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A
decision on proposing a single democratic candidate at gubernatorial
elections in St Petersburg may be taken by the end of this
week
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The decision on whether to propose a single democratic
candidate at gubernatorial elections in St Petersburg may
be made by the end of this week. Yabloko's gubernatorial
candidate, Igor Artemyev, made this statement at a press
conference on April 17, 2000.
He was positive about the negotiations conducted by Yabloko
with the leaders of the Union of Right-Wing Forces and the
"Unity" movement. According to Igor Artemyev, there are
no differences between the democratically oriented parties
and movements of the city over the general "priorities of
the development of St Petersburg and what the coalition
government should do". "There are only questions about tactics,
about the best way of running an election campaign," said
Igor Artemyev.
Igor Artemyev believes that Yabloko's programme for the
gubernatorial elections will be presented to the citizens
of St Petersburg by April 24. Igor Artemyev also said that
"St Petersburg historically represents the hopes of the
whole country, as full realisation of democratic values
can only be achieved here, and here it is possible to conduct
a reasonable financial policy, based on living within one's
means and profiting from transit flows".
Igor Artemyev also said that the main political priority
of his programme is "to preserve and protect the rights
and freedoms of the citizens". He also told that people
had witnessed "intense pressure" on representatives of the
democratic forces from the administration of the city. Thus,
according to his data, it had already refused to provide
premises for electoral head-quarters, and there had been
instances of "illegal and unsanctioned intrusion into people's
private lives".
Igor Artemyev stressed that "we are going to protect ourselves
with all the legal means at our disposal and will respond
in full to every blow and every dirty trick, thereby protecting
the honest name of our city".
The gubernatorial elections are to be held in St Petersburg
on May 14, 2000.
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Sergei
Ivanenko: Joint meeting of the Yabloko and SPS factions
will be another step forwards to the creation of a democratic
coalition
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 On
April 19, 2000 the Yabloko and SPS faction will conduct
a joint meeting.
"This meeting will mark another step forward in the creation
of a democratic coalition," said Sergei
Ivanenko, Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction.
According to Ivanenko, the deputies will consider the creation
of a co-ordination council which will determine the legislative
work of the two factions in the Duma. It is planned that
the decisions adopted by that council will be obligatory
for the deputies of both the factions.
The joint of meeting of the two factions will also consider
the elections in St Petersburg. "We are going to everything
required from us, so that a single candidate represents
the democratic forces at these elections. We shall do what
we can here," stressed Sergei Ivanenko.
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