Press Release, 14.03.2017

St. Petersburg YABLOKO will participate in the March for Protection of St. Petersburg. There will be also a rally in the centre of the city, on March 18, starting at 14:00.

The main topic of the city protection action is preservation of the museum in St. Isaac’s Cathedral which, according to the plan of the city authorities should be transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. However, the transfer of the St. Isaac’s Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church is not the only blow to the cultural heritage of St. Petersburg. There are other projects undermining the intellectual and cultural potential of the city: the merger of the Russian National Library (located in St.Petersburg) and the Russian State Library (located in Moscow), the decision to develop a protective park zone around the Pulkovo Observatory, the eviction of the European University from the city center, destruction of historic buildings, and imposition of names of streets and bridges that are unacceptable for St. Petersburg residents.

On 2 March, the Regional Council of the St. Petersburg branch of YABLOKO decided to participate in the action. Boris Vishnevsky, head of the YABLOKO faction in the city parliament, was appointed YABLOKO representative in the organizational committee of the demonstration. After lengthy negotiations the city government gave their permission to hold the action on the 18th of March, dismissing the 19th of March initially proposed by the organisers of the action.

The rally in protection of the city will be held on Marsovo Polye (the Champ de Mars), on Saturday, March 18, starting at 14:00.