Press Release, 26.03.2018

The Kemerovo branch of Yabloko issued a statement demanding dismissal of Governor Aman Tuleyev and Ilya Serdyuk, head of the city of Kemerovo in view of the tragedy which took place in a trade centre on 25 March.

According to Yabloko activists, the tragedy represented a consequence of the work of the power and administrative system that had developed in the region.

“We believe that in addition to the owners of the building, the control and inspection services that allowed the building of the shopping and entertainment center Winter Cherry to operate, each bearing its share of responsibility for the deaths of adults and children, the responsibility for this tragedy lies on the authorities of the city of Kemerovo and the Kemerovo region,” the statement runs. “We believe that this tragedy happened because of corruption corroding the Kemerovo region, because of the lack of independent media in the Kemerovo region, because of the monopoly of a single [pro-governmental] party United Russia in the elected power bodies, and because of 20 years in office of one person – Aman Tuleyev, Governor of the Kemerovo region”.

The appeal was sent to the presidential administration, the Office of the President’s Representative in the Siberian Federal District, as well as to the State Duma and the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.

The Kemerovo regional branch of Yabloko expresses deep condolences to the relatives of the victims of the tragedy. “We are mourning the victims together with all the residents of the Kuzbass,” runs the statement of the Yabloko branch.

Yabloko leaders Grigory Yavlinsky and Emilia Slabunova expressed their condolences to the families and friends of the victims, as well as support for the injured.