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Press Release

YABLOKO leader spoke at the Moscow Perspectives forum

Press Release, October 27, 2012.

On October 27, YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the socio-political forum Moscow Perspectives organized by the Democratic Choice party. Other reports on the prospects of Moscow development were made by representatives of the Moscow Mayor Office, political parties, as well as research centres and business associations.

Vladimir Milov, organizer of the Forum and leader of the Democratic Choice party, told about the need to involve Moscow residents in the solution of the different tasks. Milov stated that municipalities lacked real power and bureaucratisation of the city prevented development of small and medium businesses and, consequently, the middle class – the major contributor to the city budget. According to Milov, there is a need of a dialogue between the society and experts with the city administration so that to create a strategy of Moscow development. "Moscow can set the right direction to the rest of Russia", said Vladimir Milov...
"The Moscow government in Moscow should create a platform for a dialogue with the public about the development of the city. Public hearings are a good method here. But the chief architect of the city and Sergei Sobyanin [the Moscow Mayor] government apparently believe that Muscovites are not ready for this and do not conduct hearings on the most important issues of Moscow development, " Mitrokhin stressed...

YABLOKO leader met with Chairman of the State Duma

Press Release, October 19, 2012.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin handed to Sergei Naryshkin, Chairman of the State Duma,
an amendment to the Housing Code which would guarantee voluntary financing of capital repairs of blocks of flats by ordinary citizens. The government had envisaged that the costs of the capital repairs should lie exclusively on the people.

Also Mitrokhin personally handed to the Duma Speaker a file with 1,000 signatures against introduction of mandatory payments for capital repairs and in support of YABLOKO’s amendment. Other 11 files with 15,000 signatures from people from 36 Russian regions will be sent to the State Duma Mail Department on Monday...

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin to visit Omsk

Press Release, June 9, 2012.
...On June 11, Mitrokhin will participate in the conference of the regional branch of YABLOKO.

On June 12, he will meet students, political scientists and other citizens in the conference hall of hotel Tourist at 11:30. The topic of the meeting is "Omsk on the threashold of mayoral elections". Address: Str. Broz Tito, 2.

Then YABLOKO leader will join the rally in support of Moscow's March of the Millions.

A public inspection on problematic sites of the city will take place at 15:13: Ptichya Gavan (Birds’ Harbour) – Zyelyoniy Ostrov (Green Island) - Metro – Silicon plant.

On June 13 (at 15:00) Sergei Mitrokhin, Alexander Korotkov, YABLOKO's candidate for mayor of Omsk, and Tatiana Ovcharenko, renowned expert in the field of protection of citiznes' rights in the housing and utilities sector, will participate in the press conference "Challenges before Omsk on the Threashold of the Mayoral Elections". The press conference will take place in the press center of the Komsomolskaya Pravda paper.

A mass protest rally held in Sterlitamak, Bashkiria

Press Release, July 12, 2011

On July 11, 2011, a mass protest rally in protection of human rights and demanding dismissal of the Eugeny Ulasevich, deputy head of the city administration, was held in Sterlitamak, Bashkiria, despite the ban of the local authorities. One of the organizers of the rally was Damir Garifullin, leader of the Sterlitamak branch of YABLOKO. The rally brought together about seven hundred people.

The city authorities tried to move the rally from the walls of the administration building, however, the indignant citizens stayed at by the administration. The police tried to detain Damir Garifullin, however the participants of the rally interfered and did not allow the police to detain him...

YABLOKO forwarded its proposals to the Strategic Initiatives Agency

Press Release, June 29, 2011

The YABLOKO party forwarded to the Russian Government its proposals and initiatives via the Strategic Initiatives Agency. The Strategic Initiatives Agency was created by the Russian Government in May 2011. It is targeted at support of socially important projects and initiatives.

The proposals are connected with the new strategy of Russian economic polices, local self-government reform and reduction of tariffs in the housing and utilities sector. The drafts were submitted by Valery Goryachev, Executive Secretary of YABLOKO’s Bureau. “We are going to use all the possibilities for implementation of our projects,” Goryachev said...

A rally against the ruling United Russia party held in Yaroslavl

Press Release, June 25, 2011.

A rally against the ruling United Russia party was organised by the local YABLOKO branch in Yaroslavl. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin also participated in the action...

