In southern Russia, participants of protest actions against Russia's accession to WTO fear of worsening social and economic problems

Yesterday, on July 3, several cities of southern Russia hosted protest actions against Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which were organized by the regional branches of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF). The protest actions were attended by representatives of other social and political movements. Most of the supporters of the protest actions believe that Russia's accession to the WTO will ultimately destroy the national economy and deteriorate the social and economic situation in the country.

Volgograd

On July 3, Volgograd hosted at once two protest actions against Russia's accession to the WTO. In Lenin Square, the Komsomol organization held a sanctioned picket, and near the regional office of the Russian President, Volgograd residents met Nikolai Parshin, First Secretary of the Volgograd Regional Committee of the CPRF.

About 100 persons attended the meeting with Nikolai Parshin, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. According to the Communists themselves, about 500 members and supporters of the CPRF gathered in front of the regional office of the Russian President; and, in total, on that day, in the Volgograd Region, more than 7000 persons attended the protest action.

Krasnodar

As part of the All-Russia protest action against the ratification of the minutes on Russia's accession to the WTO, the Krasnodar City Committee of the CPRF held a number of pickets in the streets of the regional centre.

"During several days, including yesterday, on July 3, in Krasnodar, tents were pitched and the collection of signatures was held on the letter against the ratification of the minutes on accession to the WTO," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Evgeny Raschepkin, Second Secretary of the Regional Committee of the CPRF.

According to him, after entering the WTO, Russia will at once lose about 1.5 trillion roubles, and agricultural Kuban can be affected most of all regions.

Apart from Krasnodar, collection of signatures and distribution of leaflets were held in Apsheronsk, Belorechensk, Tikhoretsk, Timashevsk, Labinsk, Kuschevskaya, Slavyansk-on-Kuban and other municipalities. According to Evgeny Raschepkin, during several days, they managed to collect about 1000 appeals of citizens, which he sent to Moscow to Sergey Obukhov, Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPRF, the deputy of the State Duma from the Krasnodar Territory. Today, Ivan Chuev, First Secretary of the City Committee of the CPRF, is also to send to the deputy a parcel of about 700 appeals of Krasnodar residents will give the.

Collection of signatures in the region will continue till July 10, when the ratification minutes are to be considered at the session of the Russian State Duma.

Vladikavkaz

On July 3, in the capital of North Ossetia, representatives of the CPRF entered the Lenin Square with the slogans reading: "No Russia's accession to WTO", "WTO is slavery for Russia", "WTO, come on, goodbye". The rally was attended by about 200 persons, the GTRK (State TV and Radio Company) "Alania".

Maikop

The rally against Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), held in the capital of Adygea, was attended by more than 300 persons, including members of the CPRF and representatives of the organization "Children of War", the Council of Maikop Workers, the regional branch of the Union of Communist Youth.

Summarizing the results of the protest action, the protestors adopted the resolution, in which they addressed the Russian State Duma, the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the State Council-Khase of Adygea, and other republic's authorities, demanding to reject the Russia's accession to the WTO.

Stavropol

In the city of Stavropol, the Castle Mountain Square hosted the sanctioned rally, organized by the regional branches of the CPRF and the unregistered "Narodny Sobor" (People's Assembly) Party as a part of the All-Russian protest action "Accession to WTO is death of Russia!" It was attended by about 50 persons.

The resolution, adopted at the rally, mentions the economic unions between Russian and other former Soviet countries in the forms of Customs Union or the EurAsEC as an alternative to the WTO.

Rostov-on-Don

In Rostov-on-Don, more than 100 persons attended the rally, organized by the Rostov Branch of the CPRF against Russia's accession to the WTO. Defrauded real estate investors, workers of the "Rostselmash", and representatives of non-systemic opposition came to support the main slogan of the protest action.