Press Release, 09.09.2016

YABLOKO leader Grigory Yavlinsky, who is on a pre-election visit to Yekaterinburg, met with Mayor of the city Yevgeny Roizman. The main topics of the meeting were the situation with local self-government in Russia and the upcoming elections to the State Duma. Yevgeny Roizman assured Grigory Yavlinsky in his support of the YABLOKO party and promised to vote for the party in the elections.

Speaking about the problems of local self-government in the country and in the city the politicians agreed on the inefficiency of the two-level city management system, when the entire scope of the powers is concentrated in the hands of an appointed city manager, rather than an elected mayor.

“The system of local self-government in Russia is in a very poor condition. The attempt to strengthen the executive branch by the administrative subordination of mayors and heads of administrations of cities is an erroneous policy. It represents a violation of the Constitution, and it is a violation of the laws,” Grigory Yavlinsky said. According to Yavlinsky, the essence of the problem is that “it is disrespect to the citizens, as the citizens [should] elect the mayor, trust him, wait for the results of his work, and [the authorities have been conducting] such a policy so that to make the mayor a symbolic figure”.

This policy deprives people of initiative and local authorities of feedback to the federal leadership, Yavlinsky stressed. He noted that one of the most important points of YABLOKO programme was to restore the real, rather than nominal federal structure.

Grigory Yavlinsky also stressed that present system had led to a drop in economic growth, increase of hidden unemployment, rise of prices and fall of incomes.

“Our point of view is to change these policies: economic, domestic and foreign, to change the government, elect a new Duma, and elect a new President,” YABLOKO leader concluded.

Yevgeny Roizman, in turn, said that he shared the assessment of the situation in local self-government, and stressed that the situation should change. “As a historian I can say, the stronger are the cities, the stronger is the country,” he said.

Yevgeny Roizman also expressed his support for YABLOKO and said he would vote for the party in the elections on 18 September.