Press Release, 07.10.2014

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin demands to find the actions of the State Duma Council members unethical since they took the decision to give the floor to the representatives of only ten non-parliamentary political parties today. Mitrokhin sent the claim to the State Duma Committee on deputy ethics.

The other 65 political parties representatives got the right to be present at the upper circle during the meetings. It turns out that every political party will get the floor only once in seven years. The law which settles the right of non-parliamentary parties to participate in the State Duma meetings no less than once a year was signed by President Dmitry Medvedev in 2010. [In March 2012 President Medvedev approved the legislation intended to simplify the registration of political parties. The move was influenced by massive protests after the 2011 parliamentary elections in widely viewed as tainted by fraud. The proposed reforms include reducing to 500 from 40,000 the number of members needed for a party to register for participation in elections.]

The participation includes the right to make a speech, moreover, the law states that every party should elect its representative at a plenary meeting.

But the State Duma Council decided that being present at the upper circle can be considered as participation.

“We don’t have many opportunities to influence this lawlessness. Such cases don’t fall within the ambit of the Prosecutor’s office. The State Duma regalement don’t allow to demand to reject the Council decision at the State Duma meeting. Though the case is within the Committee on deputy ethics competence. The Committee should consider any unethical actions of the deputies. The heads of all the four parliamentary factions acted in an unethical manner suggesting the non-parliamentary parties representatives to take seats at the upper circle instead of participation”, stated Sergei Mitrokhin.

“If the Duma allowed the existence of such a big number of political parties then it should provide the maintenance of their rights”, said Sergei Mitrokhin.

A year ago Mitrokhin’s speech at the State Duma was devoted to the pension reform. Two years ago it was devoted to the political reform. This year the law on industrial policy was being discussed.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Committee on deputy ethics it can recommend to the State Duma to: propose a deputy to apologies, spread the information on the unethical action in mass media, deprive a deputy of the right to be given the floor at one nor several meetings.