"We were sent a black mark"

Interview of the Deputy Chief Extension of Echo of Moscow Sergei Buntman to the Special Divine "Medusa" Andrei Kozenko

The shareholders of Echo of Moscow appointed a correspondence vote of the Board of Directors of the radio station on November 21. The head of Gazprom-Media Mikhail Lesin (the holding belongs to 66% Echo) said that the council will raise questions about the format of the radio station, its editorial office and the editor-in-chief of Alexei Venediktov.

The board of directors has the authority to dismiss Alexei Venediktov. If the majority vote for the resignation of the editor -in -chief, the leadership of the radio station will move to one of the first deputies Venediktov - Vladimir Bartholomeev or Sergey Buntman.

In an interview with the Medusa specialist, Andrei Kozenko, Sergey Buntman, said that Venediktov’s discussion on the Council of Directors is a logical continuation of attacks on Echo of Moscow. According to the rebellion, these attacks come not only from Mikhail Lesin.

- What does this convocation of the board of directors mean? Do I understand that it is unscheduled?

- That's right, this is an unscheduled convocation, and this will be an absentee vote on three points indicated on the agenda. About the editor -in -chief of Echo of Moscow, about the editorial office and the editorial policy. The points, as you see, are as general as it is generally possible. More specifically, everything will become clear when members of the board of directors will send their filled ballots.

-What is, in the case of your charter, in absentia voting, has it ever been held earlier?

- It was carried out, there is just nothing unusual. The candidacy of the chief editor, for example, was approved by absentee vote.

- But how can you speak in absentia and vote, for example, on the editorial policy of Echo of Moscow?

- And these are not the questions of the agenda of the board of directors. This is a notification about what issues will be discussed. Specific questions will be a little later. For example, let's make Venediktov a lifelong editor. Or let's reward the Echo of Moscow team for excellent work and expand it. I will draw your attention that the information about the Council of Directors was the first to leaked by Lesin - “Vedomosti”. We posted on the site this document only after. Do not be silent in such a situation.

“You would have described it as of this evening?”

- We were sent a black mark. This is the next series of those beautiful raids that have been going on for more than the first day. This is a fire check, this is a notification of Roskomnadzor, this is an absolutely illegal dismissal of Sasha Plyushchev . Because of which, as you know, we have already contacted the labor inspectorate, and she was very interested in this case. I can clearly regard everything that happens: this is an attempt to destroy the editors.

- As far as I understand, the alignment of forces in the Council of Directors allows you to dismiss Alexei Venediktov?

- Yes, that is so. The Board of Directors can withdraw the chief editor. It cannot only be appointed new. And here it will be very interesting what is hiding behind the wording of the discussion of the editorial policy. Perhaps we will talk about a new license. Perhaps, in general, about the full reformatting of the current editorial policy. Or about such changes to the charter that will give more rights to the board of directors on the issue of the election of the chief editor. The fact that now we are a profitable, successful, most cited radio station - alas, has faded into the background.

See also: Lesin did not find the need to change the format "Echo of Moscow"

- Alexander Plyushchev still continues to be the current editorial staff?

- We consider it as our employee, yes, this is so. There are difficulties with the fact that, as you know, it is not allowed into our building. But on Monday, he appeals to the court with a lawsuit, where he will challenge his dismissal, which we in the editorial office consider illegal.

- A compromise between Lesin and Venediktov, in your opinion, is still possible or is it already a frontal attack?

- We, I will draw your attention, did not attack Lesin. All initiatives go on his part. So, he also collects the board of directors. A compromise ... I will say this: perhaps the limit of compromises that we were ready to go for are not enough for Mikhail Lesin and other people who, of course, also participate in this story.

Continuation in the topic "Medusa": Lesin against Venediktov