“We ourselves are to blame that we are robbed of,” he said. “We resemble the people who have burglars in their house but do not want to catch them under the pretext that they are tired,” Mitrokhin added. He also said that if such a trend went on, the country would simply cease to exist and called everyone not to miss but vote in the coming elections...

YABLOKO conducted two rallies in Irkutsk during the past weekend

Press Release, April 18, 2011.

The activists from the Irkutsk branch of YABLOKO conducted two rallies in Irkutsk during the past weekend. The first rally was conducted against the government’s policies in the housing and utilities sector, raising of tariffs and taxes. About 200 people came to the action by the Regional Administration building...

The second rally was conducted in protection of Lake Baikal from pollution of the Baikal Pulp Plant owned by oligarch Oleg Deripaska. This rally joined together about 250 people...

Printshops in the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia refused to print YABLOKO’s leaflets

Press Release, January 31, 2011.

In Elista, the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia, YABLOKO had to face a new problem: print shops refused to print YABLOKO’s leaflets and banners the party was going to use in a picket against raising of tariffs by the monopolies in the housing and utilities sector. In the Logo-Pro printshop (address: Elista, ul Khaninova 8) they boldly stated that they would not print YABLOKO’s leaflets on “political grounds”...

YABLOKO conducted an action “A Happy New Year – a Year of a Fat Cat”

Press Release, December 23, 2010

On December 23 YABLOKO conducted an action against raising of tariffs in the monopolized housing and utilities sector. The action took place in the center of Moscow and was conducted in a form of children’s Christmas matinee under a slogan “A Happy New Year – a Year of a Fat
Cat” (2011 is a year of the Cat according to the oriental calendar which is popular in Russia). “We would like to draw attention to the fact that our people once again received a new year “present” from the Russian Government, the
parliament and all the monopolists from Gazprom an energy sector companies to regional municipal monopolies. They raised tariffs by 20 per cent almost on all the services: on utilities, electricity, gas, water and transportation,” Sergei Mitrokhin told to journalists.

Sergei Mitrokhin proposed to begin introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and EU from Russia’s exclave - the Kaliningrad region

Press Release, November 20, 2010

Chair of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin and leader of YABLOKO’s Pensioners of Russia faction Alexei Borschenko visited the conference of the Kaliningrad branch of YABLOKO. The conference discussed the regional list for elections to the regional parliament (regional Duma), that will take place in March 2011. In his speech at the conference Mitrokhin told about the activities of the party targeted at solving the problems of the residents of the Kaliningrad region. According to Mitrokhin, one of the key directions here would be introduction a visa-free regime with the EU member countries...

Sergei Mitrokhin to participate in a rally

Press Release, April 21, 2010

A rally “For Installing Order in the Housing and Utilities Sector” will take place in Yaroslavl on Saturday, April 24. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will participate in the rally.

The population of Yaroslavl is outraged by unprecedented growth of tariffs on utilities set by monopolists – Yaroslavl Sbit Company.

“I am planning to forward an address to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on the results of the rally with a demand to install order in calculating payment tariffs for utilities,” Mitrokhin said...

A rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” held in Moscow

Press Release, April 10, 2010

A mass rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” organised by the YABLOKO party was held at the Pushkin square, Moscow, on April 10. About 600 people participated in the rally, including initiative groups of Muscovites from different Moscow districts...

“Ten years ago YABLOKO proposed a principally new reform of the housing and utilities sector, where tough control over monopolies had to play the key role. However, our proposal was turned down and the reform developed toward monopolization: the vertical of power began deriving super profits via raising tariffs for the citizens,” Sergei Mitrokhin said at the rally...

Police considers Sergei Mitrokhin’s calls to Governor Gromov to resign as extremism

Press Release, April 10, 2010

Mass rally took place in Tuchkovo, the Moscow region, on April 10. The election of the new head of Tuchkovo was conducted under tough pressure from the city administration composed our of United Russia members. The election results have not been recognised valid yet, as the residents of the area voted for Viktor Alksnis who was in opposition to United Russia...

The police considered Sergei Mitrokhin’s calls to Governor Gromov to resign as extremism and summoned Viktor Alksnis as organiser of the rally to the local police department for explanations. Sergei Mitrokhin and Viktor Alksnis gave their explanations in the police department...

A rally in Tuchkovo, the Moscow Region, to demand resignation of the Governor

Press Release, April 8, 2010

A rally that will be held with YABLOKO’s support in Tuchkovo, the Moscow region, on Saturday, April 10, will demand resignation of the Governor of the Moscow Region Boris Gromov and will ask the President to install order and lawfulness in the region.YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin and deputy head of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO Dmitry Ilyushin will participate in the rally.

