Translated material
Pensioners blocked the main streets of Sochi and Krasnodar, demanding to return the travel benefits (photo, video)
Sochi low -income pensioners blocked the main in the resort city of Gorky Street and demand to return preferential travel in city transport. A huge car traffic jam formed in the city center, reports Sochi lens , publishing photos and videos. The mass protest is also held in Krasnodar.
From January 1, 2016, on the basis of changes in regional legislation, all pensioners of the Krasnodar Territory, receiving a pension, the amount of which exceeds the amount of the subsistence minimum, which now reaching 7722 rubles, is lost to preferential travel in public transport.
The Sochi City Hall told the agency that this is the third spontaneous rally and the authorities intend to satisfy the requirements of pensioners.
“Sochi blog” reports that the cork on Gorky Street, caused by a spontaneous protest, stretched for two kilometers. The mayor of the resort city has already announced his readiness to talk with demonstrators.
Judging by the published video, pensioners, many of whom use walking devices, lined up at a pedestrian crossing and clapping their hands. They are shot on video inconspicuous people in civilian clothes. Another group of dissatisfied gathered in front of the city administration building.
According to the "Caucasian Knot" , Cossacks took up order on the main Sochi street. First, the ambulance cars with the siren turned on to the place of the action, and the elderly were forced to leave the roadway to give them the way, then the Cossacks finally displaced the protesters to the sidewalks. After that, pensioners went to the city hall, where negotiations began with the leadership of the city.
In the action, the publication clarifies, more than a hundred people participate. The road was blocked at 11:20 Moscow time. Pensioners stood on the roadway for an hour.
The Lifenews channel claims that force was used against protesters. “The police and the Cossacks who arrived at the place tried to first stop the strike calls to free the carriageway into the loudspeaker. Then the police car went directly to the crowd. They went for batons. They will not hear and hear us. But we will stand on their own,” the emergency quoted the words of an unnamed rally participant.
It should be noted that in the given video the batons is not visible, however, the police who formed a chain and held back the crowd fell into the frame, ensuring the safe passage of a police car, and then an ambulance.
In the budget of Sochi there are no funds to ensure preferential traveling for public transport, and the issue itself is in charge of the regional authorities, the mayor of the city Anatoly Pakhomov told dissatisfied pensioners. According to him, the decision to cancel the free travel, including for pensioners, was made at the level of the leadership of the Krasnodar Territory.
The mayor invited pensioners to draw up a resolution and send it to the Legislative Assembly demanding to return the benefits. Pakhomov also asked to draw up an official letter to his name so that he could, referring to the document, contact the regional authorities, reports the "Caucasian knot".
At the same time, a protest with the participation of older people takes place in Krasnodar. According to the Voice of the Kuban , about a thousand pensioners are “stormed” by the administration building, Krasnaya Street is blocked. According to eyewitnesses, the demonstrators are decisively configured and seek a meeting with Governor Veniamin Kondratiev.
Veterans in #Krasnodar blocked Krasnaya Street. Protest against the abolition of travel benefits and raising tariffs Pic.twitter.com/1aiphqibvk
- Sergey Obukhov (@sobuhov) January 15, 2016 The administration of the region in the siege #Krasnodar #protest pic.twitter.com/kldq8e3e3e6e
- Kkudesnik (@kkudesnik) January 15, 2016The delegation from the protesters went to negotiations to the administration building, the South website reports. The rest chant "shame!" local authorities.
Not 1000, about 200 pensioners, said in the action, says Yugopolis . The leaders of local opposition movements protest with them. It is known that the vice-governor of the region Andrei Alekseenko met with representatives of the demonstrators. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev promised to accept older people in the near future.
It is reported that from January 1, Kuban veterans of the Great Patriotic War, blockade, rear workers, pensioners whose income does not exceed 7722 rubles, pay half the fare. If the income is higher than this amount, the full cost of the ticket is paid. The regional authorities explained this decision to the intention to support those who really need help. The first protest on this occasion took place on January 6. Also, the appeal regarding the preservation of benefits was sent to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The publication "Clear" reports that vice-governors Andrei Alekseenko, Igor Galausya, Yuri Burlachenko and Sergey Altukhov met with protesting pensioners. They managed to achieve a temporary compromise. The next day, the head of the region should meet with the protesters.
According to the portal, the protest campaign was organized with the unspoken participation of the State Duma deputy from the Communist Party of the Communist Party Sergey Obukhov, who is actively commenting on Twitter . On the official website of the Communists, a message was published that Governor Kondratyev would fly to Krasnodar on Saturday night, and the meeting with him will be held on January 16 at noon. At the same time, notes "clear", representatives of the Communist Party in the Legislative Assembly of the region voted for the bill on the abolition of benefits.