The lawsuit the State Tretyakov Gallery to the Minister of Culture Alexander Sokolov: a point or points?
ARTinvestment.RU   28 апреля 2008

Hamovnichesky Court in Moscow denied the claim on the protection of business reputation, presented the State Tretyakov Gallery to the Minister of Culture Alexander Sokolov and newspaper «MK»

Hamovnichesky Court in Moscow denied the claim on the protection of business reputation, presented the State Tretyakov Gallery to the Minister of Culture Alexander Sokolov and newspaper «MK».

In November 2007, the General Director of the Tretyakov Gallery, Valentin Rodionov filed two claims in court to the Minister of Culture Alexander Sokolov. However, personal Rodionoff later withdrew the lawsuit, believing that these claims will be seen as clarifying the relationship between the two leaders. Administration of the Tretyakov Gallery demanded that the minister apologized for what he had on 24 October last year, allegedly accused the gallery of corruption. It happened in the House of Journalists, when the press asked the Minister to comment on the situation with the exhibition «Sots Art», prepared for shipment to Paris.

This is the speech the Minister comment on the scandal surrounding the exhibition «Sots Art», part of which he described as «a disgrace for Russia and Pornography». Prior to the opening of the exhibition «Sots Art» in Paris in October 2007, Sokolov called to prevent the export from Russia of the exhibits. Special Minister of irritation caused «Sex Pictures» and «The era of mercy» (the latter is known as «Tseluyuschiesya police») duet «Blue Noses» from the collections of the Tretyakov Gallery. In the end, Parisians saw the exhibit in truncated form: works that have not liked Sokolov, was not there. The Minister then expressed the view that owners of some private galleries want to raise the cost of their authors at the expense of the Tretyakov Gallery.

The reason for the trial was the article published in the newspaper «Moskovsky Komsomolets» with the subtitle «Minister Sokolov Tretyakov, accused of corruption». Sokolov attributed these words: «The same laws of the market: if you have to be registered in the Tretyakov Gallery, then you are automatically worth more! And it is the invasion of private capital into public policy (because the Tretyakov suits their exhibition by Russian taxpayers), but it can be called nothing less than corruption ».

In the past Thursday, April 24 Hamovnichesky Moscow court ruled on the suit of the Tretyakov Gallery to the Minister of Culture Alexander Sokolov on the protection of honor, dignity and business reputation. Earlier, the court brought the case as the co newspaper «Moskovsky Komsomolets».

eve gallery invited the Minister of the settlement agreement, in effect inviting Sokolov publicly apologize for the accusation of corruption. Alexander Sokolov of the world with the gallery refused. Moreover, he stated that he never accused the gallery, but his speech was distorted journalists. As evidence of the Minister was able to provide only your notebook with the billets of speech. «The suit me to be left without satisfaction, because I do not disseminate information, defaming the Tretyakov Gallery», - stated in an address to the court of Alexander Sokolov, which is in the process, delivered by his lawyer Michael Burmistrov.

At trial, counsel Sokolov said that his client, like any other citizen has the right to freedom of speech and thought. «During his speech, my trustee has indicated that outlines his personal opinion - said Burmistrov. - Sokolov does not report on corruption. There is no information that is subject to retraction ». As a result, the court stood on the side of the defendants, ruling that the words of the Minister is only his judgments, and as such the allegations of corruption to be heard.

Tretyakov was unable to defend its business reputation. According to the court, in a newspaper article, which is the basis for a claim, there is no specific charges, but only contains the personal opinions of Chapter Minkulta.

galleries Counsel Alexander Makarov unhappy that their claim rejected. «It turns out that behind the judgments, people have the opportunity to accuse others of corruption», - quotes agency perturbed defender. The Minister himself claimed that his words distorted, and this is acknowledged by representatives of the newspaper. Counsel Tretyakov has already said he will appeal the court decision.

Source: www.echo.msk.ru , www.nr2.ru