Press release, 03.06.2016
Evgeny Bunimovich, YABLOKO Federal Political Committee member and Children’s Rights Ombudsman in Moscow, has launched his new book titled “The Choice. The Sketches by a Sudden Deputy” today, 3 June. Grigory Yavlinsky, YABLOKO founder, attended the presentation which took place within a book festival on Red Square. The meeting with the readers began at noon with the chiming clock beating. Evgeny Bunimovich made a joke that only his book was presented in the non-fiction genre though the launching of another book – a three volume edition of Vladimir Putin’s speeches and articles – was taking place simultaneously.

In his book Evgeny Bunimovich is telling about how he, a school teacher and a poet, came to politics and made his first steps in it.

He joined YABLOKO, was elected to the Moscow City Duma at the same time when he was invited to work for Novaya Gazeta [a prominent opposition-oriented newspaper] where he has been working ever since.  His [latest] book was published due to Novaya Gazeta.

The columnist of Novaya Gazeta Zoya Yershok was one of the first people who read the book. She confessed that she had started reading the book with a fear since the book was about politics where “one cannot tell all the truth and a lie is always insincere and distinct”. “However, when I finished up reading, I understood that it is a very honest book. It refutes the statement that politics is dirty. They are getting this idea into our heads and justify themselves by this. Nothing of that kind, everything depends on a person,” Zoya Yershok said.

The book by Evgeny Bunimovich is a reproach, it is a slap in the face of those who sold themselves, gave up their people and country, Grigory Yavlinsky said in his speech. “The book tells a story how an educated person, a poet who spent all his life in the underground and was in  opposition [to the authorities] managed to go in for politics in an honest, open way and helped a lot of people,” Yavlinsky explained.

According to the YABLOKO leader, Bunimovich showed the bitter truth – 99 per cent of people, who were bound to engage in politics due to their education and biography, gave it up and changed their status of the elite for money, power and doubtful property.

“In this respect the book is very important since it illustrates that everything could have been different and one doesn’t have to chase around the barricades and tear one’s clothes, since to be an honest, smart and altruistic person is enough,” Yavlinsky said.