Decision by the Yabloko Bureau, 4.12.2019

The Bureau of the Russian United Democratic Party Yabloko considers the situation in the area of ​​the Shies railway station (the Arkhangelsk region) unacceptable due to dangerous plans for allocation of landfills for the Moscow municipal waste. This situation is a vivid example of the lack of a clear state policy in the field of municipal waste management and the adoption of this by society.

In the regions, protests in connection with the refusal of federal and regional authorities from civilised ways of handling municipal waste and solving the “garbage problem” in Russia do not stop. Against the backdrop of these protests, the situation in Shies got the largest resounance, where contrary to all common sense, in the summer of 2018, [the authorities] began to take steps to prepare the construction of a landfill for the burial of millions of tons of garbage generated in Moscow, that is, almost 1,300 kilometers from the proposed storage site. To date: the forest has been cut down, and not only in the area of ​​the railway allotment (by agreement with еру Russian Railways), but also in the state forest fund, a huge amount of equipment and machinery has been brought in, much security has been organised, construction of the site and various facilities has begun. All this happened and happens in the absence of a project made public for society and specialists, in violation of environmental and forestry laws, as evidenced by citizens’ statements, their appeals to law enforcement and supervisory authorities, inspections of state control and supervision bodies, as well as filed criminal cases.

The confrontation in Shies has been intensifying. The skirmishes are accompanied by beating of citizens by securities of private security companies with the connivance or direct participation of the police and other bodies that have to be law enforcement by the virtue of law. People are injured, insulted, detained, arrested, tried for their stance, for the desire to live in a clean environment and protect their land from the imports of other people’s garbage.

The requirements for safe management of waste and respect for people have gained general political significance. To solve the “garbage” problem and reduce dissatisfaction in society, authorities must move from the usual harsh administrative authoritarian methods to the implementation of legislation on production and consumption waste. There should be priority to reduce waste generation and waste treatment, the formation of which could not be avoided. Even with political will, an early resolution of a huge number of legal, socio-economic, technological aspects of the problem is required.

The Yabloko party confirms its solidarity with the defenders of Shies and demands from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin as the guarantor of fundamental rights and freedoms of Russians to stop the persecution of activists. We demand compliance with Article 42 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation on the right of citizens to a favourable environment, reliable information about its condition and prosecution of those responsible for environmental offenses.

Emilia Slabunova,

Yabloko Chair