Nikolai Travkin is leaving Yabloko Association and the Yabloko faction in the State Duma of the RF. He duly notified the leadership of the Association and deputies of the faction in his application forwarded to the Deputy Head of the Faction, Sergei Ivanenko.

Ivanenko commented: "Yabloko is an open civil party". He added: "We are glad when people come to us and do not prevent them from leaving." Ivanenko also stressed: "We respect Nikolai Travkin and are grateful to him for joint work." "We hope to continue cooperating with him," said Ivanenko.

Travkin is one of founders and co-chairmen of the Democratic Party of Russia and was elected to the State Duma according to the party list in 1993. In May 1998 Travkin joined Yabloko from the faction Our Home is Russia.In December 1999 he was elected deputy of the State Duma of the third convocation from the Yabloko Association.

The Chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Yabloko Association, deputy of the State Duma of the RF Alexander Shishlov, expressed his regret over Nikolai Travkin’s decision to leave the Association and its parliamentary faction. He made this statement on August 2, 2000.

According to Shishlov, Nikolai Travkin’s decision to leave Yabloko may be attributed to "a difference in opinions on the issue of cooperation with the Union of Right-Wing Forces" (SPS). Shishlov also recalled that most of Yabloko’s members "have been in favour and do favour cooperation with the SPS as part of a coalition, while retaining structural and political independence".

According to Shishlov, Travkin believed that it was necessary "to radically change the relationships of the two political forces right up to the creation of a single organisation". Once again stressing his regret over Travkin's decision to leave Yabloko, Shishlov expressed his hope that "constructive cooperation on key legislative issues will continue".

Based on Interfax reports.