Be stronger than the old vaz...

In the slang of Russian motorists, a low-quality car is called nothing more than a “leaky bucket with bolts.” Last Sunday, this bucket literally appeared at a rally among motorists: an old tank filled with some kind of iron junk was dragged along Pionerskaya Square near the Youth Theater to the cries of “It doesn’t drive by itself.” On the side of the allegory there was an unambiguous inscription: “Buy a basin - help VAZ.” Thus, members and supporters of the public organization for protecting the rights of motorists “Freedom of Choice” protested against a possible increase in duties on the import of used foreign cars.

“The increase in duties promises to be significant,” says Alexey Shumak, leader of Freedom of Choice in St. Petersburg. — If now for a car with a 2-liter engine capacity it is 4–5 thousand dollars, then they intend to make it up to 14–15 thousand.
The “old basin” was dragged around the square for a reason, but in tow of a cargo “gazelle”, in the back of which stood a frightening model of the revolutionary cruiser “Aurora” with the inscription “PoshliNA” on the gun turret. This, coupled with a large banner “Vladivostok, we are with you!” (recall that recently in Primorye there were mass protests against the increase in duties, accompanied by the closure of highways) was read as a very clear hint to the authorities.
True, the rally attracted at most 100–150 people—about the same number of police and riot police guarding the perimeter of the permitted event.
The mood of the demonstrators was clearly expressed by their slogans, which were written on posters and banners: “Stop terrorizing the people with increased duties and prices”, “The domestic VAZ is dangerous to life”, “Do not prevent the Russian automobile industry from dying in peace”, “Authority, help the automobile industry, sit down with foreign cars for VAZs and GAZs,” “Don’t tell us what we should drive, and we won’t tell you where to go,” “Stop testing our patience.”
“We hope to win this confrontation with the authorities,” said Alexey Shumak, leader of Freedom of Choice in St. Petersburg. — If this cannot be done with the help of mass protests, we will turn to the Supreme Court: Russian laws have at least two norms according to which the ongoing increase in duties can be considered illegal.
After the rally, motorists staged a rally through the streets of the northern capital, some of its participants were detained.

Andrzej BELOWRANIN