The secret of the two Shcherbakovs

The former Soviet Deputy Prime Minister calls the provocation of the message that he intends to demolish the house of Ringo Starr

The British tabloid The Daily Mail published an article in which he accused the Russian oligarch Vladimir Shcherbakov of vandalism and intention to destroy the mansion historical for the British and world pop culture, which once belonged to the Bitles drummer Ringo Starr. This house in the town of Webridge has become a place of pilgrimage for the Beatles fans from around the world.

The house called Sunny Heights Ringo Starr bought a house in 1965 for 37 thousand pounds. The house became something like a rest house for the entire group, where the musicians hid from the annoying persecution of the press. Three years later, Starr lost the house to John Lennon and Yoko, who also sold it in a year. According to The Daily Mail, the following owners of the house were understanding with its historical and cult significance, until the house was bought by 5.8 million pounds ($ 9 million), the former deputy prime minister of the Soviet government, and now the billionaire and owner of the largest automobile assembly enterprise Vladimir Shcherbakov. According to the newspaper, Shcherbakov has already received permission from the Municipalite of Waybridge to demolish the house of Ringo Starra, who has become a place of pilgrimage for millions of Beatles fans from around the world. The new owner of the house, writes the British tabloid, intends to erect a luxurious mansion with an underground basin, a wine cellar and a gym.

The article of the British newspaper was reprinted by dozens of media around the world, including Russian newspapers Komsomolskaya Pravda, Moscow Komsomolets, and many online publications. At the same time, few noticed that the Daily Mail calls the age of Vladimir Shcherbakov - 55 years, while the head of the Russian "Autotor" - 65; He was born in 1949. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Russian businessman, a member of the Bureau of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, to whom the British newspaper attributed the purchase of a memorial building, issued a statement in which he claims that he has nothing to do with Ringo Starr’s house and does not at all have property in the UK. Here's how Vladimir Shcherbakov commented on the accusations of the British newspaper in an exclusive interview with Radio Liberty.

- I found out about this two days ago, when the information appeared in the Russian -speaking press. On this occasion, I made a special statement yesterday, where everything, in my opinion, is quite clear. Clause one: this house has not the slightest relationship to me. The second: people who distributed this information could easily verify (since all this is in the public domain in Britain) that we are talking about my namesake, maybe in this case, even about the full namesake, since both surname and name coincide. But the difference of 10 years between me and the owner of the house is quite thorough. In addition, if they wanted to, they could request me, and it is very easy to find me. There are always coordinates in all Internet messages, and it is known where to look. No one did anything. Honestly, I think this is just not even a mistake. Because the mistake could be forgiven and give the opportunity to fix it. This is either a very lazy and absolutely unprofessional journalist, or an irresponsible editor who missed this publication, which I cannot believe in. Because familiar with many British publications. There is no such thing there, so that they are so careless about information. Therefore, I think that this is some kind of provocation that someone was required.

- And who could need such a provocation against you?

I could afford to buy a house and for such a price is not a problem. But the whole point is that I did not buy this house

- It's hard to say. Firstly, there is a competition in our business, especially now, when the automotive market in Russia is going down, production capacities are very unloaded. Therefore, this option is possible here. It is possible that someone collects cheap dividends on the political disagreements of Britain and Russia. It's hard for me to judge. I don't know who I'm talking about. I can only suspect. If such a story occurred in Russia and would not be as much known from my youth and a very popular ensemble as the Beatles (I remember how we bought, blurted out, rewrote some terrible quality of the recording from each other, but could not do without love for this ensemble), so if it were a much less popular ensemble in Russia and it would be destroyed as a cult The building, the whole world would have risen. Would we begin to talk about the barbarism of Russians, about the lack of culture, about corruption in municipalities, etc. I still can’t understand, for example, what is the essence of the Daily Mail publication? What are they so excited? Judging by the text, they hint that the previous owners, to Shcherbakov, were respectful to this house, but this Russian wants to demolish our cultural value with a bulldozer. This is the whole point of publication. Why, in this case, did they not ask their municipality the question: why do you allow you to demolish our cultural value? At first they would have been asked at home. But no one even asked the British municipality. Therefore, I regard it just as a desire to once again revive a wave of Russophobia. Moreover, my surname is a suitable, Russian, name and patronymic, and I am a man with a fairly famous Soviet past. I do not attribute myself to the oligarchs, but I am a rather wealthy person. I could afford to buy a house and for such a price is not a problem. But the whole point is that I did not buy this house.

“Do you think this is Britain's intrigues against you?”

- I would not talk about all of Britain. But it is quite obvious that these are intrigues of individuals who gave rise to this information, and then arranged a discussion around this. When I already got acquainted with information in more detail, I saw that the discussion, it turns out, has been going on in blogs for two weeks. There they already have a lot of statements, starting from Americans, Australians with proposals to ban the Russians to buy real estate in Britain, and even evict them. What they just had not been spoken there already. As I understand it, this is probably the purpose of publication: to give rise to such an emotional wave, especially from the Beatles fans, this is not so difficult to do. Fans they are fans. Start something about Chelsea football club to say, get the same. I don't even condemn the fans. I absolutely agree with their reaction. It is only a pity that all this resulted in emotions regarding the Russians. It would be better if fans spoke about their own city municipality: "Is there municipal officials without brains?"

