Press Release, 28.01.2021

Photo: Sofya Pugacheva, head of the Novorzhevsky District and Yabloko member

The team of the Pskov branch of Yabloko has published the next issue of the newspaper Grazhdanin (Citizen) for the residents of the Novorzhevsky District. The paper was published on donations. This issue includes a large interview with Sofya Pugacheva, head of the district and Yabloko member, about the achievements and difficulties of the district in 2020, as well as materials about the inhabitants of the Novorzhevsky district, its economy, culture, education, tourism, charity, hopes and plans.

In the central publication of the issue is an interview with Sofya Pugacheva, head of the Novorzhevsky district, elected from Yabloko. She has been in charge of the region for more than a year, but she was able to do a lot for the residents of her native land and the region.

From this issue of the paper a reader can find out how the Altun estate, known far beyond the region, has been surviving in the pandemic, why the Museum of History of the Novorzhevsk Distrcit does not regret that they did not receive a federal status, what are the plans of those working in the culture and sports sector of the Novorzhevsk district and how they live, there is also a kind story about a humble philanthropist who also makes donation to the Pskov branch of Yabloko and prefers to help without revealing himself, including to the ordinary residents of the Novorzhevsky District. These and other articles can be found on the website of the newspaper Grazhdanin.

Lev Shlosberg, Chairman of the Pskov branch of Yabloko and MP of the regional parliament, noted that the political opponents, due to their negligence, vacated for the party the niche of normal local print media. He commented on the publication of the issue devoted to Novorzhevsk residents as follows: “According to a long tradition, the newspaper Grazhdanin was published more often before elections and during election campaigns. After the victories of  Yabloko’s candidates for the head of the regions in 2019, we saw that district newspapers ceased to be such. All of them are part of the regional administration’s media holding, and their editorial policy is formed in Pskov.

With regard to the Yabloko members, who were elected heads of the Novorzhevsky and Pustoshkinsky districts, – Sofya Pugacheva and Svetlana Vasilkova, – the former district newspapers chose a very specific hybrid tactics of boycotting and harassment, when a newspaper, traditionally considered as a district paper by local residents, unexpectedly becomes a participant in a political war against elected heads of district: the truth is not written, and lies are spread.

We quickly realised that the niche of a normal district print media was vacated because of the stupidity of our political opponents. And we are trying to work in this niche – without any government support, entirely at the expense of donors from the Pskov Yabloko.

The next issue of the newspaper Grazhdanin for residents of the Novorzhevsky District has just been published. It is a special issue: it tells in detail and in a human way how people lived in the district in such an unexpected and difficult year. This issue includes articles on economy, education, culture, folk art, history, tourism, sports and traditions. The main thing is the people, the inhabitants of the area. Their will to live.

Truth will always find its way to people.”

A special issue of the newspaper for residents of the Novorzhevsky District was printed with a circulation of 4,000 copies. The newspaper is distributed free of charge.

Grazhdanin is the official newspaper of the Pskov branch of Yabloko, published since 2010. It is available in the electronic form since 2016.

The website of the newspaper also provides an opportunity to subscribe for free a daily or weekly issues and receive articles about the life of the Pskov region by e-mail.

The Pskov branch of Yabloko thanks all its the donors for their continuous support, which allows the team to work productively and independently.