Elections to the State Duma, 2003 - updated

Communists And Liberals Challenge Duma Poll
RIA Novosti, August 31, 2004
"Our suit ushers in a legal dispute of political purport," says Sergei Ivanenko, YABLOKO first deputy president.

Liberals Want Duma Elections Annulled
MosNews, August 31, 2004
The liberal 2008 Free Choice Committee is set to sue the authorities over the 2003 parliamentary elections that the group says were invalid.

Being 'European' Demands New Type of Attitude
By Vladimir Kovalev, St Peterburg Times, August 27, 2004
Surprisingly enough, a clean up of dirty yards in the city center has started. This year City Hall plans to spend 300 million rubles ($10.3 million) to put in order 10 yards on Nevsky Prospekt and clean up and paint 46 buildings on the city's main thoroughfare.

Regarding the aircraft crashes on August, 24

I express my sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the people who died in the air crashes on August, 24. Irrespective of the causes of the tragedy, our hearts and minds go out to the victims' families and friends. It is our mutual responsibility to ensure that life in our country become less dangerous for its citizens.

Chairman of the YABLOKO party
Grigory Yavlinsky

Political Party: Non-Liquid Asset?
RIA Novosti, August 24, 2004
Yabloko has begun collecting voluntary donations from its members and supporters. All major sponsors want confirmation that the Kremlin does not have any objections to financial support of the party, said Yabloko deputy chairman Sergei Mitrokhin.

Their Sponsor Is Unknown, Russia has a two-party system: one party sponsored by the regime, the other by the citizenry.
By Kseniya Veretennikova, Vremya Novostei, August 24, 2004
"Our party is self-financing now," said Deputy Chairman of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin. "We rely on voluntary donations. YABLOKO was forced to switch over to this system because the system of bigsponsors is about to become history. All major sponsors demand the Kremlin's permission first. Since we are the opposition, we cannot accept that. That is why we appeal to society and economic structures as its elements."

"There Is No Love Lost Between Gref and Fradkov"
By Alexandra Samarina and Ivan Rodin, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 23, 2004
Sergei Mitrokhin, Deputy Chairman of the YABLOKO Party: "I think it is a personal conflict and the parties cannot refrain from mutual recriminations. Gref's future will not be decided by Fradkov. That is beyond doubt.

Reflecting on Two Chairs Which Are Unavailable.
By Leonid Batkin, Novoye Vremya, August 22, 2004
Vladimir Putin is much more competent and sane than his "unpredictable" predecessor. Simultaneously, he is incomparably more secret and pragmatic, is able to distinguish what Russia can cope with and what the Kremlin cannot change anyway; what should be stated and which goals should actually be sought for.

The action of protest against unlawful naming of one of the Moscow streets after Akhmad Kadyrov
Press release, August 24, 2004
Over 20 representatives of the YABLOKO party gathered at Novopushkinskaya square at 12-00. The activists held slogans "The law in the same for everyone," "Shantsev (Ed. one of the Moscow officials) announced jihad against Muscovites," and "We don't need a Kadyrov street" and also carried YABLOKO banners.

Freedom of Speech and Media Law in Russia - updated

Human Rights - updated

Growing Pains
By Philip Marriott, Moscow News, August 18-24, 2004
According to a recent research paper (Kosmarskaya, 9/4/04) only 5% of Russians outside the dominant power industries contribute to a private pension scheme leaving the rest reliant on the state pension to see them through old age - a frightening prospect in a country with a falling birth rate and an ageing population and, at the same time, with a lack of the services provided in other ageing countries such as those in Western Europe.

Deputy Head of the YABLOKO party Sergei Mitrokhin perceives political motives behind the criminal case against the former heads of the Noviye Izvestia newspaper
Ekho Moskvi, August 17, 2004
"We live de facto in a state governed by the secret services. In the given situation, in view of recent developments, in particular, the extremely harsh sentence given to Igor Sutyagin, we cannot trust any criminal trial against any politician or editor of an independent media, or individual who expresses views which differ from those of the authorities," noted Mitrokhin.

"No indisputable facts have been found yet" regarding the investigation into Yuri Schekochikhin’s death
Newsru.com, August 15, 2004
Friends and colleagues of journalist and human rights activist Yuri Schekochikhin continue their investigation into the circumstances behind his death.

YUKOS Case - updated

"We Are Not Extremists"
Moskovskiye Novosti, August 13, 2004
Interview with Alexei Melnikov, one of YABLOKO's leaders, on the actions of the Youth organisation of YABLOKO and party prospects in general by MN's correspondent Stanislav Natanzon.

War in Chechnya - updated

Liberals Against Naming Moscow Street After Chechen President
MosNews, August 18, 2004
Russian democratic party Yabloko has made an announcement against the decision by the Moscow authorities to name a street after the killed Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov.

