An authoritarian regime has been established in Russia. The intentional destruction of basic democratic institutions is under way. The independence of parliament has been abolished, political censorship has been introduced in the mass media, while the executive authorities have taken over the judicial system, elections and business. Federalism – one of the most important gains in the new history of Russia – is being destroyed before our very eyes.

An authoritarian model of governance over the country in the 21st has no future and will lead Russia to lag irreversibly behind other countries. Russia will lose its competitive edge once and for all and the country will face possible disintegration.

We, the representatives of RDP “Yabloko”, “Union of Right Forces” “Green Russia Party”, “United Peoples Party of Soldiers’ Mothers”, as well as a number of civic organizations that have formed a united democratic electoral list on the basis of the “Yabloko” party, have set ourselves the following goals: to oppose the onslaught of an authoritarian bureaucratic regime, create a united democratic opposition and strive to remove from power by constitutional means the ruling grouping and also prevent another “operation successor”. We intend to achieve this goal by winning over the mass support of the citizenry and employing all possible lawful means.

We consider it our civic and political duty to come to power in Russia, using only constitutional methods and guarantee unconditional compliance with the Russian Constitution and Russian laws in full, the observance of human rights and liberties, social justice, the inviolability of private property, fair competition and the transformation of our country into a modern social European state.

Our goals in Moscow

We consider the Moscow City Duma elections an important political event for the whole country. The results of these elections will determine whether society will have a chance to resist the restoration of a Soviet-style “nomenclatura” bureaucratic state and defend freedom and justice in Russia.

Our ability to defend the citizens of our country from authoritarianism, arbitrary rule, nepotism and corruption will depend to a large extent on the results of the elections.

We proceed from the premise that the new Moscow City Duma will be subjected to increasing pressure from the federal bureaucracy. It will only be possible to combat this pressure if a city Duma is formed in the forthcoming elections, which does not waiver in defending consistently the interests of the population.

The new Duma will be vested with a responsibility which the former did not have – to approve the candidacy of the Mayor of Moscow that will be presented by the President of the Russian Federation. It is inadmissible that this candidacy be slavishly accepted, as is the case in regions all over the country. We shall use all legal means to oppose the interference of the federal nomenclature bureaucracy in Moscow’s affairs as a competent and independent subject of the Russian Federation. That is why our goal is to avert the possibility of a one-party Moscow City Duma, totally controlled by the puppet party “United Russia”.

Our Tasks

– To reinstate direct general elections of the Mayor of Moscow;

– To safeguard and guarantee that all constitutional civil rights and liberties are observed in Moscow;

– To ensure independence of the City Duma from Moscow and federal bureaucracy;

– To avert the possibility of a one-party city Duma and total control by “United Russia” over the fate of the city;

– To empower Muscovites to control the city government through their representatives in the city Duma;

– To abolish anti-democratic provisions in the electoral legislation of the city;

– To fulfill the obligations assumed by the Moscow coalition of democratic parties with respect to the social and economic policies of the city, formulated in the Electoral Program “Moscow –City of the 21st century”

Our federal initiatives

At a time when authoritarian vertical of power is being erected in the country, it is the Moscow City Duma in particular, with its right of federal legislative initiative, to retain Moscow’s status as the leader of Russia’s democratic development. Moscow should set an example for the whole country by demonstrating that democracy secures specific economic and social gains for each individual. That is why opposition to authoritarian, unitary and antisocial tendencies, the restoration and further development of the federal foundation of the state should become a priority for the capital city government.

The coalition will leverage the potential offered by the Moscow City Duma to influence the situation in the country, first of all to achieve the following goals:

– To reinstate elections for the heads of Federation subjects;

– To introduce efficient lawful guarantees for the freedom of speech, dissemination of information, freedom of meetings and gatherings;

– To carry out real military reform, including the transition to a professional army and the abolition of conscription;

– To uphold the real independence of the justice system;

– To abolish anti-democratic changes to electoral legislation and reinstate citizens’ rights to organize referenda and prevent the falsification of voting results;

– To guarantee the inviolability of private property and fair competition, as well as the freedom of entrepreneurship;

– To implement state policies aimed at overcoming demographic crises, protecting citizens’ health and guaranteeing the environmental safety of our country.

The Declaration is open for signing by all political forces ready to support the united democrats’ electoral list formed on the basis of the “Yabloko” party at the Moscow City Duma elections.

1 November 2005

“Soldiers’ Mothers” Board Chairperson Svetlana Kuznetsova