The meeting on 22 August (that’s the Russia’s Flag Day) at the Gorbaty Bridge near the White House has amended many things. Three out of four Russian democratic parties being present there – SPS leaded by Nikita Belykh, NDS with Mikhail Kasyanov, and unregistered RPRF of Vladimir Ryzhkov – it was only Yabloko to be absent. Another step to another unity the leaders made at home of Lyudmila Alekseeva, the chair of Moscow Helsinki group, who had invited everyone, including the new Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin.  

Q: Lyudmila Mikhailovna, how did you come to an idea of getting our democrats at a tea table?  

A: I do not take part in party matters and I am not even aware of what they are creating. I only wish them good luck. As for the idea of gathering everyone at my home, it came to me in a private way. A year ago, when I celebrated my 80th anniversary, one smart man suggested this unusual kind of holding the jubilee – not just having meals and drinks, but talking about topics interesting to me personally. I like most of all to listen to clever people. The topic was formulated like “what is going to happen to the Motherland and to us?” As that celebration was held in a hotel, first we gathered in an auditorium and then continued in a private way. Now, a year after, I decided to listen to clever people again about same topic. I just phoned everyone and requested to come to have a dinner and have a talk at my place. Everyone came – Kasyanov, Ryzhkov and Belykh. And Mitrokhin, the new chair of Yabloko, did not speak before. It was interesting for me to listen to what he says. Of course, everyone spoke for consolidation of democrats.      

Q: On the basis of which party?

A: Kasyanov said no standing party can be such platform and it is necessary to work about creation of a new oppositional party. Nikita Belykh did not object that, while Ryzhkov said repeatedly that SPS and Yabloko are too insistent in revisiting the outcomes of the 90’s which have gone long ago. What is to be done now? Mitrokhin said they cannot give up their demands as part of the Yabloko’s electorate is still fixed on an idea of condemning the unjust privatization. Everyone giving his own opinions that differed, yet the common attitude was not just mutually loyal, it looked rather friendly. No one got at one another with criticism.

Q: Did they speak about something concrete, election to Moscow City Duma in 2009, for example?

A: Yes, they tried. Thanks to such consociation, for example, Mitrokhin managed to become a deputy. Some day democrats will get united, though I don’t know at which round it will happen. When I hear reproaching and questions of why they cannot unite I answer like “and can fascists unite?” Luckily for us, they cannot either. The matter is that the country lacks political culture. People cannot come to agreement and unite for getting things commonly valuable for them.  

Q: Can it be the lack of culture of compromise and mutual concessions?

A: Western political workers can do that, while ours cannot. It’s not only leaders; that also applies to rank-and-file members. Mitrokhin is right saying that in case he goes for some compromises, many subordinate party organizations might not understand that. So the leader must have taken that into consideration in order to avoid messing up the party. I can say with proud that it’s human rights activists who have learnt to do our common cause together. We all have different opinions, as we are no CPSU, but that does not hinder our joint work. It’s been for seven years that we quitted ideological argument about whether it is acceptable to be present in the Presidential Council, to be or not to be the “screen” for the regime. Anyway, we must do our work. Judging from the way they talk to one another, democrats are also close to coming to an agreement amid them. It happens not when they give accounts to their voters, but when they are present at a tea party by me. Well, we have had a nice evening.          

Q: Maybe it’s just change of generations to have had its effect?

A: Sure. However, this new generation cannot come to an agreement either. By the way, fascists have experienced a change of generations too. I’m afraid that they might learn get united earlier. Then we all should have a trouble.