Sochi Mayor urges city residents not to go to protest rally

In Sochi, at the gathering of city residents Mayor of Sochi Anatoly Pakhomov has urged the city residents not to go to a rally organized by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) and sanctioned by the authorities. The rally was devoted to the protection of the rights of pensioners.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 15, more than 100 pensioners blocked Gorky Street near the building of the Sochi Mayor's Office. They demanded to return to them preferential pubic transport fare. Besides, they wanted to meet Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov. The police pushed the participants of the protest action on the sidewalk. The protesters gathered in the square in front of the Sochi Mayor's Office, where they were met by the Mayor. Anatoly Pakhomov has reported that the Sochi budget is short of funds to provide preferential public transport tickets and that the very problem is to be considered by the regional authorities. Members of the CPRF have organized a rally. It is sanctioned by the Mayor's Office and scheduled for January 23. The rally will be devoted to the protection of the rights of pensioners.

Anatoly Pakhomov believes that the unsanctioned action of pensioners was initiated by the "fifth column".

"For someone, it is very beneficial to shake the boat in which we all are sitting. The people who are engaged in provocations are a 'fifth column'," Anatoly Pakhomov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

On January 21, the citizens gathered at the administration of the Adler District. Earlier, similar gatherings have taken place in other districts of the city.

The administration "organizes gatherings of citizens, since they are afraid of people's indignation at the rally," believes Natalia Kalynovskaya, Chairman of the TOC (territorial public self-administration) "Psou".

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.