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United Russia Faces Parents' Protest in Novosibirsk |
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Автор: By Maria Eismnt / Vedomosti
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26.02.2010 08:40 |
On the eve of elections to the Novosibirsk City Duma a dangerous opponent to the local United Russia has appeared — parents of children who have not made it into kindergarten. The parents demanded that deputies raise the issue of monetary compensation in parliament, and when the majority voted against it they protested.
More than 20,000 Novosibirsk children do not have places in preschools, and when you consider that almost every child has a mother, father, grandmother and grandfather, it adds up to a significant number of potential voters. Activists have appealed to Article 43 of the Constitution that guarantees the right to free preschool education, and are insisting that the government pays those who did not receive a place at kindergarten compensation equal to the amount that is spent for a child to attend kindergarten. As an example they bring the experience of Perm, where families who did not receive a place at kindergarten are paid from 4,000 rubles to 5,000 rubles ($133 to $166) every month from the city and region budget.
All 17 deputies from the party in power, most of whom are running for another term, refused to even discuss one of the most acute problems of their constituents. Now a list of these 17 names is posted all over Novosibirsk Internet forums, and parents are threatening to support their competitors at the next election. “Vote for their main rival, no matter who it is,” called a leaflet. “The main thing is that deputies know that voters' opinions should be taken into account. If we change deputy, their successor will remember this for their entire period of office.”
The Novosibirsk activists are taking an important step forward in the protection of their interests: They have moved on from complaints and requests to demands, and from demands to exercising their constitutional right to remove from power those who are deaf to their requests. Let this be a warning to the deputies who are next in succession.
The author is a freelance journalist and director of programs to support independent media at the New Eurasia foundation.
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Обновлено 26.02.2010 08:44 |
