Statement by YABLOKO Bureau, 15.02.2016

The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO welcomes the proposal of Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) in the European Parliament, on recognition of the Russian language as an official language of the European Union. We consider this idea as the recognition of the importance of the Russian language for the world and the European culture in particular; the status of the Russian language as a world language; as well as its special role as the bridge language in Eastern Europe and all the post-Soviet space. Read more »

Press release, 16.02.2016
Today the State Duma Committee for Science and Education has considered the draft of the amendments to the Federal Law on Education submitted by Emilia Slabunova, YABLOKO Chairperson and Deputy Chair of the Committee for Education, Culture, Sports and Matters Concerning Young Persons of the Karelian Legislative Assembly. Read more »

Press release, 16.02.2016
On 16 February, Victor Sheinis, a member of YABLOKO Federal Political Committee, economist and politician, has turned 85. YABLOKO Chairperson Emilia Slabunova and Chair of YABLOKO Federal Political Committee Grigory Yavlinsky congratulated him on his birthday. Read more »

Grigory Yavlinsky’s Facebook page, 14.02.2016

“We rolled back to the times of a new Cold War,” such a vauge statement was made by Dmitry Medvedev in Munich, and all media wrote that Dmitry Mededev “had declared the start of the Cold War”. This means that the society is already prepared for a war, it is already on their mind… There is only a step from such a war on one’s mind to a real war, not a cold one. Read more »

Press release, 16.02.2016
On 14 February, a rally against an infill construction took place in the Tyoply Stan district, Moscow. Over 500 people came to protest against the plans to construct a multistory building right in the middle of the boulevard which divides two residential area. The participants of the action unveiled the documents that prove that the project was an unauthorized construction. Member of YABLOKO Federal Council Mikhail Menshikov, Deputy Chair of the Moscow branch of YABLOKO Grigory Semyonov, activists Igor Bakirov, Stanislav Belyansky, Vadim Boglovsky and Elena Rusakova also participated in the rally. Read more »

Press release, 16.02.2016

Tomorrow, on 16 February, YABLOKO Chairperson Emilia Slabunova will submit a draft of the amendments to the Federal Law on Education to the State Duma Committee for Science and Education. Slabunova’s proposal will guarantee the access to education according to the single state educational standard for every child regardless of the region of residence. Read more »

Press release, 15.02.2016
Today, on 15 February, Chair of the Sverdlovsk branch of YABLOKO Yuri Pereverzyev participated in a rally dedicated to the 27th anniversary of the Soviet troops withdrawal from Afghanistan. The rally took place in the city of Pervouralsk, the Sverdlosk Region. Read more »

Press release, 13.02.2016

“The only issue of current importance to us at the moment is to win the State Duma election of 18 September,” YABLOKO Chairperson Emilia Slabunova said during the extended meeting of the Regional Council of the Moscow Region branch of the party. “I do not want to use such word combinations as “a successful campaign” and “successful participation”. We must aim at winning the elections. All the rest issues will be obscured for the next few months,” she stressed. Read more »

Press release, 12.02.2016

The activists of Moscow YABLOKO Youth conducted a one-person picket in support of Ildar Dadin, the political prisoner who had been charged with three years at a penal colony under Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code for repeatedly breaking Russia’s protest laws. Dadin became the first politcal prisoner to be charged under this Article. The action took place outside the State Duma and the activists demanded that Article 212.1 must be abolished. Read more »

Press Release, 11.02.2016

Today, on 11 February, Tverskoi District Court decided to adjourn the hearings on the detention of Sergei Mitrokhin on picket for resignation of Ramzan Kadyrov, head of Chechnya, after public threats of the latter to the Russian opposition. The court sent the case back to the police department for revision. Read more »

Press release, 10.02.2016

On 10 February, Yuri Pereverzev, Chairman of the Sverdlovsk Region branch of YABLOKO filed a written inquiry to Eugeny Kuashev, Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region. YABLOKO expressed protest against the demolition of Buddhist monastery Shad Tchup Ling in Kachkanar city, the Sverdlovsk Region. Read more »

RIA Novosti/ Maxim Blinov

Press release, 10.02.2016
Sergei Mitrokhin, member of YABLOKO’s Federal Political Committee and Chair of Moscow YABLOKO, considers that Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who ordered to start the mass demolition of sales premises in Moscow on the night of 9 Februray, must offer explanations to the President of Russia in the presence of the aggrieved entrepreneurs. Read more »

Press release, 10.02.2016
Today Sergei Mitrokhin, member of YABLOKO’s Federal Political Committee and Chair of Moscow YABLOKO, has farwarded an application to President of Russia Vladimir Putin with the demand to dismiss Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin in connection with the gross violation of property rights caused by the mass demolition of sales premises in Moscow. Read more »

Press release, 09.02.2016

The Moscow branch of the YABLOKO party made a statement to express their categorical protest in connection with the mass demolition of the kiosks and small shopping centers which had taken place by order of the Moscow Mayor’s Office (City Hall) last night. According to the city government, the buildings had no formal planning permission. However, the owners claim that court confirmed the legal status of the constructions. YABLOKO states that that authorities destroy small business instead of supporting it. YABLOKO demands that the legality of the mass demolition of kiosks and pavilions must be reviewed and that the officials responsible for another pogrom of small business must be dismissed.

Photo: Valery Sharifulin/TASS

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Press Release, 9.02.2016
Today Judge of the Tverskoi District Court, Moscow, has ruled out that Sergei Mitrokhin, Chair of the Moscow YABLOKO and member of YABLOKO’s Federal Political Committee, who was detained at the rally in defense of the Constitution, was guilty of violation of Paragraph 5 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code and sentenced to a fine amounting to 15,000 roubles.
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Press release, 05.02.2016
YABLOKO Bureau claims that the change of power is possible only by peaceful way, therefore [YABLOKO] stands totally against revolutions and calls all the citizens of Russia to take active participation in the elections. In connection with this YABLOKO will start a mass informational and educational campaign to explain the political importance of parliamentary and presidential elections. Read more »

Press release, 05.02.2016

Activists of the St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO Youth Ilya Smirnov and Polina Dmitriyeva conducted a one-person picketing suggesting that the citizens should write a letter to Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Administration, with an apology. The action had a sarcastic implication and aimed at attracting attention to lawlessness in the Chechen Republic.

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Press release, 05.02.2016

The Mordovia branch of YABLOKO conducted a one-person picket with the demand to file a criminal case against Ramzany Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Administration. Chair of the local YABLOKO branch Vladimir Gridin participated in the action.

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Deutsche Welle, 03.02.2016

By Nikita Batalov

Galina Shirshina, ex-Mayor of Petrozavodsk, gave DW an interview about threats to take her to court, participation in elections to the State Duma and her fight against the system.

After a loud dismissal of Galina Shirshina, Mayor of Petrozavodsk, the interest of the media has been once again focused on Karelia. In late January, Russian authorities expelled Finnish journalist after an interview with the ex-Mayor and annulled his Russian visa. Later the Federal Migration Service reported that journalists need to have a special working visa. Galina Shirshina said she did not rule out her participation in the autumn parliamentary elections. Shirshina also said that a criminal case could be filed against her, and also explained why the Karelian branch of YABLOKO had had problems with the law, and how businessmen did not let her to change the city governing system. Read more »

Statement by the YABLOKO faction in the St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly, 03.02.2016

Dear Deputies!

The YABLOKO faction in St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly does not support the bill of St.Petersburg “On the election of deputies of the St.Petersburg Legislative Assembly” which includes the introduction of a mixed electoral system which was initiated “orally” on 3 February, 2016. Read more »