Press release, 14.05.2016

Today the conference of the Moscow YABLOKO has elected the governing bodies of the party branch. Sergei Mitrokhin was re-elected Chair for another two years term. 40 delegates of the conference voted in favor of his candidacy, 14 voted against, 2 ballots were recognised void. The elections took place on a non-competitive base as Vladimir Lukin, one of YABLOKO founders who resumed his membership in the party, and Galina Mikhaleva, First Deputy Chair of Moscow YABLOKO, rejected the nomination by the delegates.

Chair of YABLOKO Federal Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky participated in the conference. It was him who nominated Sergei Mitrokhin for the post of Moscow YABLOKO Chair. According to Yavlinsky, “Sergei Mitrokhin is a serious, professional, experienced politician who has leadership skills, the bravest politician in Russia”.

In his speech Grigory Yavlinsky also spoke about the goals and tasks which the regional branch has to fulfill. Chair of YABLOKO Federal Political Committee called the Moscow branch of YABLOKO to start preparation for Moscow Mayor’s elections which will take place simultaneously with the presidential elections in 2018. Yavlinsky does not rule out a tandem at the elections when he will be running for the post of Russia’s President and Sergei Mitrokhin will be running for Moscow Mayor’s post.

Grigory Yavlinsky believes that Moscow YABLOKO should become a centre of attraction for modern, educated, not indifferent people” and involve them in the activity.

He called to improve the expert work of the regional branch in the capital city of Russia and start to prepare the concept of Moscow urban development and take “Big Petersburg. XXI century” concept as a example. [The concept of St.Petersburg and theLeningrad Region development was developed by Yavlinsky and his team.] “Moscow YABLOKO must become the foundation for creation of the alternative – political, ideological, personnel, professional. We must show people who that one can make a difference,” Yavlinsky said.

To bring this mission to life the regional branch needs a team which will combine rejuvenation and succession, a new way of work.

According to YABLOKO charter, Chair of the regional branch proposes the candidacies for Deputy Chair himself/herself. Member of the Presidential human rights committee Andrei Babushkin (44 votes out of 54), political scientists Ivan Bolshakov (42 votes) and Galina Mikhaleva (34 votes) and municipal deputy Grigory Semyenov (35 votes).

The conference also elected members of the Regional Council: Valery Borschyov (prominent human rights defender), Alexander Gnezdilov (Deputy Chair of YABLOKO), Kirill Goncharov, Nikolai Kavkazsky, Marina Karavayeva, Mikhail Menshikov, Tatyana Ovcharenko, Olga Radayeva, Elena Rusakova, Svetlana Savitskaya, Yury Shein, Olga Vlasova.

And what is more, Vladimir Lukin, one the founder of the YABLOKO party and Russia’s Ombudsman for Human Rights in 2004-2014, resumed his membership in the party. According with the requirements of the Russian law ombudsmen should be non-partisan. Vladimir Lukin stated his wish to resume his membership in YABLOKO at today’s conference of the Moscow branch of the party. The conference voted unanimously for resuming his membership.