Press Release, 26.08.2016

On 25 August, Nikolai Rybakov, Deputy Chairman of YABLOKO and one of the top candidates of the party to the State Duma, was in Vladimir on a working visit to Vladimir. He visited several “hot spots” of the city, where rights of the citizens were violated, gave a press conference for local media and spoke to voters and answered their questions in a local radio station.

Rybakov began his visit from the meeting with the residents of the Kommunar town close to Vladimir who live in a block of flats that can fall down because a developer decided to build another block of flats by its side instead of strengthening the river slope the houses are situated on. The residents applied to the local authorities and despite the fact that violations in construction were registered, no measures were taken.

Nikolai Rybakov will apply to the Public Prosecutor General and the regulator for construction on behalf of the party so that so help the residents. He also urged them to apply to the local regulators and mass media.

“We in YABLOKO have many examples when making problems public helped to get justice. This requires three components. The first is the active local people. We see that it in this case. The second is making the problem public [via mass media]. And the third is systematic work to achieve the solution of the problems,” he said.

Rybakov also visited the Rukav village where the residents oppose construction of a bitumen plant close to the residential housing, despite the fact that such production is hazardous.

“Here we see the same as everywhere in the country – de-ecologisation of governing. People with their problems, their health and lives are not taken into account,” Rybakov stressed.

According Dmitry Kushpita, the only representative of YABLOKO in the Vladimir City Council, the problem can be easily solved: this requires only cancelling the notorious decision of the legislative body. YABLOKO representatives expressed their certainly that they would be able to solve the problem.

Rybakov’s last stop on the way to Vladimir was by the only bridge over the railway in the area. Its repair had been delayed for many years, in spite of its emergency condition, and began only after pressure from local YABLOKO deputy Dmitry Kushpita. Rybakov stressed that it was “an example of what the party can achieve, even without a majority [in the local parliament].”

The main topic of Rybakov’s press conference was the ecological situation in Vladimir. Also Rybakov spoke about the party election campaign.

“We have the biggest campaign ever. In addition to the elections to the State Duma, we participate in the elections to thirty Legislative Assemblies. We nominated over 2,000 candidates on the regional level and several thousand on the local,” he said.

Rybakov also added that the present campaign was part of Grigory Yavlinsky’s presidential campaign, as a radical change of policy in the country is impossible without changing the head of the state.

Journalists asked questions about the party’s stance on the situation in education, as well as the difficulties faced by YABLOKO in the campaign in the region. Rybakov admitted that there were difficulties, but stressed that all can be overcome by active position of citizens.

“[High voters’] turnout is the most terrible weapon against the election fraud,” Rybakov said.

Also Rybakov answered questions in the live broadcast by a local radio station.