December 10, 1998 (Thursday)
Almost the whole day I stayed at the House of Journalists: press conferences with important people went on. I haven.t seen Ludmila Verbitskaya, the rector of St. Petersburg State University, for a long time. So I was listening to her for two hours . she spoke about the preparation to the 275 anniversary of the university. Current issues do exist as well: concerning coming budget accounts transfer (the university has got 74 such accounts) into the treasury, debts for public utilities, competition between state and commercial schools. According to Ludmila Verbitskaya, it.s not students from her Juridical Department cry and dream of the above department at Humanitarian University, but vice-a-versa.
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December 9, 1998 (Wednesday)
The second graduation at the Stockholm School of Economics in St. Petersburg. Lizbet Rauzing Kerner came to greet the graduates - daughter of Hans Rauzing, famous Swedish industrialist, who started with a small family business, and then made 'Tetrapack' to be the world largest pack production. Having an old affection to Russia, he provided over a million dollar for the program in the field of modern economy. Nowadays he is not in business, and the 8 milliard dollar status is being taken care of by his daughter - Lizbet.
I rushed to the interview expecting to see a wise business woman with an appropriate appearance, but saw a young charming lady with a bouquet, shy and confused. I said, 'Didn't think.' And she smiled, 'Sorry.' I started saying some nonsence, moreover, it turned out that she did not like speaking about business, she was a specialist in history of science, professor of Harward University and was hurrying to the airport.
Morals:
1) don't be late for the interview;
2) prepare for the interview.
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December 8, 1998 (Tuesday)
There is a seminar on 'Agenda 21' at the Academy of Science. 'Povestka 21' is a schedule for the next century, which the UN conference in Rio-de-Janeiro inspired to make up. 'Agenda 21' must base on the enviromental security priorities, natural limits and the concept of 'steady development', which supposes life integrity with nature. Annual conferences have been held since then, goals and priorities have been discussed, and over 400 European towns and cities signed the Steady Development Agreement. The meaning of this seminar for us can be judged by the amount of the officials arrived - not a single person. Maybe, the snowstorm held them away: there are not enough snow machines in the city, how can we possibly think about the 21st century.
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December 7, 1998 (Monday)
We stayed overnight at the Mariinsky Palace. At 8:00 AM the results of the first elections round were announced. Firstly, there had been an unexpectedly high voters activity - over 40% of people came to vote, which leveled the role of such acidental factors like 'twins', bribes. Imigemakers failed. Secondly, 6 deputies of the first созыва were elected in the first туре, but 15 of them were thrown out immediately. Industriousers and simply well-off people, who had put a lot of money into politicasl advertising, had a great crash. And, certainly, an impressing success of two parties - 'Yabloko' and inmplacable to 'Yabloko' Yury Boldyrev. They are likely to compete in future.
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December 5, 1998 (Saturday)
I am trying to write away quickly with the budget story: first (on Wednesday) the deputies of three governor supporting parties rejected the City Budget-1999, and yesterday, at a priority session of the City Legislature, they helped to approve it, but demanded to add some amendments in the upcoming year. The budget was approved at the very last minute - the old Legislative Hall met for the last time. Had the budget been approved earlier, observers say, it would have been taken for Artemyev's deserve. He is the first vice-governor on finance, moreover, he is the leader of the local 'Yabloko' Party. And now his political opponents are the ones with flying colors. As Artemyev said, budget approval on the 'elections eve' was an absolutely unacceptable move.
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December 4, 1998 (Friday)
The first anniversary of the Guild of Correspondents' activities. And, like it was a year ago, we met with the Governor Vladimir Yakovlev at the House of Journalists. But the meeting was strongly different from the last-year one. There was only half of the former staff, (by the governor's request, as well as home-made cakes that Marina Tokareva brought), and the questions were much more acute. In my opinion, our ladies 'attacked' even a liitle bit too stongly, for we did not have to re-ask million of times in order to understamd each other. And the governor 'attacked' Pavel Lobkov from NTV for bad coverage of the electorial campaign. Anyway, it was a good practice.
