Press release, 13.12.2016

On December 7, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia, member of YABLOKO’s faction Andrei Rogalevich went on a hunger strike during the plenary meeting of the Karelian parliament where the draft of the regional budget for 2017 was being considered in the second reading. According to the deputy, he decided to go on a hunger strike in order to defend the interests of his voters in the Segezha district since the pro-governor’s majority of deputies refused to support the amendment on financing the reconstruction of non-residential premises into a child health centre, situated in the Segezha city.

In his speech at the plenary meeting Rogalevich reminded the deputies that local residents collected about six thousand signatures in support of the initiative. Moreover, during the visit to Segezha before the parliamentary election governor of the Republic Alexander Khudilainen promised the residents that the design specifications and estimates for the project would be ready by the end of the year and the new child health centre would be built by the autumn 2017. However, the budget draft for 2017 did not provide for reconstruction of the premises.

“They forgot about Segezha. I realise that the situation is very difficult, that nobody listens to the people, their opinion is neglected, therefore I decided to take preventive measures. I do not know what I am going to tell the people. I have their letters, signatures. So, a letter was sent to head of the Republic that deputy Andrei Rogalevich went on a hunger strike in order to defend the interest of the residents of the Segezha municipal district,” Rogalevich commented.