Press Release, 31.07.2021

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov with Marina Zheleznyakova and Yabloko acitivists in Vladivostok

On July 30, Chairman of the Yabloko party Nikolai Rybakov discussed the environmental problems of the Maritime (Primorsky) Territory at a meeting with environmentalists of the region, Anatoly Lebedev, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Ecology and Business, and Andrei Belovodsky, a member of the Academy of Sciences of Ecology and Life Safety. The main topic of the meeting was specially protected natural areas, the number of which in the region is more than two hundred.

Nikolai Rybakov noted that the number and the territories of such areas should increase:

“Any legislative initiatives that weaken the regime of protection of specially protected natural areas seem to me to be absolutely unacceptable, or allow building and conducting economic activities there. Unfortunately, such initiatives continuously emerge and are submitted to the State Duma,” Nikolai Rybakov noted.

Also the participants of the meeting discussed waste management and the problem of coal dust in the Primorsky Territory. In the Far East, solid fuel is stored everywhere in open areas, right in the sea ports, and loading is carried out using open terminals. The coal dust rising into the air is settled not only in the port. It also covers the neighbouring territories, where residential buildings, social and child care institutions are often located. In windy weather, dust clouds are carried over very long distances.

Marina Zheleznyakova, leader of the party’s electoral list in the region, has long been dealing with this situation:

“Huge problems emerge in the region in connection with the construction of coal terminals. We receive a lot of letters and complaints from the population that increasingly more of our seaside unique bays are being seized by coal terminals.”

Rybakov discussed in more detail the topic of contamination of territories by coal dust around the ports with Vitaly Tantsyura, Director of the Far Eastern Institute of the Marine Fleet. During the discussion, they also touched upon the problem of disposal of sunken ships in the waters of the Golden Horn Bay.

Nikolai Rybakov also met with the journalist of the legendary newspaper Arsenyevskie Vesti about the political situation in the country, the upcoming elections to the State Duma and the prospects of the Yabloko party in the elections.

In addition, the Yabloko party Chairman spoke at the Primorye State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, visited Yabloko’s campaign pickets, met with voters in Vladivostok, and also held a three-hour meeting with active citizens of Vladivostok.