Press Release, 12.05.2020

The Ivanovo regional branch of the Yabloko party appealed to the Governor and deputies of the Ivanovo Regional Duma with a demand to amend the regional budget. Namely, to redistribute more than 21 million roubles allocated to mass events and festivals, in favour of doctors and medical workers, population and the affected business.

Andrei Avtoneyev, Chairman of the Ivanovo branch of Yabloko, stated in the appeal that these funds can no longer be used for their intended purpose.

“Some of the mass events have already been canceled, the rest will also be called off due to the restrictions and the high alert regime in the Ivanovo region. And the money are still allocated to these expenditure items,” Andrei Avtoneyev emphasised.

This refers, in particular, to the following budget items:

– The Open Sky fest – 6,000,000 (six million) roubles

– The Family of the Year event – 99,000 (ninety nine thousand) roubles;

– regional events for the Children’s Day – 150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand) roubles;

– the Mirror festival – 10,200,000 (ten million two hundred thousand) roubles.

Activists of the Ivanovo branch of Yabloko also believe that regional deputies should reduce some of the optional costs and redirect them to help people who lost their jobs during self-isolation. Such expenses certainly include expenses for information support, placement of materials and coverage of the activities of the Ivanovo Regional Duma in the media. Almost 5 million roubles are allocated for these purposes in the regional budget.

“Thus, the statement of the authorities about the insufficient funding of anti-crisis measures in the Ivanovo region cannot be taken seriously. Even in the already approved budget, Yabloko found more than 21 million roubles for these purposes, which can be better used,” Avtoneyev noted.

It should be noted that Yabloko forwarded to the President, government and parliament a package of its proposals with urgent measures to support people, workers and private businesses in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. The party also calls on the President and government to expand the list of supported NGOs.

In addition, the party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov sent letters to the Governors of more than 20 Russian regions urging them to redirect funds allocated for campaigning for amendments to the Constitution to fight against coronavirus.