For three years the Moscow Region has been deep in debt and ex Finance Minister of the region has been under criminal investigation, YABLOKO notes. Bureaucrats from the United Russia party has been pressing small and medium businesses, and business has been leaving the region and the number of unemployed has been steadily growing. Housing and utilities sector has been falling to pieces while tariffs on housing and utilities skyrocketed...

A rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” to take place in Moscow

Press Release, April 6, 2010

A mass rally for “Installing order in the housing and utilities sector” organised by the YABLOKO party will take place at the Pushkin square, Moscow on Saturday, April 10. The Moscow authorities gave a permit to conduct a rally for 300 people.

The participants will speak against growth of tariffs on housing and utilities services, creation of false servicing companies and deceit with capital repairs of the buildings, as well as speak about some other problems of the sector affecting all the Muscovites...

YABLOKO brought 1,000 people to a rally in Saransk, Mordovia

Press Release, March 21, 2010

On March 21, 2010, a mass-scale rally against corruption in the housing and utilities services sector took place in Saransk, Mordovia. About 1,000 people gathered at the rally organised by YABLOKO.

Chair of the Mordovian YABLOKO Vladimir Gridin opened the rally. In his speech he spoke about unjustified raising of tariffs on electricity, heating and other utilities, also he spoke about fraudulent schemes of transfer of communal lands into municipal land.

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin also spoke at the rally. He laid the liability for corruption and violations in the sector on the United Russia party [as its members held the key posts in the sector].

“This party [United Russia] has been stealing your money which deputies and bureaucrats make you pay for the poor quality or even lacking services, as it has been stealing your votes, ascribing itself 99 per cent of the votes at the State Duma elections, “ Mitrokhin said.

A mass-scale rally against corruption in the housing and utilities sector to take place in Saransk, Mordovia

Press Release, March 19, 2010

On Sunday, March 21, a mass-scale rally against corruption in the housing and utilities sector and unlawful seizure of lands by the authorities of the republic will take place in Saransk, Mordovia. The rally will begin at 1 p.m. YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will also make a speech at the rally.

The organiser of the action, Chair of the Mordovian YABLOKO Vladimir Gridin told about unlawful action of the companies providing housing and utilities services. Thus, for example, heating payments reach 2,000 roubles per a one bedroom flat, whereas average wage amounts to only 5,000 roubles. The city administration, despite the decisions of the court, also refuses to transfer land belonging to the blocks of flats to the citizens owning flats in such houses...

Sergei Mitrokhin: “The democratic project of the country’s development is closed”

Press Release, November 30, 2009

On Saturday, November 29, 2009, a meeting of YABLOKO’s Bureau took place in Moscow. The Bureau adopted decisions on working over persuading the government not to abolish indexation of unemployment benefits, return gratuitous public transport tickets for pensioners of the Moscow Region and creation of nature reserve Utrish. The Bureau also heard the reports of the Human Rights and the Gender factions of the party.

The meeting was opened by party Chair Sergei Mitrokhin who made a report on the political situation in Russia. “It has become clear after voting on October 11 that elections as a legitimate institution that could be trusted by the society is completely ruined in Russia. This means that the democratic project of the country’s development initiated in the late 1980s has been completely closed now – and not only by the ruling elite, but by the society as well,” Mitrokhin said. According to Mitrokhin, the forthcoming YABLOKO’s congress (that will take place in December 2009) has to formulate the basis of a new democratic project for Russia.

Four YABLOKO’s activists detained in Ekaterinburg

Press Release, September 19, 2009

YABLOKO’s activists were detained in Ekaterinburg on September 19 and brought to the local police department for investigation. Four YABLOKO’s activists (including three minors) were handing leaflets inviting citizens to join YABLOKO’s picket against growth of tariffs for housing and utilities services on September 20.

The police told to Maxim Petlin, leader of regional YABLOKO branch, that the activists did not have a right to distribute leaflets without publisher’s imprint data.

Maxim Petlin called these claims absurd, as “the law does not require to indicate imprint data on the leaflets outside the election period”.

