The democratic Jabloko party had 185 representatives in the regional councils of the capital until the local elections in September, but now only four. The party has decorated its office with anti-war slogans. It introduced a new project that aims to activate citizens.
Moscow
Democratic Anti-war slogans have been hung in the stairwell of the office of the Moscow branch of the Jabloko party.
“The first casualty of war is the truth”, a US politician, the former governor of California, is quoted together Hiram Johnson. “Jabloko for peace”, reads below the reflection.
Russia’s only allowed party opposing the war has had to think of new ways to influence.
Jabloko, which belongs to the so-called system opposition, had 185 representatives in the Moscow regional councils until the local elections in September, but only four after the elections. Almost 50 party candidates were rejected from the elections even before the voting day.
“We lost an opportunity for legal interaction,” the vice-president of Jabloko’s Moscow department Andrei Morin said last Saturday at the party’s office on downtown Pyatnitskaya Street.
According to the party, its open anti-war position had an effect.
The opposition has not been completely swept away, although the official opportunities for influence have been reduced to almost non-existent.
The local councilor of the Preobrazhenskoye district who spoke at Saturday’s event Olga Lapshina considered it important to expand the party’s range of means, especially in today’s circumstances.
“Thousands and thousands of our fellow citizens were deprived of their representatives, but the number of problems in the city is increasing day by day.”
In the stairwell of Jabloko’s Moscow branch headquarters, anti-war Opinions are hung from the first to the fourth floor.
With the official election result, Jabloko has even less power to influence the local councils of Moscow districts, but it tries to activate citizens to act and do things themselves.
On Saturday, Morin and four other party representatives and activists presented the new project of Jabloko in Moscow, a “public reception” that works mainly on the Internet called Our Moscow.
According to Morin, the project has two main purposes.
“The first is not to abandon our constituents. Many feel abandoned after February 24th, many have depression. They don’t understand where to go, who to talk to. We talk to people about politics and what’s going on.”
The second is to answer the questions of the townspeople and solve current everyday problems.
In the courtyard of the headquarters of the Moscow branch of the Jabloko party, a party flag with a dove of peace printed on it flies.
of Moscow Jabloko has established on the internet site, through which residents of different neighborhoods can contact Jabloko representatives in their area. At the same time, party representatives and activists are featured on the website.
Contacting a city dweller can concern, for example, health care in the residential area, education, dog parks, seasonal cafes or business launch.
For example, a resident of the central Jakimanka district can reach portal through seven Jabloko representatives or activists, while Jabloko has only one representative in Jakimanka’s local council.
So far, 24 of Moscow’s 146 districts are involved in the project. The purpose is to expand it to cover the entire city. “Public reception” works in social media channels in addition to the website. In addition, it has established an office in Moscow, where city residents can come and visit.
“We are obliged to work with our constituents as long as Jabloko is not banned. We try our best to work within the law and not break it. But we also know they can come up with anything,” Morin said, referring to lawmakers.
In the lower lobby of Jabloko’s Moscow branch headquarters are postcards campaigning for the release of political prisoners such as Kommersant reporter Ivan Safronov.
Jabloko says he wants to strengthen and activate Russian civil society. Morin talks about “awakening” people. The goal is to bring decision-making down to the grassroots level, so that there is no need to always refer to the president in matters concerning city districts.
“We say that you can do everything yourself. It gradually wakes up society.”
Morin points out that the legacy of the Soviet Union, and especially the difficult years of the 1990s, still affects people.
“People got used to isolating themselves in their apartments and tried not to stick their noses out. We, on the other hand, try to tell that you can go out the door, see your stairwell, your yard, your area, your city, your country and make them better.”
Economist educated, Morin worked in business before entering politics five years ago. For him, it is important that more city dwellers are listened to in Moscow and that the capital is open and friendly to the whole world.
“The soccer World Cup is underway, and everyone remembers Moscow in 2018. It was an open and friendly city where people from all countries came. They felt safe. I want to return 2018 to the outside world. In my hometown, I aim for the townspeople to be able to make an impact.”
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