#12 - JRL 7301
Kommersant-VLAST
No 33
August 25 - 31, 2003
"WE ARE LIKE THE HERMITAGE"
AN INTERVIEW WITH YABLOKO LEADER GRIGORI YAVLINSKY.
The Kommersant-VLAST features materials on all major political parties on the
eve of the parliamentary election
Author: Syuzanna Farizova
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]
Yabloka pursues a leading political role for the future
Question: How will the Yabloko wage its campaign? What values will you promote?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Freedom, human rights, and dignity. We will advocate independence of courts and legislative authorities, reduction of administrative clout with elections on all levels. We will speak against the merger of powers-that-be and businesses. It is this merger that resulted in the conflict between YUKOS and the regime. We will also advocate a political agreement but in the form of a law, not an accord. On the one hand, we will advocate an amnesty to capitals and fortunes made in the course of privatization in the 1990's. On the other, we want transparency of funding of political parties, establishment of a transparent political process, adoption of the law on lobbying within the framework of participation of major businesses in politics.
Question: Businesses participate in politics, but parties are reluctant to reveal their sponsors.
Grigori Yavlinsky: Parties are reluctant to reveal their sponsors only because businesses want it this way. Because it is sponsors, not parties that will encounter trouble. As for us, the Yabloko, had every voter spent 60 rubles a year on us, the sum would have sufficed for existence and development.
Question: You say "every voter". How many is that?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Between five and six million.
Question: The same intelligentsia the Yabloko always relies on?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Sure. Judging by opinion polls, however, we will have a broader support in this election - the youth, retirees, businessmen, specialists, and qualified workers.
Question: What about the media? Do you expect a great deal from it. You are a party of the opposition, after all.
Grigori Yavlinsky: It concerns all parties. I think that the United Russia alone will be promoted. When a Yabloko activist appears in some TV program these days, he is never introduced as a Yabloko member. He is only introduced by name.
Question: What about your relations with the Union of Right Forces? Or can there be no relations at all now that Anatoly Chubais is number three on the party list?
Grigori Yavlinsky: We always knew that Chubais would emerge from the shadow sooner or later. The Union of Right Forces has different views than us on some key issues. They have always been different for that matter. The choice of Chubais as number three dots all I's on how this party will operate.
Question: Does it mean that you remain convinced that no alliance with the Union of Right Forces is possible?
Grigori Yavlinsky: We disagree on many things. The alliance will not benefit either of us. A lot of Yabloko voters will never cast their votes for Chubais or Alfred Kokh.
Question: But the general public is convinced that the Union of Right Forces and the Yabloko are similar. It is just that the Union of Right Forces mostly criticizes the president and the Yabloko the government. Why is that?
Grigori Yavlinsky: We are walking our own path, that's all. We are convinced that a great deal of things should be done differently. We have a lot of proposals concerning the tax reforms, budget policy, social sphere, education... We are ready for a compromise with the authorities on some matters but only on some.
Question: Does it occur to you that the Kremlin may be absolutely disinterested in whatever the Yabloko or any other party may have to propose?
Grigori Yavlinsky: It does, but that's how the Kremlin has always behaved. On the other hand, the national leaders are more attentive to our proposals nowadays. For example, the matter concerns visa-free trips to Europe, budget issues, establishment of the Russian-European anti-ballistic missile defense system.
Question: It follows that your relations with the powers-that-be are fairly even. Hence the rumors every now and then that you may be offered a post in the government.
Grigori Yavlinsky: I have not received any such offers these last three years.
Question: But the Union of Right Forces and CPRF are also in the opposition to the Kremlin. And yet, elevation of Boris Nemtsov or Gennadi Zyuganov to the government is never even contemplated.
Grigori Yavlinsky: If you want an answer to that, ask Nemtsov and Zyuganov. As for the Yabloko, we have always said that we are ready to work in the government. Moreover, we will be in the government one day.
Question: When?
Grigori Yavlinsky: In the not too distant future. It will be nice to be approached with this proposal before the situation enters a cul- de-sac.
Question: This cul-de-sac, will we find ourselves in one soon?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Cul-de-sac is an absence of prospects. It will be undeniable in some matters quite soon now. It will become clear that the clannish solution to staff matters cannot be effective.
Question: Will you participate in the presidential election?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Perhaps we will. We do have something to offer.
Question: How many votes do you plan to poll in the parliamentary election?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Perhaps 6%, perhaps 12%. It is hard to say. A great deal of things will be changed yet. Who could expect such a scandal with YUKOS for example?
Question: Mikhail Khodorkovsky of YUKOS was the first to admit financial assistance to the Yabloko. There is the opinion that YUKOS sponsors the Yabloko by almost 100%. Aren't you afraid being a party of a single sponsor, particularly in the light of the latest developments?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Khodorkovsky helped us in 1993, 1995, and 1999. Sure, some difficulties may be encountered but we will cross that bridge when we get there. Sure, it is better to have ten sponsors of Khodorkovsky's caliber, but their repute is what we attach importance to.
Question: Why did you fail to find them then?
Grigori Yavlinsky: We are not restricted to a single sponsor, you know, but YUKOS is the largest. Perhaps, this is the agreed arrangement, whether independent or with the Kremlin. Honest enough for you?
Question: Why would businesses finance political projects in the first place? Why would YUKOS finance the Yabloko, for example?
Grigori Yavlinsky: Any business is interested in the party that advocates private property, low taxation, cutting out the red tape, and a stable economic climate. Why would YUKOS sponsor the Hermitage?
Question: Your forecast of the outcome of the election?
Grigori Yavlinsky: A lot will depend on the so called new projects like Party of Life and People's Party. Whether or not the decision is made to help them get into the Duma. It is too early yet to make forecasts.
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