"Ecological problems are not given due attention, the situation is worsening year by year," said Yablokov. "We are neither seen nor heard and therefore we have decided to set up a political party."
He reported about meetings with party supporters being now held throughout the regions. A constituent conference is to be staged early next year. "We don't have any party for the time being-it is only the first step that has been made," said Yablokov.
Regional organizations offer their backing to the formation of a new party, hoping to have it buttressed by the widely-represented public ecological movement, said Marina Rikhvanova, chairperson of the Baikal Ecological Wave Organization.
"This will enable people in the provinces to have their say in major projects threatening only damage at the local level," she added.
The ecologists do not rule out joining in alliances with other political forces. There are now lots of small parties and social groups and the budding Green Party will seek to unite with them, said Alexander Nikitin, head of the St.Petersburg ecological and human rights centre.
"As for now, we are maintaining dialogue with large political parties, namely, with YABLOKO," said Nikitin.
