Novaya Gazeta turned to all the candidates registered for Moscow mayoral election with a request to answer a candidate’s questionnaire. To our surprise, all the candidates gave their agreement. We are going to publish the answers as soon as the candidates send them to us. A questionnaire from YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin came first.

July 27, 2013

1. Why do Muscovites have to vote for you?

This is explained in my report “Ten Years at the Service of Muscovites”. In a nutshell, I am better than all the other candidates not only because I know the problems of Muscovites, but also I know how to solve them. I know the problems of Moscow from within, and I have been working defending the interests of the Moscow citizens systematically, regularly and nearly every day. In addition, I’m the only native Muscovite among the candidates.

2. Who is your main rival?

Muscovites’ apathy towards the elections and [Acting Mayor from the ruling party] Sergei Sobyanin.

3. What is the first thing you are going to do when you take up the post [of the Moscow Mayor]?

I will conduct an independent audit of the municipal budget and will start forming up a new anti-corruption budget for 2014 free of “under that table payments”.

4. Do you have your own team? Who will take the key positions in your government? Please give several names.

My team consists of specialists in different policies: Grigory Yavlinsky on economic issues, Yevgeny Bunimovich, Moscow Ombudsman for Children, – on education, Alexey Yablokov, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, – on environment, Andrei Babushkin, human rights defender, – on work with law-enforcement agencies, Vitaly Reznikov, head of YABLOKO’s Anti-Corruption Centre – on anti-corruption fight, expert Tatyana Ovcharenko – on housing and utilities sector, Alexander Gnezdilov, young stage director, – on culture and Anatoly Golov, Co-Chair of YABLOKO’s Social-Democratic Faction – on social issues.

5. Are you ready to involve representatives of the “systemic” and the “non-systemic” opposition to work in the Moscow government?

The competence and honesty of a person is the main thing for me. Regardless of the fact what political views this person may share. But extremism of nationalistic and leftist trends are unacceptable.

6. Are you ready to offer a position in your future government to any of the present candidates for Moscow Mayor? If so, to whom?

I can offer Alexey Navalny to do public relations for the Mayor’s Office because YABLOKO has always had problems with PR.

7. What will Muscovites say after the end of your term?

“No other head of the city have ever done so much for Moscow in the history of Russia as Mitrokhin did”.

8. Can you tell what are the main mistakes the present Mayor in his work? And what are his achievements?

The mistakes of [Acting Mayor] Sergei Sobyanin caused discontent with his policies in different social groups: virtual liquidation of small-sized businesses, useless road projects, not only the reconstruction of Leninsky Prospect which Sobyanin has already abandoned, but the North-West Chord as well and merging of schools and hospitals in Moscow [into large entities]. His achievements are as follows: abolishing of most of [previous Mayor] Yuri Luzhkov’s investment projects in the centre of Moscow and improvement of work with citizens’ complaints.

9. Will you lobby abolishing the municipal filter [for registration in the Moscow mayoral elections] when you become Moscow Mayor?

Definitely I will. I initially spoke against this law because it restricted the right to take part in the elections and allowed to oust opposition candidates [from the campaign].

10. Which city or capitol in the world is in your opinion ideal or close to being perfect? What experience are you going to take up as an example?

I think Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo are good examples. They are very well adjusted for comfortable living of every person, including people with disabilities.

11. What monument (to a person or an event) in your opinion is needed in Moscow?

There was such a voivode (an army commander) – Mikhail Vorotinsky, who saved Moscow in 1272. He defeated the Tatar Khan who threatened to destroy Moscow. This victory meant a lot more to Moscow and the whole Rus than the [victory at the] Battle of Kulikovo as Mongolians burnt Moscow two years after this battle. And virtually nobody knows about him [Mikhail Vorotinsky]. I would set up a monument to this person.

12. Do you walk around the city often? Do you have your favourite places? Are there places you don’t like?

I love Moscow very much and feel nostalgic in the places where I used to live. In the first years of my life I lived at Bolshoy Sukharevsky lane, than at Narodnaya Street, and later at Yaroslavskoye Shosse (Highway) by the Losiny Ostrov [park and natural reserve] which at present I protect from the attempts to destroy it. I don’t like Moscow-City [a new business area with skyscrapers], I think such skyscrapers spoil the city. Office centres should be built closer to the outskirts of the city.

13. How do move around in the city? Do you have security guards?

I have a car, but I often use underground because of traffic jams. I don’t have security guards.

14. Do you regret getting involved in this thing [with mayoral elections]?

No, it’s not like me to hesitate after a decision has been taken. I always feel confident and full of energy in a situation of a tough struggle.