Results of restoration at cultural heritage facilities in 2013 summed up

In 2013, nearly 200 cultural heritage facilities were restored in Moscow

This year, there are plans to renovate 200 more venues. “Preserving Moscow’s history and its historic image is the basis for the city’s development,” Sergei Sobyanin said at a Moscow Government meeting. He added that in 2010, restoration had been conducted at only 10 cultural heritage sites. According to the Moscow Mayor, the increase in the number of sites renovated was achieved due to receiving more funding from the federal and city budgets, attracting private investment, improving administrative procedures, and intensifying sanctions against owners and lease holders for violating operation conditions.

Alexander Kibovsky, Moscow Government Minister and Head of the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage, presented a report on the results of conducting restoration at cultural heritage sites in 2013 and on the objectives for 2014. He said that in the previous year, a record was set by the number of facilities under restoration — in total, 332 — which was 1.5 times more than in 2012. More than 17 billion roubles were allocated for this purpose, of which 8.5 billion roubles were contributed by private investors. “In 2013, the Moscow Government completed renovation of all the uncompleted construction projects that were launched 15-20 years ago,” the Minister said.

Alexander Kibovsky reminded that in August 2013, amendments to the Criminal Code and the Administrative Offences Code were enforced to increase responsibility for the improper maintenance of cultural heritage sites. The Moscow Government simplified and reduced by several times the administrative procedures required to obtain permits and other documents needed to start renovations. In 2013, 156 new prices for restoration activities and 95 prices for modern materials were offered for the first time in 15 years. “As a result, estimated expenditures decreased fourfold,” the Minister noted.

Mr Kibovsky also spoke about the sources of funding for conducting restoration. Last year, the federal budget provided 3.4 billion roubles, which is 6.6 times more than in 2012. In all, 63 sites were subject to renovation, with works completed at 51 of them. The Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs financed the restoration of 25 facilities, of which 14 have been completed. Also, 35 venues have been renovated with private investors’ funding, which is planned to cover restoration at 85 venues this year. “This is, in fact, half of all the current investment into restoration,” the Minister said.

Last year, 16 monuments were restored. The list was formed based on public opinions expressed on the Department’s website. This year, there are plans to restore all monuments dedicated to the heroes of World War I.

Galina Malanicheva, Chairperson of the Central Council of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, thanked the Moscow Government for the efforts taken to protect cultural heritage sites. She stressed that the scale of work is unique not only for Moscow but also for other European capitals. “I can state with full responsibility that order has been restored in Moscow regarding the protection of historical and cultural monuments,” Ms Malanicheva said. “The system has been established to provide for that.” In her opinion, the federal legislation is no longer relevant as compared to that of Moscow. The latter envisages penalties against those violating the law on cultural heritage sites protection.