Statement by the Yabloko party, 15.05.2020

On 13 May, the State Duma adopted in the second and third reading the bills toughening election legislation and providing additional opportunities for distortion of election results.

In particular, the new norms complicate registration of candidates through collection of signatures, contribute to the expansion of the practices of voting outside the designated premises, as well as apply postal and remote electronic voting. In addition, changes in legislation directly affect the right to participate in elections for new categories of citizens.

We are convinced that the introduction of these norms aims at significant expanding of the possibility for manipulation of the electoral process by the authorities, including falsification of voting results. Also, these norms obviously violate the constitutional rights of certain categories of Russian citizens.

We would like to draw particular attention to the fact that these changes are cynically introduced into the legislation precisely at the moment when Russian society is engaged in fighting the epidemic, and the attention of citizens is diverted to solving personal problems related to the regime of [quarantine] restrictions.

Instead of implementation of a real reform of the electoral process, which is urgently needed by society and the state, the authorities are taking the next step to destroy the remnants of [people’s] confidence in the elections and their final transformation into a fraudulent procedure.

Yabloko categorically opposes the introduction of such norms and insists on broadest liberalisation of electoral legislation. In particular, we advocate complete abolition of the signatures barrier at elections and introduction of an electoral deposit. In addition, we insist on complete abolition of the so-called municipal filter [envisaging collection of signatures of municipal deputies in favour of the candidate’s registration] and ensuring maximum access for citizens to the electoral process.

The right to elect and be elected is guaranteed by the Russian Constitution.

Our country has no future without fair, open and competitive elections!

Nikolai Rybakov,

Yabloko Chairman