Centre Party parliamentarian says stop cooperation with United Russia

Photo: Reuters / Scanpix

In an open letter to leaders of Centre Party where she belongs, Olga Sõtnik asks for end to cooperation with the Russian power party, United Russia.

In her letter, Ms Sõtnik says that over ten years, the young and promising Russian party has evolved into a big, authoritarian and nondemocratic one. «United Russia is not guided by wellbeing and interests of Russia and her inhabitants, rather, it is guided by a desire to stay in power – at any cost,» thinks the lady.

Ms Sõtnik went on to say that, at the initiative of United Russia, laws have been signed that do not sync with principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law – like the so-called foreign agents law, the adoption ban of Russian children to other countries, the law forbidding homosexual propaganda, and the treason law that broadens its definition and allows criminalisation of participation in international human rights activities. 

«In addition to that, there are lots of other laws which have essentially established (Internet) censorship and limit freedom of speech, assembly and association. The aim of all these laws is to weaken civil society and destroy the opposition,» Mr Sõtnik wrote. She also mentioned that, in Russia, political prisoners have appeared, while expressing her doubts whether the Russian courts system is impartial.

The last drop, for Mr Sõtnik, was the March 1^st decision at Russian parliament, allowing for use of Russian army on Ukrainian territory, if needed – essentially followed by occupation of Ukrainian territory.

«Considering all these facts, it is not possible to regard United Russia as a democratic organisation; and, pursuant to clause 1.4 of our statutes, stating that Centre Party will cooperate with democratic organisations at home and abroad, we cannot continue cooperation with said party,» wrote the politician.