“Russia is in a bad state and that's why I don't feel so good either.” Grigory Yavlinskij offers no room for optimism. The president and founder of the liberal and pacifist Yabloko party is known for his pragmatism, which always leads him on a tightrope. A little inside and a little outside the current Russian system. So much so that suspicions of proximity to the Kremlin are often aroused. Which turns out to be unfounded, at least according to the concepts expressed in this conversation. “What you are about to ask me is the most difficult question for me.”
Alexei Navalny?
“Whatever the cause of his death, he was a victim of brutal political repression. The conditions of his detention were nothing other than a form of physical and psychological torture.”
How much did you hate each other?
“He was with us in Yabloko for eight years. I knew him well. At a certain point, our differences became irreconcilable. We argued publicly and often criticized each other harshly. But that certainly doesn’t lessen the horror of a system in which authorities will stop at nothing to suppress an opponent’s free speech.”
Why did you decide again not to run in the presidential election?
“It is not an election, but a simple bureaucratic procedure with no alternative, under the complete control of the authorities.”
A referendum?
“Exactly. I can already tell you the result: 80 percent of the vote for Putin, turnout 75 percent. For many years, Russia has had an authoritarian-corporate system that does not provide for free elections. In addition, laws were passed that denied me free access to television and the press. This means that speaking to people would have been equally impossible. So why participate?
To do the testimonial work?
“It’s useless this time. I don't expect anything from this election. Only three staunch Putin supporters who fully support his policies, including the war with Ukraine, are taking part as candidates. We will never know how many people will vote. This is all the more true as a significant portion of the voting will be done electronically.”
Do the Russian people really want a pacifist candidate?
“Such a number could make sense in honest elections. Nowadays this possibility does not exist and there is no confidence of people in the choice. The conditions for this do not exist.
Is opposition really impossible in Russia?
“In a country without democracy, where there is a strict authoritarian regime, where there is no independent justice system and where there is no access to the media, the situation is very complicated.” At Yabloko we do everything we can to make our voices heard To provide. However, under current conditions it is impossible to become a mass aggregator. With propaganda that occupies every space in a society characterized by an atmosphere of collective fear.”
Do you agree with the frequent comparisons to 1937?
“I understand the meaning, but there are obvious differences. Starting with the number of victims of repression. Stalin did not have television or internet to keep the population “sedated.” But there is a similarity between the two eras that the rest of the world underestimates. People are just so scared. Everyone has children, families, loved ones. And people don't think they can influence anything. People are silent. Today as then.”
When did the systematic destruction of anti-votes begin?
“In the 1990s, criminally false reforms were carried out in Russia: criminal privatization was carried out and private property was welded to power, creating the basis for corruption and oligarchy and causing irreparable disappointment among the people.” In addition, the abdication led on a constitutional assessment of Stalinism ultimately to Putin. Today's Russian system is not just a question of personality. It is the result of the failure of the post-Soviet transformation.”
For what purpose does he need another referendum?
“Every six years he needs the process that officially confirms his legitimacy.” After such a triumphant show of support, he can generally do whatever he wants.
How long will Putin continue the war?
“There is no point in discussing intentions. We need to talk about what needs to be done. Today it is crucial to conclude a ceasefire agreement and stop it. Putin has always talked about talks in recent months. We have to try to negotiate, that is the job of diplomacy. There is no alternative.”
What will Russia look like in the next few years under Putin?
“The outlook is very worrying. There could be inter-ethnic or inter-religious clashes in the near future. The ultra-nationalist wing may rear its head again. Political repression could expand. However, I am sure that sooner or later we will have the chance to become a modern and democratic country again. But when and how that will happen, no one knows yet.”