Moscow housing policy to be corrected
Press Release. July 15, 2009
The Moscow government acknowledged YABLOKO’s criticism and withdrew from the agenda of the Moscow City Duma draft law “The Basis of the Housing Policy in Moscow”. Yesterday at a press conference Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the YABLOKO party and its faction in the Moscow Duma, criticized the draft law for maintaining the provisions allowing for the state to impose its methods of management over condominiums and its prices and norms for communal services.

The “Energy Experiment” Stopped
Press Release. June 4, 2009
It has been announced today that energy providers OAO Mosenergosbit and OOO Rusenergosbit M signed an agreement. The agreement put an end to the so-called “energy experiment” conducted in the East and South-East of Moscow. In compliance with the agreement, Rusenergosbit M will collect payments for Mosenergosbit via a single payment document. Thus, the right of the citizens to pay by a separate bill to Mosenergosbit have been restored.

Moscow Government is creating another monopoly
Press Release, June 1, 2009
The Moscow government has decided to abolish tenders for placement of state orders for certain types of work in construction, provision of urban amenities and housing and utilities services. This information was released at the meeting of the Youth Chamber with the Moscow City Duma on Friday. Deputy Moscow Mayor Valery Vinogradov also participated in the meeting.

Action Against Growth of Prices in Housing and Communities Services Sector. Preliminary Results
May 28, 2009
The meeting of the Bureau of the YABLOKO party drew preliminary results of the action on collection of signatures under a petition to the President of Russia against growth of tariffs in the housing and utilities services sector. Over 29,000 were collected as of May 22, 2009.

The Moscow City Duma to propose a way out of the “energy experiment”
Press Release, May 27, 2009
The leader of the YABLOKO party and its faction in the Moscow parliament Sergei Mitrokhin submitted to the Moscow City Duma a draft appeal to the Mayor of Moscow on overcoming the consequences of a failed experiment in the energy sector held in the East and South-East of Moscow.

The meeting against growth of tariffs in Gelendzhik took place despite prohibitions (photo)
Press Release, May 24, 2009
Over 400 signatures against the raise of tariffs by natural monopolies were gathered at YABLOKO’s picket by the Economic Ministry building conducted under the slogan “[Minister] Nabiullina, blowing of tariffs provokes population’s patience!”.

YABLOKO gathered 400 signatures against growth of tariffs by the Economic Ministry building
Press Release, May 20, 2009
Over 400 signatures against the raise of tariffs by natural monopolies were gathered at YABLOKO’s picket by the Economic Ministry building conducted under the slogan “[Minister] Nabiullina, blowing of tariffs provokes population’s patience!”.

YABLOKO’s leader will be in Krasnodar Area on a formal visit
Press Release, May 22, 2009
YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin will arrive to the Krasnodar Area for a two-day visit.

YABLOKO criticizes Economic Minister Elvira Nabiullina

Press Release May 15, 2009

YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin expressed protest in connection with the plans of the Economic Ministry to raise gas prices by 15 per cent for companies and by 5 per cent for the population.

Will Monopolies’ Tariffs Be Transparent?

Press Release, May 12, 2009

Sergei Mitrokhin, the leader of the YABLOKO party and the Yabloko faction in the Moscow City Duma, submitted for examination of the Moscow City Duma a draft law obliging natural monopolies and companies on budget funding applying regulated tariffs and extra charges to disclose and publish in the Internet their financial information.

A Housing Koshman
Press release, November 19, 2003
Over 200 representatives from the Russian democratic Party YABLOKO protested on November 19, 2003 in the centre of Moscow against the policies conducted by the Russian government in the housing and utilities sector.

YABLOKO'S 10th anniversary
Press release, October 21, 2003
An electoral bloc "Yavlinsky-Boldyrev-Lukin", created by a team of like-minded people with their own ideas about the reforms needed in Russia, was registered 10 years ago.

YABLOKO's action demonstrates that consumers overpay for utilities several times
Press release, September 11, 2003
The tests were conducted in Ulyanovsk, Chelyabinsk, Tula, Samara, Blagoveschensk, Moscow and Moscow Region from June to August 2003.

The YABLOKO party launches a nation-wide action 'Let's Put the Monopolists on the Metre
Press release, August 1, 2003 (Archive)
The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO and public organisations are establishing a network of civil control committees to protect citizens' rights in monopolist-dominated sectors, such as the housing and utilities, electricity and communications sectors.

