Police detained and taken to the police station head of public organization "Komi Environmentalists" Nina Ananina for picket on Stefanovskaya square in front of the governor's office.
Activist took to the streets to protest against merger of the regional Ministry of Industry, Natural Resources, Energy and Transport and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, which was held on 17 October. In the new structure, the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources will submit to the head of the Ministry of Industry. According to Ananina, environmental monitoring of mining operations may weaken now.
'I went to the building of the head of Komi. I stood there for 15 minutes. Then a man came and said that demonstrations [on Stefanovskaya area] are prohibited. He called the police. They got me into the police truck. In the department they have seized the poster, draw up a report and suggested to wait for sms from the court,' the head of "Komi Environmentalists" said.
Nina Ananina came to the picket from three non-governmental organizations: "Komi Environmentalists", Save Pechora Committee and "Izvatas". October 21 three structures sent an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Minister of Natural Resources of Russia Sergey Donskoy, head of the Komi Sergey Gaplikov, and to the State Council of Komi. They are asked to review a decision of the Governor of the republic on merger of the ministries. Social activists have promised to organize a series of pickets and rallies in cities and districts of the region.
'If you sit at home at the computer screen, we will not see the reaction, you have to start somewhere. We plan to hold a series of agreed pickets and rallies. Situation with the union of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Natural Resources clearly showed the attitude of the newly elected head of the Komi Gaplikov to the residents of the republic,' Nina Ananina said.
Earlier head of the Ministry of Industry of Komi Nikolai Gerasimov said to «7x7» that he saw no insurmountable contradiction between the protection of the environment and developed industry. New head of the Komi administration Mikhail Poryadin said that the reason of union was to avoid excessive paperwork, agreement terms, and was directed to the good of the republic. Former Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Komi Roman Polshvedkin was made an offer to work in the Ministry of Industry, but he has not answered yet.
It is forbidden to hold public actions including pickets on Stefanovskaya Square (main square of Syktyvkar). In July 2011, the city administration has banned to hold meetings, rallies and demonstrations there. Shortly before that, Constitutional Court of the Komi moved to the State Council building and the law of prohibition extended to a distance of 150 meters from it. Social activists and human rights defenders have canceled the ban in court. But in November 2012, it was prohibited again. At this time, by deputies of the Komi State Council. Law was prepared by members of the LDPR Alexandra Bushueva (Deputy Governor of administration) and Mikhail Bragin (a suspect in a criminal case on the mandates sale). On the sidelines, they recognized that the real authors of the law were "people from the yellow house", officials of Gayzer administration.
Maxim Polyakov, «7x7»
