Press Release, 28.05.2020

The Kaliningrad branch of Yabloko held a conference, which elected the governing bodies of the party’s regional branch for the next two years. During the secret ballot, Igor Pleshkov was unanimously re-elected as Chairman. His deputies were Olga Ivanova and Yelena Voitekhovich. Olga Ivanova was also elected to the Federal Council of the party.

The Regional Council and the Control and Audit Commission also received a vote of confidence of the delegates, while some rotation in the Regional Council took place.

The conference began with a report on the activities of the Kaliningrad regional rbanch of Yabloko over the past two years. In particular, Igor Pleshkov noted the arrival of young people in Yabloko as a positive sign. He also marked constructive interaction that began last year with political and public organisations of the democratic spectrum of the Kaliningrad region, noting that the Kaliningrad discussion club The 12th Floor created on the basis of Yabloko facilitated to this.

The leader of the Kaliningrad Yabloko two campaigns of political pressure conducted in late 2019 and crowned with success, were a common victory which included changes to the regional law on freedom of assembly, rallies and pickets in terms of reducing the list restricted venues for public gatherings, especially  by government’s buildings; and the second campaign (initiated and consistently carried out by Yabloko) against the draft amendments to the election system in the Charter of Kaliningrad. Yabloko managed to consolidate hundreds of citizens who signed appeals and a petition posted on the Internet, who came to public hearings, as well as some of the deputies of the City Council.

Igor Pleshkov also analysed the mistakes that were made and outlined the main directions of the work ahead for the next two years. Accoriding to him, the key and immediate task should be participation in the municipal elections in 2020. The list of single-mandate candidates has been virtually formed, but it is still open to party supporters.

It should be noted that Igor Pleshkov, businessman and ex-deputy of the City Council of Deputies of Kaliningrad, was elected Chairman of the Kaliningrad branch of Yabloko in 2018.