Emilia Slabunova introduced to the Karelian parliament Yabloko’s amendments to the Constitution

Press Release, 20.03.2020

Emilia Slabunova, member of the Federal Political Committee of the Yabloko party and deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia, presented to the regional parliament of Karelia a package of amendments of the Yabloko party, the adoption of which guarantees the creation of a truly social state in Russia.

Emilia Slabunova emphasised that the minimum wage should ensure decent living standards of the employee and his/her family members on the basis of the state social standards, which form the basis of all social policies and are reviewed at least once every two years.

“Putin’s statement that 70 per cent of Russian citizens with a monthly income of 17,000 roubles [approximately 200 Euro] are the middle class – this is a slap in the face for the Russian people,” she  noted.

“The minimum wage cannot be equal to the cost of living, since it is calculated for an individual and does not include taxes, and a wage implies reproduction of labour, that is, maintenance of dependents, and even the minimum wage is not exempt from the income tax. The President’s amendments constitutionally fixed absolute poverty,” Emilia Slabunova stressed.

It should be noted that deputies of the Yabloko party in the legislative assemblies of six regions – Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Karelia, Pskov and Astrakhan regions and the Khabarovsk Territory -introduced a package of amendments to the Constitution, which are dedicated to improving the guarantees of human and civil rights and freedoms.

In particular, Yabloko believes that the retirement age should not exceed 60 years, and personal pension savings are private property and should be inherited. The party also offers to treat children with any diseases, including rare (orphanic) diseases at the expense of budget funds, and the realisation of the right to medical care is guaranteed at the place of residence.

In addition, the party considers it necessary to guarantee compulsory secondary education, care for children, including those born out of wedlock (that should be guaranteed not only by the system of benefits, but also by the creation of a state alimony fund), ensure reliable, timely and regular informing of citizens about the state of the environment

Earlier, Yabloko’s regional deputies introduced a new chapter of the Constitution on the electoral system, political parties, and opposition rights for consideration by six legislative assemblies.

It should be noted that in its first package of amendments to the Constitution Yabloko proposed  reducing the presidential term to four years, limiting the powers of the head of state to the list provided for by the Constitution, introducing the election of members of the Federation Council, empowering the Federation Council to nominate Public Prosecutor General, and giving the State Duma the right to nominate Prime Minister, allow deputies make a vote of no confidence in individual ministers, expand the composition of the Constitutional Court, return the Supreme Arbitration Court, introduce the election of court chairpersons by the judges, expand the right to a jury trial and introduce the election of justices of the peace.

In addition, the party prepared amendments to ban private military organisations in Russia, transfer to the contract principle of formation of the army, expand the rights of the Federal Assembly to formulation of the country’s foreign policy, and recognise torture as a grave crime.