The European Green Party expresses its concern over the forced withdrawal or disqualification of opposition parties from regional elections in Russia. Such parties can be real contenders against the ruling United Russia party. A clear example of this tactic was the disqualification from the Karelia Republic elections in October 2006 of the Russian United Democratic Party “Yabloko” (Yabloko includes the fraction “Green Russia” which is an observer in the European Green Party).
There was no legal justification for the disqualification of Yabloko from the elections. It is obvious that the real reasons for this decision were political. The public opinion polls held in August 2006 in Karelia districts revealed that “Yabloko” and “Green Russia” was supported by 20 % of electorate in Karelia. This situation is absolutely unique in modern Russia where the authorities have made every effort to establish a one-party system with the overwhelming domination of the ruling party “United Russia” on all electoral levels. In order not to allow the stunning defeat of the ruling Party in Karelia the authorities what is inadmissible in democratic society– they disqualified the main rival from the elections.
The European Greens protest emphatically against the antidemocratic actions of the authorities in Karelia (Russian Federation) that have put obstacles in the way of the legal will of hundreds thousands of citizens and demand from the Russian authorities that they provide equal conditions for all the existing parties.
