Translated material
Don't worry, I didn't leave
In the opposition
Don't worry, I didn't leave
April 8, 2013 Harry Kasparov
The rumors that appeared today about my emigration and leaving Russian politics extremely surprised and saddened me. I could not answer right away, because I was shocked by the fact that a statement similar to the numerous fakes, constantly distributed by the Kremlin propagandists, today sounded from the lips of a member of the Coordinating Council of the opposition and my former colleague for the leading bodies of the Solidarity movement Ilya Yashin. Obviously, this sensational statement in the Yashinsky Twitter attracted great attention to the congress of “solidarity”, which otherwise would have passed absolutely unnoticed.
It is necessary to repeat once again that emigration - that is, moving to a permanent place of residence to another country - has never been included in my plans and is not included. Although the circumstances are formed so that I have to spend a significant part of the time abroad, Russia is the only country in the world that I consider my home, I am a Russian citizen, and I have no citizenship of any other state. Let it sound immodest, but to glorify the flag of my country, I made more “patriots on duty”.
What are these circumstances, because of which I spend much less time in Russia than I would like? Last year, not only the Russian opposition, but also many civilian activists were inspired and delighted by the adoption by the US Act of Magnitsky. This event struck one of the most vulnerable points of the Putin regime and had a direct impact on the political situation in our country, which is evidence of which is an absolutely hysterical response of the ruling clique. Let us not forget that the opposition of the “Act of Magnitsky” was declared Putin “The main priority of Russian foreign policy”, therefore, to pass this bill at each level, Boris Nemtsov, Vladimir Kara-Murze, Dmitry Gudkov and other representatives of the Russian opposition had to overcome the resistance of the missile lobbying groups. Now we are facing an equally difficult task - to convince the need to adopt the EU leadership in the need to adopt a similar act, as well as find the Schengen zone countries, ready to first begin to implement practical measures for the defendants in the Magnitsky List.
In addition, one of the most important tasks today is the protection of prisoners of the “swamp business”. One of the most effective means to save these people is the organization of international pressure on the Russian authorities demanding their liberation. The solution to these problems requires that I spend a significant part of my time abroad, but to call it “emigration”, to put it mildly, is incorrect. I have to remind the member of the KS Yashin that I am the coordinator of the International Committee of the Constitutional Court, so to deal with these issues is my direct duty.
As for my decision, not to nominate my candidacy in the election of the new composition of the Federal Political Council of the Solidarity movement, it is due to the actual transformation of the movement into the appendage of the Party of the RPR-Parnas. My disagreements with the leadership of this party are strategic in nature - it seems erroneous to me in any actions working on the legitimization of existing power. That is why I think, at least, the course chosen by the leadership of the RPR-Parnas to participate in various kinds of electoral events. When will we hear the allegations that participation in constantly falsified elections is a key factor in the political struggle in the country where people fall into prison bunks for peaceful protest and expression of their disagreement with the actions of the ruling regime?! In the current situation, it seems to me obvious that “solidarity” has lost its purpose as a platform for combining various democratic forces, and fighting for preserving even a recognizable political brand in the conditions of an growing dictatorship is pointless.
However, my way out of the ranks of "solidarity" in no way is to go away from politics. Work on the inclusion of 280 Putin’s improvised in the “Magnitsky List” in accordance with the proposal of Congressman-Democrat, James McGovern, in my opinion, is much more important than exposing the next falsifications in 280 polling stations in municipal elections.
Those who spread rumors about my emigration and “political death”, I can answer the words of Vladimir Vysotsky:
Do not worry, I did not leave.
Do not hope - I will not leave!