YABLOKO Fades into a Legend Losing Its Link to Reality
By Irina Romancheva, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 11, 2004
...However, the question remains: is the absence of the Svoboda Slova (Freedom of Speech) programme on TV sufficient reason for some prominent Russian politicians to retreat into some sort of underground? Prominent Yabloko members debate this topic.

Russia's Poor Cut Adrift by Putin's Revolution
The Guardian (UK), August 12, 2004
A plan to replace this treasured system of social benefits, which includes housing subsidies, free public transport, discounts on prescription medication, free artificial limbs and spa treatment, with a straight cash payment has sparked weeks of noisy demonstrations, the first since Mr Putin took power in 2000.

The Law on Preservation of Benefits
By Boris Vishnevsky, Novaya Gazeta, August 9, 2004
"Someone must have got what we didn’t receive, right?" my intelligent Dad used to say. And again I see that he was right here: the citizens lost their benefits, whence the bureaucrats obtained benefits.

Russian Ombudsman Blasts Pretrial Detention Centers
MosNews, August 13, 2004
Russia's ombudsman Vladimir Lukin has denounced the nation’s pretrial detention system whereby a suspect can spend months — even years — in a pre-trial detention center before being convicted, like the former Yukos head, Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Nuts and Bolts of Social Reform
By Oksana Yablokova, The Moscow Times, August 13, 2004
Supporters of the controversial bill, which was rushed through both chambers of parliament and is now awaiting President Vladimir Putin's signature to become law, say the changes will make welfare assistance more targeted and fair.
Opponents, who have staged nationwide rallies against the legislation, fear the plan will only impoverish retirees, war veterans, the disabled, Chernobyl cleanup workers and others. They say cash payments will soon be eaten up by inflation and not cover the cost of the benefits that recipients now enjoy, while groups paid by cash-poor regions and not the federal government may be left empty-handed.

First Case of Racially Motivated Murder Goes to Court
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, August 12, 2004
Three local men aged 16 to 22 are charged with the 21 February murder of Amar Lima, an African student. Two of the three are believed to be members of the nationalist organization Russian National Unity, which has long been particularly active in Voronezh Oblast.

YABLOKO is going to question in the Constitutional Court of the RF the lawfulness of the draft law on monetization of social benefits after this law comes into force
Finamarket, August 5, 2004
Such a statement was made by deputy of the State Duma and member of the YABLOKO party Sergei Popov to the Ekho Moskvi radio station. He also noted that there is no doubt that the President would sign the bill.

Nationalism Rising
By Valery Vyzhutovich, The Moscow News, No 28, 2004
In late June, Vladimir Lukin, the RF plenipotentiary on human rights, visited Voronezh. The ombudsman's interest in the region that has recently seen a marked rise in nationalism sentiments is quite natural.

Contract Murders Are on the Rise
By Carl Schreck, The Moscow Times, August 4, 2004
Contract killings continue to swell because of a weak judicial system and a low probability that those ordering the hits will ever be punished. There also appears to be no shortage of those willing to kill for money, from drug addicts to former military men profiting from their professional training.

Upheavals Won't Spare Us this Autumn
Poll for politicians prepared by Lyudmila Uvarova, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 9, 2004
Sergei Mitrokhin, Deputy Chairman of the YABLOKO party: The second part of anti-social reforms - the Housing Code, which will affect the lives of more people - will be viewed this fall. It will affect almost all residents, probably with the exception of 5% owners of the elite housing. Therefore, the strain will be enhancing in our society.

Russian Journalism in Search of Professional Ethics
Moscow. (RIA Novosti political commentator Vladimir Simonov), RIA Novosti, August 6, 2004
It seems that following the downfall of the Soviet state, the Russian media community did a deal with Mrs Corruption. And she is aggressively driving out honest journalism as it tries to remain faithful to ethical norms.

Russia's State TV Is Mopping up Some Terminology
By Sergey Varshavchik, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 2, 2004
It is prohibited to pronounce during broadcasting "Chechnya" (only "the Chechen republic") and "Kadyrov" (should be pronounced only "Akhmad-Khadzhi Kadyrov") and not "replacement of benefits by money" but "monetised benefits", and not "shahid" but a "shahid belt".
Viktoriya Arutyunova, Adviser to the Chairman of VGTRK [All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company], commented on the situation for Nezavisimaya Gazeta...

Bill Lets Bureaucrats Lead Political Parties
By Francesca Mereu, The Moscow Times, August 9, 2004
"This is a situation similar to that in the Soviet Union, when it was impossible to have a leadership job without being a member of the Communist Party. In the same way, from now on it would be impossible to get a leadership job if you are not a member of United Russia," Arbatov said Friday."This is another step away from democracy, a step toward the past," he said.