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December 3, 1998 (Thursday)
At the Moscow Representative Office the metropolitan vice-mayor Valery Shantsev had a meeting with the Petersburg 'generals' - directors of factories, culture practitioners, mass media editors. The subjest was the creation of regional department of the 'Fatherland' ('Otechestvo') in St. Petersburg. Shartsev spoke about the Moscow's experience in industry and small businesses. When the subject changed to the program of the party, one of our directors strongly remarked: 'I see Luzhkov managing his mission and I am willing to follow him, but as per political programs, no one can be compared to Zhirinovsky. He would promise a million to a poor, a man - to a woman, a bottle of vodka - to an alcoholic...'
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December 2, 1998 (Wednesday)
I visited the meeting of the Informational Dilemmas Committee, which I am a member of. Tons of complains. One immediately feels that politics is dirty stuff. Sad fact that it is the press that mostly carries this dirt, even if it is represented by short-life newspapers. Unfortunately, quite a few traditional editions are not too pure neither. By the way, last weekend I spoke out on my 'native' Channel 6 for the role of the press in electorial campaigns. Alexander Chizhenok conducted the program. We had to state: 'Thinking of what to eat', the press forgets to inform voters. There has been a lot of noise about the twin candidates, but not a single investigation has been carried. Nevertheless, this cannot be addressed to 'Novaya Gazeta', so every Monday it gets blown away from the counters.
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December 1, 1998 (Tuesday)
I visited alumni party of an American program SABIT at the residence of the General Councelor of the USA. The program provides improvement training for our managers and scientists in American companies and research centers up to 6 months . quite enough for diving into the corporate ambience. Contacts in private business sector are preferable, so director of our 'Forsunka' company might find himself driving a 'Ford'. The point is how the knowledge received is realized upon return. There I met a friend of mine Andrey Narvsky from the Naval University. After working some time in Atlanta, GA, in a powerful computer company AMI, he issued a CD-ROM about the Russian Museum and became a co-founder of 'LANK Software'. But it was so long ago! Now the crisis has thrown us 20 more years back. As Valentin Makarov from the Foreign Affairs Committee in Smolny said, 'we are trying to build some bridges between liberal economy and. irrational economy'.
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November 30, 1998 (Monday)
The democrats broached their 'anti-criminal list'. As it was expected, there are more candidates in it than there are vacancies in the parliament - that is the selection was mild, but the 'Yabloko' party kept all its candidates, and 'Democratic Russia' and pro-Gaidar block 'Chime' had to sacrifice some of their nominators. Albert Baranov, co-chairman of 'Democratic Russia' complained to me in a lobby that even he had been attempted to be crossed out of the list. So he had to appeal to Gaidar in order to save his position. Another problem is that having 2 or 3 candidates in a number of counties, the votes for them will be devided, and that fact turns on a green light to competitors. Yavlinsky also warned that if parties consolidate, the votes cannot be added, they should be subtracted - a few things from political arithmetics.
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November 28, 1998 (Saturday)
In the evening we went to the Grand Hotel Europe to see the Versace collection. There were plenty of splendid variants of black with gradation, an impression of professional fabrique work - but of the best fabriques. The hit of the program was Bogdan Titomir (a poor Russian popstar) walking down the podium, wearing trousers from Gucci and a tax from Versace. He even performed a song dedicated to Versace's memory - made by himself. I better not quote it.
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November 27, 1998 (Friday)
I went to Zsarskye Selo where the State Comission had accepted China Village after the restoration. A number of Chinese style houses was built by Cameron by Catherine's II order, and was used for guests. And now with all facades looking the same, the interior apartments are of eurostandard. The Dannish invested 12 million dollars into that project, and received 49 years of rent together with the national museum. It seems to be the unique example of hundred per cent direct foreign investments into the cultural memorial that did not affect its outlook and purpose. Ivan Sautov, museum director, was greatly proud and friendly as usual.
