Statement of the International Centre of the Roerichs On transfer of buildings №№ 4, 5 and 7 of the Lopoukhins’ Estate by the Government of Moscow into the ownership of the Russian Federation
On October 20, 2015 the Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin signed the order of the Government of Moscow № 614 - RP “On the transfer of buildings owned by city of Moscow to the Russian Federation”. On grounds of this order the buildings №№ 4, 5 and 7 of the historical and cultural monument of XVII–XIX centuries “The Lopoukhins’ Estate” where the non-governmental Center-Museum named after Nicholas Roerich has been located since 1989 become the property of the Russian Federation “with regulatory fulfilling of requirements by the body who acquires the property rights to the specified objects established by the Federal law dated June 25, 2002 № 73 - FZ “Regarding the cultural heritage sites (historical and cultural monuments) of nations of the Russian Federation”. This Government Decree of the City of Moscow was initiated by the letter of Minister of Culture of Russian Federation V.P. Medinsky to the Mayor of Moscow S.S. Sobyanin dated 10.09.2015 № 13378-01-55-VМ.
The order on debt remission of International Centre of the Roerichs valued at 33 968 000 rubles for the use of Lopoukhins’ estate was signed almost simultaneously with this order of the Government of Moscow.
The International Centre of the Roerichs expresses its profound gratitude to the Mayor of Moscow S.S. Sobyanin and the Government of Moscow for remission of our multimillion debt. For us this decision of Moscow authorities is not only a considerable financial aid for the ICR but the recognition of a longstanding work of the International Centre of the Roerichs and Russian and international community on restoration of Lopoukhins’ Estate.
Unfortunately with a view to the loss of financing the ICR had to suspend works on recreation of northern part of a wing and coach house and regeneration of household outbuildings of the Estate (bldg. №5), which were stipulated by the final plan of Estate’s recreation affirmed by the Government of Moscow. We consider that when the Government of Moscow transferred buildings of the Estate into the property of the Russian Federation, it was guided by written promises of Minister of Culture V.P. Medinsky “to recreate the entirety of the Estate complex”; we hope this promise will be accomplished
The International Centre of the Roerichs also hopes that Federal Agency for State Property Management (Rosimushchestvo), managing the immovable property of the Russian Federation, would continue the execution of agreements on uncompensated use of buildings №№ 4 and 7 of the Estate by the ICR which were concluded between the ICR and Government of Moscow in 2014. In accordance with Article 700 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation “the new owner…acquires the rights under the precontract of uncompensated use and his rights with respect to the object are encumbered by the rights of the borrower”. Considering the fact that the Russian Federation is a legal successor of the USSR, the new owner of the above mentioned buildings of Lopoukhins’ Estate also becomes responsible for the fulfillment of obligation which the USSR leadership gave to Svetoslav Roerich as follows – the non-governmental Museum named after Nicholas Roerich must be located at the Lopoukhins’ Estate. For the purpose of its creation Svetoslav Roerich transferred the part of saved heritage of his parents, Nicholas and Helena Roerich. Before issue of the order by the Government of Moscow dated 20.10.2015 № 614-RP this obligation was fully complied.
Unfortunately the case on expulsion of the International Centre of the Roerichs from Lopoukhins’ Estate has been considering at Moscow Arbitration Court since 2008 up to the present time at the suit of Rosimushchestvo which is supported by Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation. We are anxious that Rosimushchestvo and Ministry of Culture can do certain things in order to cancel the agreement with the ICR on uncompensated use of the Lopoukhins’ Estate which will result in expulsion and destruction of the non-governmental Museum named after Nicholas Roerich. At the same time, considering the last statements of Ministry of Culture about its intentions to take the most active part in preservation and popularization of the Roerichs heritage, we hope it will not happen.
The International Centre of the Roerichs is addressing a proposal to Rosimushchestvo and Ministry of Culture to move from confrontation to fruitful cooperation on further reconstruction of Lopoukhins’ Estate, preservation and popularization of the Roerichs heritage and unique cultural heritage site of white-stone Moscow; the ICR has been already working on it for a quarter of a century.