Ekaterinburg’s Mayor Arkady Chernetsky set in motion a lawsuit
against deputy of the city Duma and leader of the regional
YABLOKO branch Maxim Petlin.
The Mayor began a defamation case stating that Maxim Petlin
had libeled against him at TV programme Vesti. The Mayor assessed
his moral damage at RUR 600,000 (approximately USD 20,000)
which makes 30 per cent of his official annual income amounting
to RUR 1,700,000.
“Once Chernetsky sold out half of all the kindergartens buildings
in Ekaterinburg,” Petlin said at the Vesti programme. The
Mayor considered this statement be a libel.
However, explaining this situation Chernetsky told to the
anchor of the Studio 41 TV programme that he had sold “only
three kindergartens”. Other had been transferred to different
companies and entities “free of charge”.
“I don’t think that Mr.Chernetsky can be regarded as injured
[by my statement] or that it caused him any sufferings. On
the opposite hundreds of thousands of Ekaterinburg residents
really suffer: both morally and materially, when due to the
great deficit of places for their children in the kindergartens
they have to pay astronomical bribes and “fees”, Petlin commented.
Preliminary meeting of the court will take place in Leninsky
District Court on February 1.
See also:
Human
Rights
Freedom
of Speech
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