Press Release, 21.07.2014
YABLOKO candidate for governor of the Pskov region Lev Shlosberg collected 149 signatures out of 150 to pass the municipal filter which is necessary for registration procedure. He faces difficulties collecting the signatures as the temporary acting governor Andrei Turchak exerts pressure on the deputies. Lev Shlosberg forwarded an open letter to Turchak accusing him of “boundless political cowardice”. YABLOKO federal leadership also made a statement on the case.

Sergei Mitrokhin and Grigory Yavlinsky demand from the federal and local authorities to return the election campaign in the Pskov region to the lawful boundaries. “In the conditions of the coming economic recession, decline in living standards, low budgetary security, sharp foreign-policy crisis one should show respect for the interests of people and find a way to public agreement and civil peace”, runs YABLOKO statement.

The elections can’t be declared free, fair and legitimate without Lev Shlosberg. “Preventing him from running for governor is the direct way to undermining the fragile stability in the region”, runs the statement.

In his letter to the temporary acting governor Shlosberg claims that exactly the deputies of the temporary acting governor and deputies of the ruling United Russia party give instructions to the municipal deputies not to put signatures in support of Lev Shlosberg.

The level of pressure is such that they are threatened with everything but for arrest and death penalty. The threat to be dismissed has become a usual practise.

At the moment 149 signatures out of 150 have been collected.

In his letter Lev Shosberg warned Turchak that every case with pressure on the deputies is known and fixed. “Any attempts of to bring threats to life will be made public. No one will be left alone with the officials who have forgotten the law. I will protect those people in person”, said Shlosberg.

Shlosberg called the situation in the region the “boundless political cowardice”. “You’re afraid of discussing the situation in the region: corruption, theft, self-interested deals with property including land and forest, ruin of budget system, dishonest entrepreneurship, damage the environment, decline of local self-government, enormous waste of budgetary money on PR”, noted Lev Shlosberg.

The elections will take place on September 14.

Lev Shlosberg is chairman of the Pskov branch of YABLOKO, YABLOKO bureau member, member of the Pskov Legislative Assembly, journalist, prize-winner of Russia’s Gold Feather award.