- You took a blow to yourself and wrote a refutation. And what do you think, the true, from your point of view, the buyer of this mansion, why is he silent, why doesn’t it refute?

“I don't know this person.” It is very difficult for me to judge why he behaves like that. I think because he lives in Britain. He bought this house for himself and rebuilds it for his family. I think that he decided to tolerate and, as they say, not to lean out, because he intends to live in it. He probably does not want to create an unfriendly atmosphere around himself. Moreover, the blow passed by or at least goes by while.

- Do you intend to go to court and demand compensation for moral damage?

- Undoubtedly! I proposed the Daily Mail in the same way as Russian-speaking publications, firstly, to put a refutation with my statement. Secondly, bring public apologies. If they do not do this within two weeks, I will go to court. British laws are well guaranteed protection in this regard. I already have the proposals of British lawyers to file a lawsuit immediately. Moreover, one of the British lawyers called me and said: "Vladimir, you won the jackpot. So come on, I'll lead the matter further."

- And how do you intend to act in relation to Komsomolskaya Pravda, which published this material?

- She made exactly the same proposal as the Moscow Komsomolets and RBC. RBC has already published a refutation that the information is false, and apologized. A number of other information agencies that reprinted this information of the British newspaper also apologized and published my application. I believe that with these, at least, the question is exhausted. But if the Komsomolskaya Pravda and the Moscow Komsomolets, for all my love for them (and I read these newspapers at least 50-55 years), will not do this, then we will do the same as with the Daily Mail, we will go to court.

- But is it already in Russia?

- Not necessarily. This is already defined lawyers. There is a precedent when Elena Nikolaevna Baturina in 2011 attracted one of the Russian publications in about the same situation to the British court. She did not hold the courts in Russia. And Russian publications in the same way fulfilled the decision of the British court.

- When was the last time you were in England?

-10-15 years ago.

- Do you not like Britain?

- No, that's not the point. The last time I was in Coventry, when we started with the British a project for the production of Ferguson - these are tractors and combines. We started this project then, which, unfortunately, at that time did not work out for purely economic reasons. There were no others in this matter. After that, I have never been there. Fortunately, I have no need to live in Britain, for the same reasons why many Russians moved there. I have a wonderful family, a good house, all friends in Russia. I have lived all my life in Russia. In addition, I poorly speak English. Why should I move to England and live there?

- Russian rich people - businessmen, financiers - prefer London and send their children to study there ...

I specially invited a designer from London, who brought me English furniture

- I know. We even had a saying about this. If earlier they said: “There is no extradition from the Don” (this is when the serfs ran to the Cossacks for the Don), now they say: “There is no issuance from the topics.” Therefore, many Russians move there. As for the teaching of children, this is a great idea. My son studied in Switzerland, and his wife was just studying in Britain.

- And now your son works in Russia or also abroad?

- He lives and works in Geneva, but leads Russian projects there. I am now also in Switzerland, I am lying there in the clinic.

- Are you unhealthy?

-When you are 65, you have to engage in health a little more.

- Take an example from our queen - she will be 90 next year.

- This is amazing. And she looks excellent. By the way, I met her.

- Tell us, please.

- The first time it was when we were in London on the Big Seven. It was in 1991 with Gorbachev. More precisely, Gorbachev was on the Seven, and I was then the first deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and accompanied it. We were at the Queen at the reception and even dined in the palace. Everything was wonderful. The second time I met with her when she came to Russia. This was already after the collapse of the USSR. But I always look at her with particular pleasure, especially when she participates in ceremonial affairs. All this looks so decent, with such dignity she behaves, looks so wonderful as she is beautifully dressed, and what a bright mind. At 90, God forbid her health!

- She has good genes - her mother died when she was 101 years old.

- quietly sympathize with the crown Prince of Charles. I love a lot in English life and culture. I think that no one in the world is better than British designers is able to arrange a home interior. When you go into the English house, you feel a fantastic taste. When I already became richer and was able to afford the office in Moscow, I specially invited a designer from London, who brought me English furniture. I sit with particular pleasure in this office - simply because I like it.

- You say that you are not the poorest person in Russia. Is it dangerous to be rich in Russia?

I hope that I am at such an age when I am no longer interested in politicians or power

- I have no answer to this question. I think that it is dangerous to be rich everywhere, no matter what country of the world you live. It is always dangerous. Another question is that in Russia, unfortunately, in the public consciousness, in the national mentality, there was no clear understanding of what we still want: so that we do not have the poor or not rich? This discussion has been with us for the past 30 years, and every 5 years the mood is changing. That is why in London so many in recent years have appeared Russian and Russian -speaking. This is in my understanding one of the reasons why people go there. In a country that has not decided on this issue, it is dangerous to live. I just hope that I am at such an age when I am no longer interested in politicians or power. Politicians have never been interested in me at all.

- And you are not afraid that the fate of Khodorkovsky can befall you?

- In Rus' there is a proverb "from prison and from Suma do not say." We always hope for the best, but we are also preparing for the worst, too.