Respected Vladimir Vasilievich,

I learnt with surprise and anguish from publications in the press that the building at Petrosvskaya Naberezhnaya, dom 2, was chosen as ther residence for the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-West federal district.

This proposal would imply the removal from the historic building built in 1910 one of three St.Petersburg Wedding Palaces, which has functioned in this building for 15 years already, where thousands of St.Petersburg citizens have registered or plan to register their marriages.

It is difficult to assess such a decision as anything other than a provocative and disrespectful attitude towards citizens. In my opinion, if the first perceptible result of the activity of the Representative of the President for citizens involves the removal of a Wedding Palace, this will not contribute to a consolidation of the authority of the state authorities.

I hope that you will be able to find, together with the city administration, another location for the residence of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the North-West federal district, which is more modest and corresponds to the principles of economising state funds declared by President Vladimir Putin, which would not violate the interests of the citizens of St.Petersburg.

Yours most respectfully, wishing you every success in your future activity,

Chairman of St.Petersburg branch of the Yabloko Association Deputy of the State Duma Alexander Shishlov