St. Petersburg's YABLOKO initiates a recall of the deputies of the Duma who supported the draft laws on social reform
Press release, July 29, 2004
On August 2 2004, on the threshold of the second reading of discussion of the package of laws on social reform the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO will hold a protest action against the government's anti-social draft laws that violate basic constitutional rights of the citizens.

The Russian Union of Journalists attacks Russian government's record on media freedom
Ekho Moskvi, August 4, 2004
"Over the last four years, various officials, starting from the top, have constantly said that journalists are to blame for everything."

Windfall Tax, Operation "Vacuum Cleaner"
By Mikhail Romanov, Alina Keshokova, Natalia Shipitsyna and Yelena Zvereva, Moskovski Komsomolets, August 3, 2004
"Why is building communism considered possible and unjust privatisation considered possible - but measures amending the situation are not? At the same time, the tax alone cannot be expected to fix the situation. The same legislation should specify the ceiling for concentration of capital in one person's ownership, transparent lobbying and transparent funding of political parties, public television. It should also specify separation of business and government at all levels, and must recognize the validity of the deals made in the 1990s."

"Editor-in-Chief Should Be Branded!" Deputies Decided to Re-Educate Journalists
By Suzanna Farizova, Kommersant, August 3, 2004
The discussion of issues of journalists' ethics almost developed into a brawl but the participants were able to control themselves in time. The session resulted in a recommendation to journalists that they step up responsibility "within the creative collectives."

Monetising Ordinary Citizens the Authorities "Forget" Bureaucrats
By Kira Latukhina and Natalia Melikova, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 4, 2004
The main and most radical measure of the recent period has been the preservation for the bureaucrats of all their former benefits plus an appreciable rise in salaries. Reformers' justification is that in this way they will curb corruption. This is a very doubtful argument...

State Duma Passes Controversial Benefits Bill in Last Reading
MosNews, August 5, 2004
309 Duma voted for the bill, while 118 voted against it. The bill was passed almost exclusively by the pro-president majority United Russia party, with opposition factions lobbying fellow parliamentarians to vote against the bill.

St.Petersburg's YABLOKO opposes the anti-social reform proposed by the Russian government
Press release, August 2, 2004
On the threashold of the second reading of discussion of the package of laws on the social reform St.Petersburg's branch of YABLOKO jointly with other public and political organisations held a protest action in the Nevskii prospect against the adoption of the government's draft laws.

Old Lies No Longer Work
By Boris Kagarlitsky, The Moscow Times, August 5, 2004
Day after day the television news is filled with shots of smiling pensioners tickled pink by the Kremlin's plan to replace benefits for socially vulnerable groups with cash payments. And day after day opinion polls record growing hostility to the reforms among average Russians.

Putin Feels Fallout Over Plan to Eliminate Soviet-Era Benefits
By Susan B. Glasser, Washington Post, August 3, 2004
Russia is poised to dismantle the remnants of the Soviet-era social safety net for as many as 100 million of its poorest citizens, replacing many free services with cash payments in a controversial experiment that has sent President Vladimir Putin's approval rating down sharply.

Russian Parliament Tackles Controversial Social Reform
Associated Press, August 3, 2004
The bill is part of the unpopular and potentially painful reforms Russian president Vladimir Putin pledged to tackle during his second term.

Benefits Bill Steamrollered Through
By Francesca Mereu, The Moscow Times, August 4, 2004
The bill passed without encountering any heated discussions as the entire pro-Kremlin United Russia majority voted unanimously for all the amendments supported by the Kremlin, and automatically rejected amendments proposed by the opposition.

Compensation Instead of Revision The Oligarchs Should Share the “Windfall” Profit with the State
By Sergei Mitrokhin, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, July 27, 2004
Big business is "guilty" of behaving aggressively, but the state is also guilty for not establishing proper rules of the game (through anti-corruption legislation, laws governing lobbying, etc.). The difference is that the oligarchs are under no obligation to behave otherwise, while the state is.

Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service Igor Artemyev retained his membership of an opposition party and puts its guidelines in practice
By Boris Vishnevsky, Moskovskiye Novosti, July 23, 2004
"If we only air our ideas but refuse to do anything at the executive level until we get all top positions on a silver platter, this could effectively destroy YABLOKO's credibility among the general public. Yet if people see that we have done a specific job well and efficiently, I believe that their attitude toward the party will improve."

On August 3, at 9-45 a.m. the Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO held a protest action against the abolishion of social benefits
Press release, August 3, 2004
The activists also chanted the following slogans "Shame on the Duma!" "No to the Abolishion of the Benefits!" And "Hands Off Old People!"