Vladimir Putin Addresses Yabloko Congress

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message of greetings to the participants in the 10th congress of the Yabloko Association, which has just opened in Moscow. The congress gathered over 600 delegates representing regional branches of Yabloko in every constituent member of the Russian Federation. "Yabloko is actively assisting in drafting and implementing programmes aimed at democratization of life in Russia," said the president in his address. "Your consistent position on the key issues of public life has won you many supporters in different regions of Russia." According to Putin's words, the task facing the delegates is to make a decision to transform the association into a political party. "This transformation will mark an important stage in the development of the country's political system," believes the president.