The last line of the Ural truckers’ video address to presidential envoy Kholmanskikh is quite striking: “If you won’t come out to meet us, then we’ll have to come here to your residence and settle these issues as a crowd.”
Envoy Kholmanskikh is the very same shop-floor manager from Uralvagonzavod (a major Russian tank and railcar manufacturer) who became famous for saying during the Moscow protests that he was “ready, with the guys from the factory,” to, basically, deal with the protesters.
He never had to come — the protesters were dealt with by OMON (riot police) and the Investigative Committee instead. Meanwhile, Kholmanskikh moved into a brand-new palace-like residence in Yekaterinburg (you can see it behind the speaker) and from there keeps feeding everyone this line about how he’s “one of the people.”
Well, now he has a perfect opportunity. He doesn’t even have to go to Moscow. Let him come out and face the truckers and explain what’s what. Do you think he has the courage?
A reminder that truckers’ protests against the corrupt and predatory Platon toll system are taking place across the country. So far, the authorities’ response has been the usual attempt to buy off a leader. TV Rain reports: Alexander Kotov, chairman of the interregional trade union of professional drivers, was accused of being offered a State Duma seat in exchange for “selling out” the truckers’ protest.
This Kotov is trying to organize a spoiler truckers’ rally on the 29th in Rostov-on-Don, even though everyone is planning to head to Moscow in convoys on the 30th.
And now already the first governor is saying that Platon should be extended not only to federal highways but also to regional roads.
I also want to report that yesterday the Moscow branch of the Progress Party decided to organize mobile teams to provide legal assistance to truckers on the 30th. We will defend their rights in any conflicts with the “law enforcement agencies,” should any arise.
A reminder that my address to the truckers is here, and sharing it is encouraged.
And if you attend truckers’ rallies and meetings, you can print out a few of these leaflets and bring them along for distribution. All the leaflets can be downloaded here.