Press Release 21.03.2017

According to Yuri Pivovarov, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and historian, Grigory Yavlinsky would be the best candidate from democratic opposition in the presidential elections of 2018.

Acad. Pivovarov expressed such opinion in the course of the discussion “One Hundred Years since the February Revolution in Russia and the Tasks of Political Modernisation in the 21st Century” that was held in YABLOKO Moscow office on 14 March. Drawing parallels between the collapse of the Russian liberal project in 1917 and the present political situation, Acad. Pivovarov noted, in particular, the extreme for politicians of pro-European views to join together.

“The 18th of September last year [the day of the State Duma elections] was one of the most difficult days in my life,” Yuri Pivovarov admitted. “I was absolutely certain that your party would pass [to the parliament]. Even if three or five persons could have passed – there would be a completely different situation now. We are on the threshold of another 1918 [the first year after the communist coup d’etat]. I agree with [YABLOKO’s pillars] Sergei Kovalyov [famous human rights defender] and Viktor Sheinis [one of the authors of the Russian Constitution], I read their articles Novaya Gazeta that there is only one candidate for [the democratic opposition],” Pivovarov said addressing Grigory Yavlinsky who was sitting next to him.