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November 26, 1998 (Thursday)
The opening of an exhibiton dedicated to the 100-anniversary of 'The World of Art' at the Russian Museum. Irene Ludewig - widow of a famous collectioner, patron of arts, opener of a museum in the Marble Palace - came to the ceremony. This is her first visit to Russia after her husband's death. Publisher Joseph Kiblitsky (I've got him under an encoded name of a future article 'A German Citizen Working For Russian Museum') helped me to take an exclusive interview from Mrs. Ludewig. She had read my article in 'Ogonyok' about the Ludewig family collection, and that gave warmth to our talk.
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November 25, 1998 (Wednesday)
At a press conference devoted to 'anti-criminal list' of deputy candidates Nikita Ananov said: 'People are afraid of the criminals to obtain the power, yet the list of criminals is not published'. Nevertheless, right before city council elections there was such a list: accused of pedofilia were next to accused of anti-Soviet propaganda. In Finland candidates files are never published but for a different reason - open judicial system. Anybody can freely receive information on any candidate.
Great amount of time I spent searching for information on deputy Serov's apartment windows being shot. Various versions: intimidation, revenge, crossbow...
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November 24, 1998 (Tuesday)
The burial of Galina Starovoitova. Again - the Marble Hall of the Museum of Ethnography, where we made farewell to Manevich and Phylippov. Chubais said the same words he had said at Manevich's burial: we cannot be scared away, we will find the murderers.
No one had expected so many people to come to say good-bye to her - an endless flow. Why? Probably, her intelligence, energy, sincerity завораживали people, not taking into account her ideas that seemed to be contraversial sometimes. The burial in the Alexander Nevsky Lavre had to be put off for three hours. Everybody was asking where the governor was - and no comment.
I sent a brief article on creation of anti-criminal democratic front.
***
November 22, 1998 (Sunday)
Flew back home and learned about the murder of Galina Starovoitova. While staying in Stockholm I only watched tennis on TV. I saw her face a couple of times in 'News', but did not pay attention. And now kostya Krikunov from Izvestia-Petersburg , asks for a brief comment for an opinion line up'Who's In Charge'. What could I say? The only thing is clear that whatever the motives could be (politics, business, etc.), she was such an important person that the murder was of a political meaning. The murder sponsors could not fail to realize that. And once again a bloody shadow lays down on St. Petersburg, center of investments and culture.
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November 21, 1998 (Saturday)
Took a long walk around Stockholm. The brightest impressions: young people wandering in the streets, chattering by cell phones . they are of an ear-ring size already, - withdrawing money from cash machines . they are after almost each block. Young people there cannot even imagine that there are countries (for example, Russia, their neighbor), with no cash machines in the streets for they would have been be broken immediately, a user would have got beat up and all cash would have been taken from him.
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November 20, 1998 (Friday)
Phyodor Lukianov from the 'Time' newspaper and I turned out to be the only representatives of Russia. In such tandem we took part in the second part of the conference, which was devoted to the present posture of the press in countries of Baltic region. It soon became clear that our colleagues from Poland, and, certainly, Sweden and Finland, could already speak of consequence and independence of their editions, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia catching up with them. Phyodor and me felt us like ancient dinosaurs - because of deep crisis of Russian press, owners' despotism, mass abridgement of journalists and a respective willingness to serve and to corrupt. And also we felt ourselves such 'cynics of the world' beside those 'children' talking about the high substances. A controversial feeling that was, I must say. But not too pleasant.
In the evening I met with Michael Sulman, executive director of the Nobel Fund. He is the son of the former Swedish ambassador in Moscow, speaks fluent Russian and is a nice person.
***
November 19, 1998 (Thursday)
Stockholm. The first conference working day starts at 7:20 AM. The journalists meet with the ex-Counselor on National Security of the USA Zbignev Bzhezinsky. Our propaganda always called him 'a hawk'. A person with a strong analytical mind, author of many books. Recently he suggested a new idea - the second step of NATO expanding must start with letting Lithuania and Slovenia in. Lithuania . because it meets the criteria: democratic development, market economy, no territorial or ethnic conflicts, civil control over the power structures, and willingness to integrate its army into NATO. The point, according to Bzhezinsky, is that the acceptance of Lithuania only will be less hurtful for Russia than of three Baltic countries at a time. Young senator Gordon Smith, chairman of subcommittee of Foreign Affairs, supported him. Then, in Bzhezinsky's opinion, the Baltic countries do have a few guarantees on safety out of NATO, but there are not enough of them. Also he stands for development of EC and North-West regions of Russia cooperation, not including the bureaucratic federal center where all foreign credits get stuck. He mentioned that his doctrines had been mistaken for the ones leading to Russia's collapse, and added that independence of Russian regions had not to stand on ambition and local elite corrupted, but be legalized.
