The mayor of Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg has suspended construction of an Orthodox cathedral on park grounds as mass protests against the project continued for a fourth day.
Thousands of residents have taken to the streets against the city authorities’ plans to replace a central park with a replica of a cathedral demolished in the Soviet era. Clashes erupted with vigilantes linked to the project’s investors and riot police, while scores of protesters have been placed under arrest.
President Vladimir Putin weighed in on the dispute Thursday with a proposal to poll the city's residents on whether they support or oppose the cathedral in place of the riverside park.
Yekaterinburg Mayor Alexander Visokinsky told protesters a few hours later that construction works will be suspended until the poll results are published, the Znak.com news website reported.
The protests came to an end after the mayor's address, BBC reported.
The public surveys are expected to be conducted in the next three weeks, Visokinsky was quoted by 66.ru as saying.
A poll of 300 residents published by Yekaterinburg’s Socium research agency earlier Thursday said that 52 percent of locals opposed the cathedral's construction, while 28 percent said they were in favor of it. Meanwhile, two-thirds of respondents said they were in favor of holding a referendum on the issue.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
