Press Release, 14.04.2018

A mass rally of local residents was held in the Serpukhov area, the Moscow region. Participants of the rally demanded to close the Lesnaya landfill. Yabloko Chair Emilia Slabunova spoke at the rally at the invitation of the organisers of the action.

Slabunova noted in her speech that “an elementary problem of garbage utilisation has become a global one” because the authorities in Russia are, first, “unprofessional”, and, second, “they criminally neglect the interests of people”.

“These authorities have become as toxic as those landfills that poison the air of our wonderful homeland. This power exists on our taxes, and [its officials] get their big salaries at our expense. At the same time, they cancel elections of different levels, refuse to listen to people, and gives people vague promises. Such a toxic government should be canceled and closed, like those landfills that poison the air,” Emilia Slabunova said.

Emilia Slabunova demanded not only to close the Lesnaya landfill, but also to bring to justice those guilty of inaction and damage to the health of citizens. She also noted that residents should be compensated for the damage to their health. Slabunova, in particular, offered to send schoolchildren from the affected regions to recreation camps in ecologically safe regions for the entire summer period: free of charge for low-income families, and at a reduced price for the rest. Adults should have an additional paid vacation.

In addition, Yabloko Chair put forward a demand to the authorities to provide the local community within three months with projects for reclamation of the landfill and construction of a garbage processing plant, providing open information on the state of air, water and soil in the area every day. Finally, Emilia Slabunova called for resignation of Governor Vorobyov and the Minister of Ecology and Nature of the Moscow Region Kogan.

The rally in the Serpukhov district was held as part of the StopPoligon (StopLandfill) action, initiated by Nikolai Dijur, municipal deputy from the Yabloko party. On 14 April, the birthday of Governor of the Moscow region Andrei Vorobyov, environmental rallies were held in different cities of the Moscow region.