The Yabloko party advocates the development of a new liberal democratic course for reforms in Russia that should be conducted “in the interests of the majority of Russia’s citizens”. This statement was made by the leader of the Yabloko party Grigory Yavlinsky in St. Petersburg on Saturday, June 9 2001.

According to Yavlinsky, the key tasks of this course should be “uncompromising defence of human rights, subordination of the state to the interests of the citizens, creation of the requisite conditions for the development of a real demonopolised market economy and irreversible consolidation of democratic forces in the country.”

Admitting that liberal democracy does not represent the “ideal socio-political course”, Yavlinsky at the same time expressed his conviction that today “only this course can resolve the four main problems of Russia: the demographic situation, development of Siberia, protection of the borders and fully-fledged membership of the European Union.”

Yavlinsky also noted that at present Russia faces the real threat of the installation of a bureaucratic totalitarian regime. Yavlinsky also referred here to an example of the adoption by the State Duma of a package of laws allowing for the import, preservation and recycling of nuclear waste in Russia.

He also stressed that according to public opinion polls over 90% of Russia’s citizens oppose the adoption of laws to import nuclear waste. However, noted Yavlinsky, “500 people in Moscow, i.e. 300 people in the State Duma and 200 high ranking officials think that the people do not understand what is good for them and advocated the import of poison into their country.”

Grigory Yavlinsky also expressed his hope that the Federation Council
would decline the draft laws adopted by the Duma. Otherwise, he stressed, Yabloko will initiate the collection of signatures to conduct a referendum on the import of nuclear waste. “We shall make the politicians listen to the people,” added Yavlinsky.

Based on Interfax reports.

See also:

All-Russia Forum of Yabloko's representatives in the legislative and executive authorities to be held in St. Petersburg
Press release, 08.06.2001

More than just rhetoric
By Vladimir Kovalyev,The Moscow Times, 18.06.01