“Today extremists are those who create havoc profiting from the impunity of any real evil. Nationalistic propaganda, skinheads’ attacks and isolationist trends in Russia popular in certain circles, regular murders rooted in corruption, killings of political opponents of the authorities regardless of whoever they are (by the way, the circumstances of a “suspicious” death in London are very similar to the death of Yuri Schekochikhin) represent manifestations of the most dangerous types of extremism. And if it is proved that the priest in the Tver region was murdered, this will make a frightful testimony on a situation in the society,” said Chairman of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO Grigory Yavlinsky during his discussion with President Vladimir Putin of the dangers of political extremism. The meeting was held on December 6.

Grigory Yavlinsky stressed the need to answer all the questions arising during investigation of murders on nationalist grounds, political assassinations and order killings. He also noted “the extreme importance” for YABLOKO so that the real causes of death in 2003 of journalist and deputy of the State Duma Yuri Schekochikhin are determined.

Yavlinsky thinks that extremism represents a “serious threat for our country” and is a direct consequence of “the rejection of parliamentary democracy, constitutional norms, negligence of law, commercialization and corruption in the law enforcement agencies and courts.”

According to Yavlinsky, “failure of representatives of the state to install justice and solve conflicts in conformity with the law gives rise to extreme reactions, including murders in the context of redistribution of property.”

Yavlinsky said that political extremism results from the “abrupt narrowing of the field for legal political and civil self-expression via censorship in the media, toughening of election laws, establishing of a legal total control over political parties and manipulations with elections.”

“Absolutely non-alternative elections of governors and abolishing of the two terms of service restriction represent a political error,” said Yavlinsky.

YABLOKO’s leader further stressed that “if the state is unloyal to the society and infringes its interests, this will inevitably lead to a crisis.” Yavlinsky said that the fact that YABLOKO was dismissed from elections in Karelia where the party was backed by almost 30% of the electorate represents a bright example of animosity of the present state to the society.

Yavlinsky also indicated that another source of extremism is represented by the “ideological vacuum” explaining that “since 1992 the state has never clearly proclaimed its adherence to the modern European values elaborated by decades of philosophical thought and largely contributed to by such Russian philosophers as Georgy Fedotov, Nikolai Berdyaev, Sergey Bulgakov or at least Ivan Ilyin“.

YABLOKO’s leader considers “determination of clear bench-marks and prospects for the development of the political situation in the nearest perspective” being of prime importance. In the opposite case, “the lack of an open political life and isolationistic trends will lead to further strengthening of extremism, because honest participation in politics will become simply impossible”.

At the same time Yavlinsky noted that YABLOKO will never support actions “targeted at destabilization of our country and threatening its territorial integrity, life, health and well-being of the citizens or somehow imposing restrictions on Russian citizens’ rights both in our country and abroad”. “Whatever the attitude to our position and our proposals could be, we shall never act in accordance with the notorious concept “worse is better,” stressed Yavlinsky.