Press Release, 3.04.2021

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

Yabloko Сhairman Nikolai Rybakov began his speech at the 21st party Congress by mentioning the victims of political repression, the number of which has increased significantly over the past year. According to the Memorial human rights society, 378 people in Russia are persecuted or imprisoned for their political beliefs.

“It is our personal responsibility to demand the release of these people whenever possible. There can be no free politics in the country if people are imprisoned for their views,” Rybakov said.

According to the Yabloko leader, in 2020 there were two main catastrophes: the “coronavirus” and “constitutional” [coup d’etat when Vladimir Putin’s amendments to the Russian Constitution were adopted at the plebiscite on 1 July 2020]. In a moment of general confusion, Yabloko proposed to society a decisive plan of action.

As an alternative to Vladimir Putin’s constitutional amendments, Yabloko developed the Constitution of Free People. According to a survey by the Levada Centre, 74% of Russian citizens fully supported the amendments proposed by Yabloko, and 95% of those surveyed supported individual amendments. Rybakov noted that Yabloko was the only party in the country that organised such work, and the ideas of the Constitution of Free People should be laid in the basis of the party’s political programme in the elections to the State Duma. In addition to a meaningful alternative, the party fought against “zeroing” of Vladimir Putin presidential terms through rallies and single pickets. It is important to note that Yabloko is the only party where all the deputies in the regional parliaments voted against Putin’s amendments to the Constitution.

Despite serious shocks in the country, Yabloko showed success in the 2020 municipal elections, almost 50 people won mandates and became deputies. The party received good results thanks to its candidates, technologists and representatives of the election headquarters, who traveled to the regions and provided assistance to Yabloko members.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the party proposed a plan to rescue citizens and the economy, which included urgent measures in the field of health and education, measures to counter domestic violence, etc. All these proposals were successfully discussed, both in the expert community and by the authorities: both federal and regional. In addition to the proposed plan, the party organised a volunteer network “You Are Not Alone” – Yabloko members helped people to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2020, the Federal Party School was launched, 50 promising young people were selected from all over the country to be taught by Yabloko leaders. At present, the students are finishing their studies, a new admission is opening soon. In addition, the School of Municipal Deputies was organised, and the Anti-Corruption Policy Centre continues its work.

Thanks to all these positive changes, for the first time in many years, the party’s rating grew from 4% to 5%, the threashold for getting into the State Duma. “This is a chance to return to the State Duma and form the only oppositional democratic faction there. This is necessary not only for us, but also for all people who demand changes,” Rybakov noted.

Nikolai Rybakov also spoke about the reform of Yabloko, discussed in the party since 2017. All amendments to the Yabloko By-Laws were discussed at numerous seminars with party members throughout the country. The main goal of the Yabloko reform is to focus on the work outside the party, its effectiveness, increasing the influence of each party member, as well as increasing responsibility of party members for their participation on work. According to Rybakov’s estimates, by the end of August 2021 the number of registered supporters of the party will reach one million.

Rybakov urged Yabloko members to adopt the decision on the reform, as it will create a strong, honest, and respectful competition in Yabloko and guarantee the change of power.

“We have made the turnover of power within the party. What President Putin has not been able to do in Russia in 22 his years in power. And not a single parliamentary party managed to do that. But we did! And this turnover of power, change of generations and dialogue between them is what we offer in 2021 to the whole country!” Rybakov added.

The Chairman of Yabloko also stated that one of the myths about party reform was that the party would be shelled off from the people, but, in fact, the opposite was being proposed. People would be able to join the party and have the opportunity to make decisions. Rybakov said that Yabloko’s traditions and values allowed different groups of people to work together for 30 years. He also noted that he would not allow belittling either the party or the people who are members of it.

The Yabloko leader recalled that the first Manifesto of Yabloko, when it was formed as of the Yavlinsky-Boldyrev-Lukin bloc, contained a fundamental thesis: to bring such people to parliament for whom the end does not justify the means. The meaning of the proposed reform is to return to its fundamental values ​​- freedom, democracy, human rights and social liberalism.