Krasnoyarsk Territory may become testing ground for experiments by Chubais in housing and utilities
Press release, April 16, 2003
"It is well-known that the housing and utilities sector of Krasnoyarsk Territory has run up considerable debt before energy suppliers and consequently faces a real threat that part of the housing and utilities sector in the region will be placed under the control of the monopoly created under the guidance of Anatoly Chubais," said deputy from the YABLOKO faction Sergei Mitrokhin to journalists...

The law on the housing and communal services sector reform adopted by the State Duma will have serious consequences for both the population and the sector
Press release, April 9, 2003
...the actions of the government "do not make it possible to restore the housing and communal sector," and, on the contrary lead to "complete destabilization in the housing and communal services sector in the very near future."

The State Duma supports the government's course towards 100% payment by the population for housing and communal costs
Press release, April 2, 2003
The State Duma rejected the draft address to the President of the Russian Federation on repealing the provisions for an accelerated transfer towards 100% coverage by the population for housing and communal costs.

The Government barely managed to push through the State Duma the law on reform of the housing and communal services sector
Press release, March 21, 2003
The Yabloko faction thinks that the government and factions supporting the government used inappropriate tactics to push through the State Duma the draft law on housing and communal services sector reform.

President Misled
Press Release, February 03, 2003
Vladimir Putin's statement regarding energy sector reform and the reform in the housing and communal sector made during the meeting with Chairman of the State Duma Gennadi Seleznyov on January 29, 2003, gave the impression that the President had not been provided with a full picture on the corresponding draft laws that had been submitted to parliament. This statement was made by Deputy Chairman of the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO, deputy of the State Duma Sergei Mitrokhin.

Grigory Yavlinsky: RAO UES is responsible for the crisis in the housing and communal services sector
Press Release, January 15, 2003
The leader of the YABLOKO party and its faction in the State Duma Grigory Yavlinsky noted that RAO UES "bears most of the responsibility for the crisis in the housing and communal services sector."

On Immediate Anti-Crisis Measures for the Housing and Communal Services Sector
Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO, Statement, January 15, 2003
The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO expresses its deep concern in view of the series of disasters in the housing and communal services sector in many regions of Russia.

Anatoli Golov hands to Vladimir Putin amendments to the law on housing and communal services sector reform protecting the rights of consumers of housing and communal sector services
Press Release, December 11, 2002
During the meeting between Vladimir Putin and members of the Human Rights Commission under the President of Russia Anatoli Golov, Co-Chairman of Consumers' Union of Russia, Director of the Institute of Social Policies of the YABLOKO party and member of the Federal Council of the YABLOKO party, handed to the head of state proposals on protection of the rights of consumers of housing and communal sector services.

The meeting of the Democratic Assembly will focus on housing and communal sector reform and the problem of cooperation between the democratic forces at the elections of 2003-2004
Press Release, October 17, 2002

Igor Artemyev joins the working group responsible for the development of laws to reform the electricity sector
Press Release, July 4, 2002
On the instructions of the Yabloko faction, Igor Artemyev, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Credit Organisations and Financial Markets of the State Duma and Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction, joined the working group (created jointly with the Government and the Federation Council) responsible for the development of agreed variants of the package of draft laws for state regulation of electricity and heat, as well as reforms in the electricity sector.

Change of electricity and heating tariffs should be predictable and controlled
Press Release, February 13, 2002
The draft law "On Amendments to Article 2 of the Federal Law "On State Regulation of Electricity and Heating Tariffs in the RF" aims to make electricity and heating tariffs predictable and controlled. The State Duma will review the draft law submitted to the Duma by a group of deputies on February 13, 2002. Deputy of the Yabloko faction, Mikhail Zadornov, Deputy Chairman for the Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes authored the draft.

A Moscow fraud: the Federal Antimonopoly Service accuses the Moscow government in violating the law

By Uliyana Ivanova
kasparov.ru, May 18, 2009

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) stated that the Moscow government violated the law neglecting tenders in choosing managing companies for condominiums.

Worries Grow Over Housing Reforms
By Caroline McGregor, The Moscow Times, July 26, 2004
Galina Khovanskaya, a State Duma deputy who specializes in housing issues, is one of the draft code's main critics. She worries that, precisely because of its confusing ambiguity, the new code will serve to worsen the already wide gap between Russia's rich and poor.

Cold Citizens Not Warm To Price Reform
By Vladimir Kovalev, St. Petersburg Times, May 28, 2004
Some will say more money is needed to fix the system, and therefore charges must be raised. If I thought the extra money would be well spent, I would have to agree, but my recent experience does not give me any hope.

