| Respected Deputies of the Duma,
YABLOKO supports this draft law. We think it incorrect to use
referendum as a tool of election campaign propaganda.
Obviously, a referendum represents a manifestation of the will
of the people. But the opinion of the people can also be a revolution
and a civil war. The only difference [between the latter and a
referendum] here is that a referendum is organized by the authorities,
and the authorities should be politically liable. The authorities
should set in a referendumquestions that really represent a manifestation
of public opinion rather than an attempts to split the country.
Let me give you two examples. The March 1991 referendum on a
new union. Following its goals of political struggle, the different
groupings in the executive authorities imposed a referendum on
the people, which led in December 1991 to the collapse of the
Soviet Union.
In March 1993 we had another notorious referendum "Yes-Yes-No-Yes"
(Ed. A popular slogan used by virtually all the federal media
to "prompt" the nation to make the 'correct' answers).
One of the political groupings following its goals imposed this
issue on society, which finally led to the bombing of the 'White
House' (Ed. This refers to the building of the Russian parliament)
in October 1993.
We think that all the political forces in the country responsible
for the future of our children should remember these lessons.
Only now are we overcoming with great effort the consequences
of 1993, and now again you are proposing a return "back to
the battle". Nothing else can come out of the referendum
proposed today by the Communist Party.
We categorically oppose this idea.
See also:
Elections to the State
Duma 2003
Presidential Elections
2004
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