As the conference went (well organized) I talked to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Algirdas Saudargas (he is very enthusiastic, and does not take Kaliningrad's enclave inside future NATO skeleton for an obstacle), our ambassador in Sweden Nikiforov, director of the Institute of the USA and Canada Rogov - both of the latter had logically opposed to Bzhezinsky, and in the lobby they called his idea unreal and provoking.
Returned to the hotel at 23:30. What a day!
***
November 18, 1998 (Wednesday)
In the morning I met with the head of 'Rosprint' Ludmila Maximova. The situation there is difficult: in three years they have lost 250 kiosks because of various reasons. The City Hall does not take care of them and that leads to dropping circulations and, moreover, decreasing vacancies for journalists and sellers.
In the afternoon I am leaving for Stockholm for a conference. I am ABSOLUTELY unprepared, and I have to figure out everything upon arrival.
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November 17, 1998 (Tuesday)
The directors of the Leiptzig Market has traditionally invited us to the presentation of the projects for a nature protection exhibition 'Terra Tech'. The slogan - ecology and energy saving. Some interesting projects were revealed, for example, those concerning the usage of the earth energy for heating houses - a company in St. Petersburg is working on it. The city seems to go to Leipzig with its own display.
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November 16, 1998 (Monday)
All day long I went on writing two brief articles for The Daily 'Time MN', including one about the opening of the investprojects exhibition. Both had to be cut down for 50 per cent, but finally both were rejected. Comment by Vladimir Shapka: 'You write about two banks trying to consolidate and the third one getting on their way. And it seems that the first two are good guys and the third one is a bad guy. And we DO NOT have good guys here!' He, certainly, distinguished all positive information about the exhibition as 'nonsense'. I call it getting to know each other...
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November 14, 1998 (Saturday)
At the opening of a permanent exhibition of investment projects (the first one in Russia, they say) talked to Herman Greph - the former vice-governor, now the prime vice-minister of the State Property, young brother-in-arms of Chubais and Manevich. I questioned Herman Greph on government officials' requests to prevent bankrupting of industrious enterprises: how were they going to be 'bankrupted' - selectively or not at all? The answer was cunningly optimistic: 'It's up to some cytogenetics to take care of selective bankrupting. Sanation is an inevitable market procedure'. 'That is, - I ask, - bankrupt refusal to be a political declaration?' 'Yes, - he replies, - the wave that will go offshore - remember Chernomirdin's start'. I object: 'Chernomirdin was all by himself, and these ones are as organized as a military troop'. He grins again: 'A troop can be easily ... taught' (it could be distinctly heard during the pause: 'cut').
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November 13, 1998 (Friday)
My second day in Moscow - today I attend a congress 'Tolerance, Freedom of the Press And Human Rights'. Sidorov and I were wondering what tolerance could they talk about while there have been attacks towards the press, censorship attempts, left playback, the power of money. The speakers, especially journalists from Kazakhstan, nearly cried - the President's team had put all independent editions out of business. The scheme is worked out: a tax service survey of an edition, then blocking the accounts, documents confiscated and circulation stops.
But the congress was financed by foreign funds, the title must have been conformed out there.
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November 12, 1998 (Thursday)
I am in Moscow celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Union of Journalists of Russia. I ignore the celebration because my colleagues have found out that the Union of Journalists appeared in St. Petersburg 84 years ago. So we'll celebrate the 85th anniversary next year, decided me and the chairman of the Petersburg Union of Journalists Sidorov.