Before elections, Russians feel the cold
By Oliver Bullough, Reuters, November 17, 2003
Six-month-old Vika Vikhreva died of pneumonia after three freezing weeks in an unheated house.

YABLOKO party pledges to defend utilities customers
RTR television channel, September 18, 2003
Grigory Yavlinsky: The idea is that citizens should pay only for what they receive in the form of housing and municipal services.

Monopolists Are Being Put on the Meter
By Ksenia Veretennikova, Vremya Novostei, September 12, 2003
Yesterday the YABLOKO party disclosed to journalists the results of its action "Let's Put Monopolists on the Meter" which aimed to indicate toYABLOKO activists whether the utilities’ tariffs were fair.

Citizens' Payment for Water Exceeds the Real Costs by 3.5 Times
By Mikhail Dichev, Finansoviye Izvestia, September 12, 2003
If the person did not live in the flat and correspondingly did not use water, a fairly high figure still appeared on the bill.

YABLOKO: Russian citizens pay on average three to five times too much for housing and utilities services
Rosbalt, September 11, 2003
According to Yavlinsky, the preliminary results of the "Let's Put Monopolists on the Meter" action conducted in Russia's regions by the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO demonstrated that real consumption of water in houses and flats was far lower than the amount envisaged by standard rates - from 1.5 to 7 times less.

Russia: Duma Opens For Last Pre-Election Session
By Sophie Lambroschini, RFE/RL, September 9, 2003
Sergei Mitrokhin: ...it was time for the government to take responsibility for the annual crisis instead of pushing it into the hands of local authorities.

Who Is for the People?
IA MIK, September 9, 2003
The Duma majority is not interested in preparing the country for the winter.

"We'll arrange the trial of the century for RAO UES"
By Boris Sapozhnikov, gazeta.ru, September 2, 2003
"I cannot believe that Nemtsov and Khakamada know nothing of PR-campaigns that require such huge expenses, worthy of being included in the Guinness Book of Records."

Altai District. YABLOKO to put the monopolists on the meter
AMITEL Information Services, August 12, 2003
A network of public control committees defending citizens' rights in areas where monopolists dominate (the housing and utilities sector, electricity and communications) will be developed.

Russians complain about housing and utilities
ITAR-TASS, July 27, 2003
The All-Russia Public Opinion Foundation carried out a survey, revealing that 85 per cent of Russians pay for housing and utilities regularly and on time, but are dissatisfied with their poor quality.

Russia's living nightmare: Communal dwellings in St Petersburg bring together the most unlikely housemates
By Joseph Dunn, Sunday Times (UK), July 27, 2003
...She brought her entire family up in one room, and recalls washing her children in the communal kitchen sink.

Housing and Utilities Elections Russian Regions Vote for a Taming of Housing and Utilities Managers
By Natalia Ratiani, Izvestia, July 22, 2003
Today Russian voters are more concerned about the performance of the housing and utilities services rather than democratic liberties, and they will be more eager to vote for parties that propose a way out of the vicious circle in housing and utilities reform.

RCS Sets $200M Profit Target
By Alla Startseva, The Moscow Times, June 25, 2003
It didn't officially exist before last month and won't actually start working until next month, but the nation's newest big-ticket consortium is already expecting to net a tidy profit of up to $200 million next year.

Yakovlev Gets a Top Post in Moscow
By Vladimir Kovalev, The Moscow Times, June 17, 2003
President Vladimir Putin appointed St. Petersburg Governor Vladimir Yakovlev as a deputy prime minister Monday and put him in charge of reforming the country's housing and utilities sector.

The Housing and Utilities Sector Reform for Monopolies
By Sergei Mitrokhin, Trud-7, April 24, 2003
The Federation Council voted for the governments' draft law on housing and utilities sector reform. It can be summed up as follows: subsidies to enterprises in the housing and utilities sector should be liquidated and replaced with subsidies to households with small incomes from budgets at all levels.

YABLOKO Against Monopolists
Delevoi Peterburg, April 15, 2003
According to Yavlinsky, the crux of this approach can be summed up as follows. Owing to constant tariff increases, in particular electricity prices and pressures from rolling blackouts, make the whole sector a debtor of RAO UES; and then privatize the key structures of the housing and communal services sector and the whole infrastructure of the sector in general.

