "are no longer working there."

"This may be called a boycott"
By Anastasiya Matveyeva, Gazeta, February 25, 2004
...We proceed from the premise that people see the growing lack of freedom in the country, lack of equality of participants in pseudo-democratic elections, the bankruptcy and even comic nature of the candidacies.

Yabloko Calls Cabinet Dismissal a Purge of Boris Yeltsin's Legacy
Rosbalt, February 25, 2004
By dismissing Kasyanov from his duties as prime minister, Putin is demonstrating his independence and preparedness for a new economic course,' said Mitrokhin.

Investors Shrug Off Sudden Shakeup
By Catherine Belton, The Moscow Times, February 25, 2004
Most market watchers and business people had predicted Putin would fire Kasyanov after his widely expected reelection on March 14. So the dismissal ahead of time, they said, just caught them unawares.

Grigory Yavlinsky: Russia Lacks the Underlying Framework required for a Democratic Vote
Rosbalt, February 20, 2004
'We especially supported the president during that most difficult time and specifically in the struggle against international terrorism. It was extremely important that Russia take the right decision and not end up left out,' Yavlinsky insisted. However, he said, 'as time went on, the area for compromise began to narrow and, in the last analysis, this led us to choose not to accept the presidential elections.'

Take Your Vote Away
By Viktor Khamrayev, Kommersant, February 21, 2004
YABLOKO said its supporters should not cast their votes in the March 14 presidential elections, as the campaign is being conducted "dishonestly". However, the party said that YABLOKO's supporters should vote in regional and municipal elections, which are also being held in several regions also on March 14.

Duma's liberal oddballs unite
By Alia Samigullina, Gazeta.ru, February 19, 2004
After weeks of consultations, the handful of liberals, who won single-mandate seats to the lower house in December's parliamentary elections, have formed a league of their own.

Group of 5 Deputies Tries to Find Its Voice
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, February 19, 2004
Zadornov, together with Vladimir Ryzhkov, Sergei Popov, Viktor Pokhmelkin, and Galina Khovanskaya, were left to fend for themselves when their obvious allies, leading liberal-democratic parties Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces, failed to win seats in December's parliamentary elections.

Rybkin Affair Is No Laughing Matter
By Matt Bivens, Moscow Times, February 16, 2004
As I was chuckling at my wit, Yavlinsky was quoted sternly warning that jokes were inappropriate: A candidate for president had gone missing. Rybkin resurfaced, with his hair-raisingly erratic explanations, and I couldn't help agreeing with Yavlinsky -- and remembering he spoke from harsh experience.
Back in 1994, Grigory Yavlinsky's older son, Mikhail, was a piano player in his early 20s. Unknown assailants mangled Mikhail's hands. They also stuffed a note in his pocket warning his father to get out of politics.

Federal Center vs. St. Petersburg
By Boris Vishnevsky, Moscow News, February 13, 2004
The RF Finance Ministry is suing St. Petersburg in an attempt to get the northern capital to admit its responsibility for the enormous debts incurred by High Speed Rail Co.

Expert Says Rouble to Gain Another 10-15% on US Dollar in mid term
Rosbalt, January 16, 2004
'The rouble’s appreciation against the US dollar is not happening by chance. It is the result of a mid-term trend in the Russian economy,' said State Duma Deputy and economist Mikhail Zadornov at a press conference yesterday.

Parsing the 'Currency Triangle'
By Vlad Fadeyev, Translated by Nick Chesters, Rosbalt, February 11, 2004
Russians are trying to adjust to fluctuating exchange rates involving the ruble, the US dollar and the euro.

2 Liberals Appointed
Reuters, February 16, 2004
Two prominent liberals, whose parties fared disastrously in December parliamentary polls, won senior state posts on Friday in a sign from the Kremlin it did not want to marginalize the political opposition.

Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin Advocates the Creation of a Strong Institute of Human Rights Activists in the Regions
RIA "Novosti", February 13, 2004
In addition the ombudsman said that he would focus his efforts on the fight against "the terrible trade in human beings".

Vladimir Lukin Pledges as Ombudsman to Focus on the Rights of Children, the Disabled, Pensioners and Women
RIA "Novosti", February 13, 2004
Lukin, one of the founders of the Yabloko party and Russia's former ambassador to the US, remarked that the 21st century belongs to those countries that "are set not on power itself, but on concern for the welfare of their citizens."

Interview with Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin
Anchor - Natella Boltyanskaya, Ekho Moskvi, February 13, 2004
You know, Bismark said: "A Russian muzhik harnesses his horse slowly, but rides fast." It may be bad but it is better than the other way round, I mean the prospect of riding fast without harnessing the horse.

A Human for Rights. Vladimir Lukin will become the new ombudsman
By Viktor Khamrayev, Kommersant, February 12, 2004
Lukin himself, the Kremlin's candidate, who had a personal audience with the president a week ago, has declined to comment. Other Yabloko functionaries were not so reticent.

