Dmitry Travin: "The problem of corruption is not easy"

"I have a curious dispute when discussing the" Villa of Navalny ". I noticed that a businessman (say, Evgeny Chichvarkin) may well make a gift to Alexei Navalny. There is neither crime nor a moral problem. But one of my opponents objected that, according to this logic, Alisher Usmanov could make a gift to Dmitry Medvedev. And Arkady Rotenberg may turn out to be a gift To appeal to Vladimir Putin in palaces that are not clear on whom they are recorded, ”the economist writes on his Facebook page.

“I agree that the problem of corruption is not easy, but I believe that there is still the difference between these cases. Therefore, I decided to bring my arguments in a separate publication.

If Usmanov or another “oligarch” made a gift to the official of the high rank (say, the prime minister), then it is likely that this is a bribery. For a "gift" he can receive state orders, or at least protection from the collision of security forces. Therefore, we can interpret this "gift", as suspicious, although the verdict should still be issued.

At the moment, from the point of view of strict observance of the law, neither Usman, nor Medvedev, nor Rotenberg and Putin can be considered guilty. Nevertheless, thanks to the investigations of Navalny, we may well form our opinion about the current regime. If millions of people finally understand how Putin’s system works, it is much more important than punishment.

Chichvarkin made a gift not to official, but to a private person. Moreover, it is likely that to prepare a film about corruption. If so, then there is not corruption, but the civil act of Chichvarkin. I see no reason to believe that this is a bribery. If someone can offer an interpretation according to which Chichvarkin captures Navalny, you can discuss this. But on the basis of the available data, I get out of the fact that Navalny simply accepted sponsorship in my work.

Each of us has the right:

1. To suspect future corruption here (for example, Chichvarkin is sure that Navalny will become president).
2. Consider an ascetic way of life by the norm and not vote for Navalny.

But, as I have already written repeatedly, the question of the future presidential power of Navalny is so uncompetitive that now I am not at all interested in discussing it. ”