Statement by the Yabloko Federal Political Committee, 28.01.2020

The 2020 Presidential Address [to the Federal Assembly], amendments to the Constitution hastily introduced [by the government], and formation of a new government of the Russian Federation testify to the policies of the authorities that led the country into a dead end are maintained.

The main thing in the Presidential Address is unwillingness to talk about the situation in the country, give an account for what was done and what was not done, and bear responsibility. The President not only did not try to analyse what happened in Russia during the year, but did not even mention the events that were significant for the country. Speaking about the importance of “national projects”, he did not analyse the reasons for the failure to fulfill these plans, as well as the Strategy 2020, approved in 2008, which completely failed in all respects.

Distribution of money in the form of increasing maternal capital [allotted to women who gave birth to children which can be used for payment of education or covering some part of housing purchase or future pension of the mother], allotting its main part at the birth of the first child and extending the duration of benefits for poor families is just a populist attempt to mitigate the negative effect of the “pension reform”, but not even compensation for the losses incurred by people.

The Address contains neither honest, nor any reaction whatsoever to the growth of public discontent, mass protests in Moscow and the regions, inadequate reaction of the state to them expressed in police brutality, imprisonment sentences [to participants], and propagandistic defamation of the opposition.

Obviously, the failed policies in the field of international relations and security will not be revised, which will lead to almost complete collapse of the global nuclear arms control system, drawing Russia into the Middle East trap, continued bloodshed in Donbass, Russia’s international isolation and sanctions that are hard on the domestic economy.

The virtual lack of assessment of the activities of the previous government and the process of formation of a new cabinet do not give reason to believe that the situation will change qualitatively.

We consider Putin’s sixth government to be incapable of accomplishing tasks that were beyond the power of either Dmitry Medvedev’s last cabinet or all of the previous governments of the Russian Federation. The formation of the new cabinet, as before, was opaque, backstage – in the worst traditions of the Putin system.

The amendments to the Constitution proposed in the Presidential Address and hastily introduced to the State Duma, contrary to the stated intentions, do not expand the powers of the representative branch of power even formally, they are aimed at strengthening authoritarianism and uncontrolledness of the government.

The mechanism for the removal of judges of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts, reduction of the composition of the Constitutional Court to 11 judges, broadening of the President’s powers to remove judges is a big step backward in the independence of the judiciary even in comparison with the current situation.

Introduction of a special provision that international law, relevant treaties and obligations are not obligatory to us, strengthens the self-isolation of Russia.

We also note an obvious movement toward the plebiscite regime inherent in populist dictatorships. This is a prologue to the further reduction of institutions of public representation, their replacement with a fake of “direct democracy”. This trend is not new, the presidential election 2018 was already organised as a plebiscite.

Thus, the initiatives of the authorities, launched at the beginning of 2020, emphasise that a backward and inefficient authoritarian system of power had been established in Russia by the third decade of the 21st century. This system does not respect people, it lacks an idea of ​​the future, and there are no moral and value-based orientations there. Such a system is unable to answer the challenges of the modern world, ensure preservation and development of the country in the coming era.

At the same time, it is obvious that Putin has been trying to exploit the growing demand for change, but in fact he is engaged in authoritarian voluntaristic manipulations. This is the same transit without change, and we warned about the danger of it.

This is the reaction to the present expectations of the bureaucracy and security officials to “restore the order”, increase the managerial efficiency of the authoritarian system, rather than the part of the request for change, which requires freedom, opportunities for creativity and openness to the world.

The preservation and strengthening of the Putin system, combined with its technological modernisation, is a very dangerous trend for society. This is a mix of the mafia state and new technologies.

In general, assessing the situation of the beginning of 2020, there is every reason to believe that Putin’s Address [to the Federal Assembly], and hasty, very dubious from a legal point of view amendments to the Constitution, a sudden change of government represent preparations for further steps along a “path which does not exist” and is very dangerous for the country, towards further isolation, repression and war.

The Federal Political Committee of the Russian United Democratic Party Yabloko

believes that in this situation, the only way to maintain a constructive and creative perspective for our country is appealing to society, including society in politics, and the society’s ganining of its voice.

Only the active part of Russian society, voicing its stance, programme, vision of the future and having its leaders, can provide real changes for the better in economic, social, domestic and foreign policies, making life without fear possible in our country.

Our campaign Make Your Voice Louder proves its relevance, it must be maintained and broadened.

We also support the initiative to create a public Council to draft alternative amendments to the Constitution [that would be alternative to President Putin’s] aimed at securing  guarantees of the rights and freedoms of citizens in the Basic Law, creation of a modern democratic state in Russia based on European values, the best traditions of Russian and European culture.

Grigory Yavlinsky,

Chairman of the Federal Political Committee