Interfax - 09.20.2000

 

 

Interfax

MEDIA-MOST LEADER SHARPLY CRITICIZES RUSSIAN PRESS MINISTER

MOSCOW - Igor Malashenko, first deputy head of the Media-MOST holding, has sharply criticized Press Minister Mikhail Lesin, in particular, comparing the minister's actions towards the holding with "a racket."

Speaking on a live NTV program on Wednesday evening, Malashenko said that Lesin had met with him on his own initiative this summer, when Vladimir Gusinsky was in the Butyrskaya prison in Moscow. Malashenko said the press minister then expressed extreme displeasure at the way Media-MOST media outlets were covering the conflict in Chechnya and corruption issues, as well as their criticism of the special services.

Malashenko said Lesin suggested that the Media-MOST administration give up its control over NTV in exchange for Gusinsky's freedom. "If you want Gusinsky to be set free, you must give up control over NTV," Malashenko said, rendering the meaning of the minister's alleged words.

After that, "lengthy negotiations followed, and "after about two weeks" Lesin presented "an ultimatum," the first deputy head of Media-MOST said. "You sell all the companies included in Media-MOST for $300 million and go out of business. And then we, so to speak, will resolve the situation ourselves," Malashenko said, conveying the meaning of the offer, which, as he says, Lesin made to the Media-MOST administration.

According to Malashenko, "it was a pure racket, which was supported by the actions of the prosecutor's office." Among such actions he named the arrest of Gusinsky's property, the initiation of a criminal case against Mikhail Alexandrov, an aide to the head of Media-MOST, etc.

Malashenko compared the position Gusinsky was in at that time with the position of a hostage. "This hostage was eventually freed. He had to sign some contract on July 20 and finally became free on July 26. Two days prior to the signing of the contract, on July 18, he said he was signing the contract under duress, that he was being threatened with reprisal by the state power, and therefore the contract has no legal force," Malashenko said. He also said Lesin "posed a question about him getting commission from this transaction."