Half of the day I spent at The Daily 'Time MN' edition where I am going to work soon. An asylum where every person is a personality. Fortunately (or maybe not), I met some of my old fellows there from 'Moscow News' and 'Ogonyok'.
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November 11, 1998 (Wednesday)
A meeting with the 'Bizerta's Prisoners' book compiler Sergey Vlasov at the House of Journalists. The story of the last Russian Imperial Marine Spuadron laid to rest at the Tunis Harbor have been bothering me for a long time. Anastasia Shirinskaya-Manstein, daughter of the captain of the torpedo boat 'Zharky' is the only one left there out of the whole Russian community. There is an orthodox church and a cemetery, but she is not able to take care of them. A lot of words have been 'split' about the national idea, and there it is - just make the ancestors' graves neat wherever they may be located. Academician Lichachyov mentioned this when I interviewed him before the 300th anniversary of the Russian Marines. Nothing have changed. But for one of the in Bizerta's researchers, a wonderful woman Lydia I. Artsishevskaya told me how she had made cadets, friends and acquaintances to clean up the Novodevichie Cemetery in St. Petersburg. Tutchev was laid to rest there!.. And everybody thinks that there is only one Novodevichie - in Moscow.
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November 10, 1998 (Tuesday)
I desired with all my fibres to go to Vladimir Mischuk's concert - couldn't go, damn work. And I wished I could have listen to it and then say: 'Another 'Simply Friends' festival is upcoming, and Mischuk will invite his friends and such virtuosos as well. They will be practicing for about two weeks and playing their best'. I wrote an article about him for 'Ogonyok' last year with great pictures taken by Anatoly Bisibanov. The editor did not have any comments on it, but - I was said to wait. Jerks!
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November 9, 1998 (Monday)
Thanks to a long weekend I started processing a miraculous story of a museum worker Voitov. My friend and country-house neighbor Victor Faibisovich brought it out . he is heading one of the Hermitage departments. Everything commenced from an unknown bust, which was attributed by Victor. Then he figured out how it had found itself in the Hermitage . during the first years of communist power. Then he found out who had confiscated it and by archive materials Victor followed the life of that person. And finally found his wife!!! (When they met he was 65 and she was 27).
Moreover, a magic role in this story is taken by a parrot.
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Novemeber 6, 1998 (Friday)
The city actively discusses the double candidates. phenomena in lists of candidates for the City Legislative Hall. At least in five constituencies there have been namesakes put to obstinate candidates. The purpose is obvious . to disperse the votes. Nevertheless, there are so many hubbubs that the insidious plan might fail. Besides, such diversion would have worked under one-tour elections by the majority vote. And we are going to have two candidates left for the second tour, so we can have a straightforward look at each one. On the other hand, Sergey Yurievich Andreyev, for instance, will have hard times . three Andreyevs are registered in his constituency, one of which is his full namesake!
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November 5, 1998 (Thursday)
Director of the Academy of Science Library Valery Leonov gave me the second volume of 'The Academic Issue' . he is the responsible editor of that edition devoted to forged 'conspiracy' among scientists allegedly aiming to bring the monarchy back. The real purpose of Stalin was to break the immensely independent academy and make it sovietlike. All top academicians were about to crash. 16 people were arrested, six persons were shot, and many were exiled.
And presently all original interrogation documents have been published. They depict people's slander. Why were they saying that? Indeed, it was a mighty false! And generally accepted comment is impossible here. Besides, public moral level is such that even some scientists start commonly compare prison behavior of those arrested.
Leonov considers that it should be published, brought into scientific circulation, and some analysis tools should be found. And other editorial board members (historians, FBI staff) consent to him. Even if false, but the Document, an epoch witness, and it cannot be passed over in silence. Leonov, by the way, has got an immensely personal attitude towards it: he personally was under a trial for seven months after a denunciation.
The volume is not a small one, it includes two issues and is dedicated to a well-known historian Tarlet who was willingly cooperative during the trial, 'recalling' more new details on money sources and weapon storehouses, was exiled to Alma-Ata, and then denied all evidence.
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