Press Release, December 2, 2013

The annual Congress of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe was conducted in London. YABLOKO Chair Sergei Mitrokhin and YABLOKO International Secretary Olga Radayeva participated in the Congress. The main topic for the discussion was the 2014 elections to the European Parliament.

In his speech Sergei Mitrokhin explained the difference between YABLOKO and the other Russian parties. He proposed to conduct  YABLOKO and ALDE Conference on the problems of liberal values in post-crisis Europe.

ALDE Party President Sir Graham Watson MEP, UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP and the leader of the ALDE group in the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt MEP made the keynote speeches addressing more than 800 delegates from across the European continent.

Sir Graham Watson mentioned the importance of the ALDE Congress and the special role of liberals who should help to create the new political identity for the future of Europe.

“Next year’s European elections will be the most contested yet. The ALDE Party has worked hard to produce a manifesto that will form a solid basis for our member parties to campaign on, one that will knock any challenge posed by the Eurosceptic parties into a cocked hat”, said Sir Watson.

Sergei Mitrokhin made a speech at the meeting of liberal parties’ leaders. He spoke about YABLOKO’s 20th anniversary and recounted YABLOKO’s policy statements.

Mitrokhin spoke about the difference between YABLOKO and other democratic parties in Russia including the People’s Freedom Party. Its co-Chair Mikhail Kasyanov was also present at the meeting.

“The other Russian parties are in opposition to Putin, and we oppose the whole system founded by Yeltsin and finished by Putin. Psevdo-liberalism which was a cover for oligarchs in Yeltsin’s time had the direct influence on Putin’s anti-liberal  regime. YABLOKO is an anti-oligarchic party. Moreover, he have nothing to do with nationalism and struggle against it. It’s vital in Russia at the moment as even opposition representatives are infected with the virus of nationalism and populism”, said YABLOKO leader.

In connection with the events in Ukraine, ALDE Congress adopted a resolution which condemned the violence of riot police against the protesters. Sergei Mitrokhin supported the resolution.

“European institutions to condemn the use of force against peaceful demonstrators in Kiev and other cities throughout Ukraine, and warn the Ukrainian governing authorities that they are personally responsible for authorising brutal attacks by the police, and the violence that followed; and for the institutions to further stress that such blatant disregard of the people’s will to determine their own future is unacceptable in a European country and to demand the fulfilment of previously under taken obligations. The people of Ukraine to be commended for their will and courage, and supports the peaceful initiatives of Ukrainians to defend their rights and freedoms”, runs the document.
YABLOKO International Secretary and Deputy Chair of YABLOKO Gender faction Olga Radayeva participated in the Gender Equality Network meeting.