MOSCOW — Yabloko, a liberal political party, has announced its decision to boycott the March 14, presidential election in Russia.

Making the announcing on Feb. 5, party leader Grigory Yavlinsky said, “the decision supported by all party members nationwide was made at a party conference.” Explaining his personal position on the issue, Yavlinsky said he would vote on that day only for candidates running for municipal or city elections. “But I will not participate in the presidential election,” according to Izvestia.

Yavlinsky also confirmed Yabloko’s decision to appeal against the parliamentary election results in court in March. “We are continuing our alternative calculations of votes, and almost 20 percent of Central Election Commission’s protocols have discrepancies with our observers’ protocols”, he added.