Debate on the Russia-1 television channel, 03.09.2016

On September 2, the Russia-1 television channel held a debate, the topic of which was creation the equal opportunity environment in the country. The YABLOKO party was represented in the debate by its leader Grigory Yavlinsky. His opponents were Vladimir Zhirinovsky (LDPR), Gennady Semigin (Patriots of Russia), Oleg Mitvol (the Greens), Oleg Smolin (the Communist Party) and Igor Korotchenko (Rodina – Motherland). We provide below the full video of the debate and the programme speech by Grigory Yavlinsky.

Friends, as you can see, one knows and understands everything. All is well-known, but only nothing works. Laws are not adopted, and life does not become easier not only for people with disabilities, but also for the country in general.

Why?

Look, I would like to tell you something interesting. The world’s first and best bionic artificial arms and legs were made by Mikhail Lebedev, a Russian inventor. A smart wheelchair for mobility of persons with disabilities was created by Valery Spiridonov, a Russian inventor from the city of Vladimir. And Roman Aranin from Kaliningrad created a wheelchair which can climb up the stairs.

None of this is manufactured in Russia.

Just as the first light bulb was invented Russian scientist Pavel Yablochkov and has been manufactured God knows where and has never been manufactured on a mass scale in Russia. Similarly, as the first radio, the radio signal, was invented by Russian inventor Alexander Popov, and all this is again was attributed to Guglielmo Marconi…

Why is it all like this?

Because Russia has not established a system for protection of human rights, protection of intelligence and freedom. Because the people who can do something are forced to leave Russia or remain here with nothing.

We launched the first satellite. And today we attribute to one per cent of the world telecommunications. We made the first computer (almost no one is aware of this), it was made by Sergei Lebedev. But there are computers made and sold in Russia, and we are not present on any of these [markets].

A different system and a different government are needed. We need a system of fair trial, implementation of laws, protection of intelligence and curbing corruption. A system where everyone would have a chance, and it even would have a chance to repeat, if he made a mistake.

We need a system that does not suppress the dissenting. We need a system with real political opposition.

And, most importantly, we need a system where government changes on a regular basis, where the same government would not take posts for 16 or20 years, like Leonid Brezhnev [head of the USSR governed the country]! All this is impossible [to bear any more].

Such are the key problems.

The present system, suppressing its political opponents, does allow the society to freely develop, it creates lies and fear. And it is impossible to become a modern country in the situation of lies and fear, it is impossible to become a country of equal opportunities for all. This is the key problem. And if Russia finds itself, because of such a system, because such a policy, because of a government, among the backward countries of the world, it will never become a modern and developed country. All will be decided in the next ten years.

If we do not change the Duma, do not change the government, we will never provide decent prospects for the Russian people in the world.

We are the party that together with our society wants to lead Russia forward and knows how to do it, and can do it!