Grigory Yavlinsky

Grigory Alekseyevich Yavlinsky (born 10 April 1952) is a Russian economist and liberal politician. Rising to prominence as the author of the ultimately unimplemented 500 Days Program, a shock therapy plan meant to overcome the economic crisis in the Soviet Union, Yavlinsky has since been an active figure in Russian poltics as the founder of the major opposition Yabloko party and a several-time candidate for the Russian presidency.

:Grigory Yavlinsky in 2023

Quotes

• I see, how he (Putin) has waged the war, how in the Duma he brokered an alliance with the communists and the nationalists, how he uses methods of force, i hear his absurd rhetoric about a great nation, behind which hides a humiliation of Russia and a desolation of the population. That is enough for me.
  • In an interview to El Pais, archived on the Yabloko website (15 February 2000)

• The members of Yabloko only want Russia to become a country in which our children would want to live, from which smart people, intellectuals, entrepreneurs and financiers would not leave abroad. If we'll come to power, we'll achieve that. And if it is necessary for Yabloko to become the conscience of Russia, it will be.
  • In an interview to El Pais, archived on the Yabloko website (15 February 2000)

• There is only one party in Russia that defends the system of European values - Yabloko. Others defend conservative or Soviet ideals. It makes no sense to distinguish between those who support private property and those who reject it. Attention should be paid to the position regarding civil liberties and human rights. Which parties are the basis for modern fascism? Those that protect private property but ignore human rights. Who are the Liberals, Democrats and Social Democrats? Those who protect not only private property, but also rights and freedoms.
  • In an interview to El Pais, archived on the Yabloko website (15 February 2000)

• Russia in it's scope is such a big and serious country that it will always be a part of world politics.
  • In a Radio Svoboda broadcast (31 January 2018)

Quotes about Yavlinsky

• ...However, working fairly succesfully in «Yabloko», I always had a problem. Better than anybody else, it was accurately and briefly outlined by one of the representatives of the mysterious team of the Chairman of the party, which he always attracts to the elections and which then also mysteriously disappears. «Alexey, — he said, — your problem is that you don't love Yavlinsky sincerely». Yeah. You bet. I respect him for some of his previous achievements, but I don't like him at all.
• It's not about the votes. The elections were rigged. But if they weren't, we'd get even less votes. Because fair elections is not just a live feed for Grigory Alekseyevich. It's also the admission of all those who wish to participate. It means that in that live feed, there would have been the more popular Kasparov and Ryzhkov. It means that Kasyanov would've participated in the election with his financial resources. This means that the issues of uniting Democrats would've been resolved not in the Presidential Administration, but in an open dialogue. I am not sure that the party leadership is ready for such a dialogue. I claim that the main reason for the current electoral disaster is that the Yabloko has turned into a dried-up closed sect. We demand everyone to be Democrats, but we don't want to be Democrats ourselves. We demand responsibility and resignations from the authorities. But we do not see that the government has already been replaced three times, while in Yabloko everything is like in '96. And the worse the results, the stronger the leadership's position. The closer we must gather around him. Since this may be my last speech as a member of Yabloko, I appeal to stop self-deception about our high results, about the possible theft of votes. Stop lying about this topic. Draw conclusions and make decisions. And the first decision that I demand as a member of the Federal Council of the party, elected by the Moscow organization: the immediate resignation of the chairman of the party and all his deputies. I make this demand on my own behalf and on behalf of all my comrades. I also call on the party congress to resign and re-elect at least 70% of the Bureau, which covers incompetent leadership with its silent obedience.
  • Alexei Navalny, In a speech at a meeting of the Bureau of "Yabloko" when considering the issue of his exclusion (December 2007)

See Also

• Alexei Navalny
• Boris Nemtsov

External Links

• Encyclopedic article on Grigory Yavlinsky on Wikipedia
• Yavlinsky's personal website