Press release, 27.12.2016

On December 27, Novgorod Region Court dismissed YABLOKO’s action on overturning election results to the Novgorod Region Duma. YABLOKO will appeal against the judgement before the Supreme Court. 

YABLOKO’s lawyer Ksenia Mikhailova claimed that the regional branch of the party was deprived of their right to use the airtime allocated for campaigning free of charge. Moreover, regional television channels showed stories aimed at damaging the reputation of the party nominees.

For instance, the largest publishing holding in the region refused to place YABLOKO’s campaigning materials for the reason that the party was calling for resignation of the governor and for formation of a new professional government of the region.

Due to the refusal, YABLOKO was not able to place its campaigning material free of charge in the municipalities where 73 per cent of voters of the Novgorod Region live.

YABLOKO also provided evidence of bribery of voters in the Borovichskoy district of the region. According to the lawyer of the party, the election results can be overturned on the grounds of this.

However, the court found no violation of law in the evidence provided by the party.

“We disapprove of such a decision, we will appeal against it before the Supreme Court,” YABLOKO’s representative Anna Cherepanova noted.

YABLOKO’s list of candidates needed only 300 votes to enter the regional parliament.