Press release, 12.12.2018

Emilia Slabunova, Chair of the Yabloko Party, took part in a round table dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Constitution. The participants of the event discussed the necessity to carry out a political reform and the possibility to amend the Сonstitution.

Emilia Slabunova began her speech explaining what makes the Constitution the source of power in the country. According to the political, the fundamental law provides guarantees. The efficiency of the Constitution is commensurate with the efficiency of the political system. This is why it is vital to stop blaming the state of affairs in the country on the imperfection of the Constitution.

Slabunova said that there should be confidence that the Constitution would not be just “the text”. It should establish guarantees and make provisions for the work of all the three branches of power.

“The dysfunction of the Constitution is that it is not a prerequisite [for the state system], thus creating negative public sentiment, anxiety, increased aggressiveness and a generally unfavorable socio-psychological climate,” Emilia Slabunova said.

“The political system needs recovery. Perhaps the only way is through the change of power… So it is necessary to change the electoral system”, she emphasized.

“We do not need individual changes, we need to change the whole concept of the electoral system. Yabloko has prepared it,” Emilia Slabunova noted.

She also stressed that “now it is necessary to strengthen relations between all the communities and strive for the creation of new legal instruments and a new electoral system”.