Duma gives final approval to a controversial draft law on housing and communal services reform
By: Marina Sokolovaskaya, Gazeta.ru, April 9, 2003
In view of the forthcoming parliamentary elections many deputies found it difficult to vote in favour of a law that, when enacted, is likely to complicate the lives of their electorate.

People's Deputies: in the Hall and at Home
By Irina Gordiyenko, Novaya Gazeta, April 7, 2003
Recently the State Duma rejected the draft address to the President of Russia to repeal certain provisions of the housing and communal service sector reform and finalise the draft for wage system reform. Strangely enough, many factions that had protested against the "criminal policies of the regime", simply sabotaged this important vote.

The State Duma declined the draft address to the President of Russia on abolishing the provisions envisaging an accelerated transfer to 100% payment of housing and communal services
Finmarket Novosti, April 3, 2003
At the plenary meeting of the Duma (on March 2, 2003) 164 deputies voted for the draft address prepared by deputy from the YABLOKO faction Sergei Mitrokhin against a required minimum of 226 votes.

President does not know what draft laws are discussed by the State Duma
Rosbalt, February 3, 2003
St. Petersburg. February 3, 2003. "President does not dispose of all available information on draft laws submitted to parliament," stated deputy of the State Duma Sergei Mitrokhin in comments on Vladimir Putin's statement regarding energy sector reform and reform in the housing and communal sector made during a meeting with Chairman of the State Duma Gennadi Seleznyov on January 29, 2003.

Russia: Arctic Cold Leaves Tens Of Thousands Without Heat
By Gregory Feifer, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, January 9, 2003
Tens of thousands of people across Russia have been left without central heating as temperatures in some regions drop to minus 40 degrees Celsius and even lower. The cold is also taking lives -- mostly those of homeless people who freeze to death outside.

The Whirlpool of Reforms, Structural reforms have obviously become unpopular with Putin's team
By Kirill Rogov, Vedomosti, December 2002
Today it is possible to say that the major structural reforms announced by the Putin administration when it came to power would be postponed until Putin's next term in office.

Duma Succumbs to the Government's Version of Housing Sector Reform
gazeta.ru, By Marina Sokolovskaya, Artyom Eiskov, December 2, 2002
After concerted efforts by the government and the pro-Kremlin Duma majority, the much-disputed package of draft laws on reform of the nation's dilapidated and heavily subsidized housing and municipal utilities sector has eventually received the approval of the lower house. On Friday 244 deputies voted for the draft law, once again pledging unswerving allegiance to the Kremlin.

Duma Approves Housing Reform in First Reading
The Moscow Times, December 2, 2002.
After failing to pass housing reform two days earlier, the State Duma mustered enough votes to pass a government-drafted bill to phase out subsidies for gas, electricity and water in the first reading Friday.

By 5 Votes, Duma Nixes Housing Reform Bill
The Moscow Times, By Alla Startseva, November 28, 2002.
In a vote that took the Kremlin by surprise, the usually obedient State Duma on Wednesday narrowly rejected a government-drafted bill to reform the housing sector by phasing out subsidies for electricity, water and gas.

Housing and Communal Sector Reforms Postponed by Yavlinsky
gazeta.ru, By Marina Sokolovskaya, November 19, 2002
The first reading of the draft law on the fundamentals of the federal housing policy has been postponed. The State Duma Council refused to discuss the draft at its session on Tuesday, let alone to include it in the agenda of this week's plenary session even after the president's opinion on the law became known. Thus, one of the most important issues – housing reform - has been put on hold again.

On housing and communal services sector reform
All-Russia Democratic Assembly
Fourth Meeting
Statement
October 21, 2002, Moscow
The YABLOKO faction in the State Duma will not support the package of draft laws on reform of the electricity sector submitted by the Government to the State Duma.

The governmental programme shifts the burden of the housing and communal reform to the population
Rosbalt, February 19, 2002
In accordance with the programme proposed by the Government, the burden of housing and communal reform will be shifted to the population. Such an opinion was expressed by Sergei Mitrokhin, member of the State Duma from the Yabloko faction. According to Mitrokhin, "the burden of the reform should be divided between the budget, population and housing-and-communal services." Now the Government virtually proposes fiscal, rather than structural reform, he noted.

Yabloko Offers Alternative Conception of Housing and Communal Reform
RIA "OREANDA", January 25, 2002
Moscow. The Russian Democratic Party "Yabloko" and its faction in the State Duma continue advocating a review of the state programme of housing and communal reform.