Novaya Gazeta, 15.06.2015

Grigory Yavlinsky’s statement on his readiness to participate in the presidential elections in Russia in 2018, was made by us [in YABLOKO] in the context of the upcoming regional elections, which launches a new political cycle. The YABLOKO party issued a Memorandum of Political Alternative. This is a document, which candidates who will run from YABLOKO (including those who are not members of our party) on our party lists and in single-mandate constituencies. One of the points of the memorandum is support for our party and in our campaigns of other levels: the State Duma and the presidential elections. And we stated that we would nominate Grigory Yavlinsky as early as this spring.

Why Yavlinsky? First, he is the only politician in the present Russia, who knows what should be done for the solution of Russia’s enormous economic problems. This is, first of all, [Russia’s] dependence on raw exports and total monopolisation of the economy. The president must be good in these topics so that not to be restricted by the understanding of his advisers and ministers.

Second, it is Grigory Yavlinsky’s [excellent] political reputation. Yavlinsky believes that politics without moral principles is impossible and quickly transforms into criminal acts. He has a very well developed moral sense. I do not know anyone equal to him in this in Russian politics.

And third, this is a huge administrative and political experience, which Yavlinsky obtained since the USSR, when he worked [as Deputy Prime Minister of RSFSR] in the government of Ivan Silayev. Then [we should mention his] experience in opposing Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin and formation of the alternative [development] programme.

I would like to emphasize that it is impossible to rescue the Russian economy without changing the political course. We call this new course our political alternative, that is specifically an alternative policy to Vladimir Putin and his team, including the four parties represented in the present parliament.

YABLOKO stands for the European way of development, for cooperation and partnership with the rest of the world and end of confrontation. In particular, we have proposed our scenario of solving the problem of Crimea: it is necessary to press for an internationally recognised, true referendum on the status of the peninsula, because until present there has not been such a referendum yet. Certainly, our alternative involves ceasing of the aggressive policy towards Ukraine and Russia’s involvement in the covert war against Ukraine. I am afraid that the presidential campaign in 2018 will be held within the framework of this agenda, as the present government is unable to solve the problems it has created.

We announced that Grigory Yavlinsky would run for President, three years before the election, because we are setting the task of formation of a new electorate. In addition to YABLOKO voters, this electorate has to include new supporters of the political alternative, the European way of development of the country. We hope that those citizens of Russia, who stand in solidarity with such tasks, cities dwellers, representatives of civil society and small and medium-sized businesses, will vote for us.