Member of YABLOKO’s federal list of candidates in the State Duma election made a visit to Kazan [800 kilometers east of the capital]
Press release, 10.08.2016

“The budget of Kazan [the Republic of Tatarstan] and Petrozavodk [the Republic of Karelia] in terms of one person per year is nearly the same and makes 18 thousand roubles [approx. 250 euros]. In Moscow it makes 130 thousand roubles [approx. 1,809 euros]. What does it mean? The Republic gives small subsidies to the city,” Galina Shirshina, member of YABLOKO federal list of candidates, said at a press conference in Kazan.

Galina Shirshina, ex-Mayor of Petrozavodsk, ALDE-CoR 2016 LeaDeR award winner, held meetings with party members, journalists and activists in Kazan, on August 9.

“Despite the apparent well-being in Tatarstan, there are some problems. The Republic takes one of the highest positions in the rate of school buildings in a critical condition, and one of the lowest positions in the rate on the number of doctors per 100 thousand people,” Shirshina said.

According to the politician, the main reason for the insufficient funding is maldistribution of funds between the centre, regions and municipal structures and the duplication of functions which takes place because of it. Galina Shirshina remained that there is a point on the reform of local self-government in YABLOKO’s electoral programme. “YABLOKO’s electoral programme is the only programme which has been developed with the assistance of experts in every field,” she said.

Shirshina also participated in a round table on the city’s urban problems. She stood for appointment of mayors by election, claiming that the only legitimate government is the government elected by people.

She also had a meeting with YABLOKO’s activists in Kazan.

“YABLOKO bears responsibility for the results after the elections. The party will fulfill its programme, realise its election promises, change people’s lives for the better. For YABLOKO the election is not the goal, it is the means to achieve this goal,” Shirshina noted.

The federal top ten candidates on YABLOKO’s list started visiting the regions of Russia. Last week Vladimir Ryzhkov, who is number three of the party federal list of candidates, visited Volgograd. YABLOKO Chair Emilia Slabunova is going to visit Tula, on August 10.