Statement by the St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO, 31.05.2016

The decision of the St. Petersburg toponymic commission to name [one of the city’s] bridges after Chechnya’s first President Akhmad Kadyrov, which was obviously made in a rush and under the pressure of the St.Petersburg city administration, indicates that the authorities are not interested in the opinion of the citizens.

Akhmad Kadyrov has nothing to do with the history or culture of St.Petersburg. Moreover, the name of Akhmad Kadyrov is associated not only with the death of thousands of the Russian citizens during the Chechen war but with the totalitarian regime established in the Republic of Chechnya.

We are convinced that in the current situation only the citizens of St.Petersburg can decide how to name the bridge and what it will symbolize – the history and culture of St.Petersburg or the empire of fear, which was built in Chechnya. Therefore the St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO is going to initiate a city referendum on whether the citizens agree with the decision of the toponymic commission.

The issue will be discussed at the meeting of the Regional Council Bureau of the St.Petersburg party branch which will take place on 1 June. The meeting of the initiative group on initiating the referendum will be held within the next few days.

Mikhail Amosov
Chair of the St.Petersburg branch of YABLOKO