"There is no compromise." The Union of Cinematographers split and is on the verge of disappearance. The Ministry of Justice threatens to suspend the work of the Union, which refused to once again elect Nikita Mikhalkov. Why is the state intervened in the affairs of public organizations - the New Times sorted out
“As the documents of the Ministry of Justice of Russia testify to our union, a real threat of suspension of its activities arose in connection with the events that occurred on December 18-19, 2008,” the director of Nikita Mikhalkov, who is now trying to challenge the election of the new chairman of the Union of Cinematographers, filmmaker Marlene Khutsiev, said in the official statement. The statement at a specially convened press conference was announced by actor Mikhail Porechenkov, successor to Nikita Mikhalkov, who performs his duties since June 2008. Mikhalkov and Porechenkov consider it necessary to convene an extraordinary congress of filmmakers before April 1, where, apparently, they intend to resolve the issue with chairmanship in the Union. “The time has come, dear colleagues, to set up all points over I. At this congress, we will answer all questions and reinforce our answers documented. You yourself can determine where the truth is, and where is a lie, between which, as you know, there is no compromise, ”Mikhail Porechenkov carefully read on a piece of paper.
Tired by the sun
The scandal in a public organization broke out during the preparation of the VII Congress of the Union of Cinematographers. The delegate of the congress was not elected the many years of the Union, Nikita Mikhalkov. After it became clear that he could not keep leadership in the Union, Mikhalkov put forward as his successor 39-year-old Mikhail Porechenkov, known to the general public from the television series “National Security Agent” and his political statements that Russia “does not need democracy”, and “Cinema is already politics”. It was necessary to fight the Mikhalkovsky protege with 83-year-old Marlene Khutsiev, the president of the guild of filmmakers in Russia, the director of “Spring on Zarechnaya Street”.
On December 16, at the Plenum of the Board of the Union, the question arose about the possibility of holding a congress, despite the fact that the quorum would not be able to collect. The board by voting decided that there was a congress. Anticipating the defeat, Mikhalkov announced the congress illegitimate. On December 19, the Congress elected Marlene Khutsiev by the new head of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia as an absolute majority of votes. 1
It seemed that the operation to change the authorities was completed. But on February 2, the Ministry of Justice distributed an official statement in which he announced the refusal to state registration of “Decisions adopted by the VII Congress of the Public Organization“ Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Federation ”, in fact, refused to register Marlene Khutsiev. The basis for refusal, according to the statement, was “numerous violations of the Federal Law“ On Public Associations ”, in particular, the lack of information on the agenda of the 7th Congress. Thus, the Ministry of Justice recognized the decisions of the Congress of the Union of Cinematographers "legally insolvent." Supporters of both Nikita Mikhalkov and Marlena Khutsiev hastened to sue. Actor Vasily Livanov, who took the side of Mikhalkov, filed a lawsuit in Presnensky, demanding to recognize the results of the congress illegal. And the lawyer Khutsieva Stalin Gurevich turned to Zamoskvoretsky, she is trying to appeal the decision of the Ministry of Justice. In addition, Stalin Gurevich announced that she was preparing an appeal to the prosecutor's office. She rests on the fact that Nikita Mikhalkov served as chairman of the Union of Cinematographers after the three -year period expired in October 2007. “The actual term of powers of Nikita Mikhalkov as chairman of the Union of Cinematographers has expired. However, from that time until today, Nikita Sergeyevich is still disposed of all financial accounts. We ask the prosecutor's office to verify the legality of using budget funds for him, ”the lawyer said.
Double standard
On Thursday, it became known that the very existence of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia due to the scandal may be under threat. The Ministry of Justice extended an application in which he threatened to suspend the organization’s activities. The ministry demanded that the violations committed during the preparation of the congress, otherwise a public organization may stop working for six months.
It is worth noting that in 2004, when Nikita Mikhalkov was elected chairman of the Union, there was no quorum either, but the Ministry of Justice did not file any complaints. Nikita Mikhalkov himself, like his supporters, refuse to communicate with the press, and it was not possible to find out their position on this issue of The New Times. Stalin Gurevich is convinced that “the Ministry of Justice applies the practice of double standards to Marlene Khutsiev and his supporters.” “Mikhalkov led the Union illegally a year, and when they elected it, it was not everyone clean, but now he and the ministry see a straw in a strange eye, but do not notice the logs in their own,” she said to The New Times. The President of the Institute of National Strategy Stanislav Belkovsky agrees with a lawyer. “I can only supplement that this is about the business interests of Mikhalkov. This is a scandal around the property. Mikhalkov is now easier to bury the union than to give someone to head it, because then all financial affairs will be revealed, ”the political scientist is sure. “And the Ministry of Justice helps Mikhalkov, and this is not surprising, because the lobbying ability of this director goes off scale, it is not for nothing that he is so focused on communications with the authorities who are eager.” The President of the Guild of Kinovedes and Film Critics, Viktor Matizen, also sees the causes of what is happening in the financial field. “10 years ago, in 1999, Mikhalkov, when he only became the chairman, convened the IV extraordinary congress in the Kremlin Palace. It was like the congress of the Communist Party. Then some decisions were made that expand the powers of the chairman in terms of property management, ”the film critic tells The New Times. “Nikita promised that the congress would be held free of charge, with the money of sponsors, but it turned out that the Union formed a debt of $ 700 thousand. This story caused a wave of sharp distrust to Mikhalkov - and this is how it ended.”
The journalist Evgeny Kiselev, who was faced with her while working on NTV TV channels, TV-6, TVS, is also discussing about the practice of double standards. “Our entire current system has been built on this,” he says. “In it, judges and others are interested in making decisions to be made in favor of the powers that be.” Evgeny Kiselev notes that in most cases there are no clear instructions, at best, the wish: “Probably, people in the Ministry of Justice made a decision in favor of Mikhalkov with joyful readiness, they look that the national leader to the dacha for barbecue comes and draw conclusions.”
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1 The New Times wrote about this in No. 50, 51 for 2008.