New HR ombudsman recruited form liberals
By Ksenia Solyanskaya, Gazeta.ru, February 11, 2004
Earlier Putin pledged that the authorities would not ignore the potential of liberals who failed to win seats to the State Duma in December’s parliamentary polls. Lukin is the first Yabloko member to be given a job by the president.

Authoritarianism and Its Discontents
By Alexander Lukin, Moscow Times, February 12, 2004
Polls conducted both before and after the election revealed that voters had grown tired of big talk and bigger upheavals, and that they were prepared to partially sacrifice the right to choose their leaders to whomever held out the promise of stability.

After The Presidential Elections. The Political Regime: Regional Variations
By Galina Michalyova, Head of the Yabloko Party's Analytical Center, Russian Election Watch, February 2004
Political control is beginning to expand into spheres other than politics: nonprofit organizations, education, science, and culture.

Liberals Take Jobs Outside Politics
By Oksana Yablokova, The Moscow Times, February 12, 2004
Two months after their painful defeat in the State Duma elections, most of the country's leading liberals have put their political ambitions on hold, with many saying they have found other jobs outside politics.

Regarding President's proposal to appoint Vladimir Lukin as ombudsman in the RF
Comment by Grigory Yavlinsky, www.yavlinsky.ru, February 11, 2004
"Vladimir Petrovich Lukin is a deserving man and a well-known politician. It is highly likely that he will be elected human rights ombudsman," said YABLOKO's leader Grigory Yalinsky, commenting on the President's submission of a proposal to the State Duma to appoint Vladimir Lukin as ombudsman in the RF.

The Right-Wing Struck Down by the Sverdlovsk Election Commttee
RIA "OREANDA", February 10, 2004
The bloc came into conflict with the Sverdlovsk regional election committee which made it impossible for the right-wing party to participate in the elections to the local legislative assembly through the protracted registration of the political union "SPS and Yabloko".

Yavlinsky Warns of 'Gosklan'
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, February 11, 2004
Less than 150 people make all key decisions in the country, and ultimately "all businesses, parliament, the media and the courts are controlled by one person," he said, in reference to President Vladimir Putin.

Terrorism is a villainy which knows no boundaries
Statement, The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO, February 6, 2004
There is no justification for terrorism - neither political or religious or any other. There is no justification for murder or murder threats of innocent and defenseless people.

Law Lets Nameless Sit in Mariinsky
By Vladimir Kovalev, St Peterburg Times, February 6, 2004
Half of the Legislative Assembly deputies at the next election will come from party lists closed to the public, according to a law passed by the city parliament on Wednesday.

Yabloko to boycott March 14, presidential election in Russia
Russia Journal, February 6, 2004
Making the announcing on Feb. 5, party leader Grigory Yavlinsky said, "the decision supported by all party members nationwide was made at a party conference."

Grigory Yavlinsky: There is no crisis in the YABLOKO party.
By Natalia Mikhalchenko, ITAR-TASS, February 5, 2004
Yavlinsky said that party membership had increased by 10,000 over the past two months, and that many distinguished Russian citizens had expressed their desire to join YABLOKO.

YABLOKO members accept positions in government
Russia Journal, February 4, 2004
Announcing the decision today, YABLOKO Deputy Chairman Sergei Mitrokhin noted that some members are ready to go to the executive authorities to influence it and implement the party's programme, as working in government today provides a much more effective means to influence policies than in the Duma.

Minus Interest, Plus Roubles. Taxes come down, but prices go up. Why?
By Boris Vishnevsky, The Moscow News, January 23, 2004
Incredibly, taxpayers and legislators wholeheartedly believe that scrapping the sales tax will make life easier for customers.

From Opposition to Post in Government
By Boris Vishnevsky, The Moscow News, January 30, 2004
It seems that Vladimir Putin’s comment about the need to tap the intellectual capacity of parties that did not make it into the Duma, which he made in the wake of the recent parliamentary election, was not made in vain.

Arbatov Sees Risk of Terror
The Associated Press, February 4, 2004
A prominent Russian liberal politician said Tuesday that a white powder found in the U.S. Senate that appears to be the deadly poison ricin was a grim reminder of the lurking danger of terrorists getting hold of weapons of mass destruction.

Elections 2003: Dead Souls Overcame the Five Per Cent Barrier. Over 3.5 million false ballot papers were added
By Orkhan Dzhemal, Novaya Gazeta, January 29, 2004
On January 26, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) delivered its verdict on Russia's parliamentary elections. The verdict was as follows: "Free, but not fair."... It's not entirely clear what the PACE meant by saying the elections were "free."

Grigory Yavlinsky: The country is slipping away and there is nothing that can be done about it
Interview with Grigory Yavlinsky by Natalya Gromova, Moskovsky Komsomolets, January 30, 2004
For the past ten years my critics have been saying that I'm unwilling to compromise; now they are criticizing me for seeking a compromise. Last spring, the papers praised YABLOKO for finding a common language with Putin to get into the Duma. Now they're asking why we tried to find common language with Putin - saying that's why we failed to get into the Duma. In such a situation, there's only one option: pay no attention, and do what you believe needs to be done.