Residents hold rally opposite "Magnit" in Sochi

On March 3, over fifty activists of the Makarenko dwelling district in Sochi 3 held a rally of citizens, where they collected signatures against construction of a "Magnit" network store and authorities' commanding the territory of dwelling districts through disregarding public opinion.

"Our protests are directed along the whole vertical of power – from Mayor Pakhomov up to President Putin," Gennady Bedrakov, the chairman of the local self-government "Zarechny", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

A similar rally of citizens on the same topic was held on February 24 in the place of a would-be store. "Local authorities gave no reaction to invitations to visit the rallies on February 24 and March 3," said Bedrakov.

Bedrakov reported to the audience about the work dome towards stopping the illegal construction. "The participants of the rally signed protests against the development of the dwelling district and voluntarism of bureaucrats," said Bedrakov.

According to his story, citizens "are keeping the situation under control, and in case of arrival of heavy machinery to the construction site, will be ready to defend the territory with their bodies."