The Ministry of Justice declared the impossibility of recognizing the Yeltsin Center as a foreign agent

The Ministry of Justice reported that it was impossible to recognize the Yeltsin Center in Yekaterinburg as a foreign agent in accordance with the law on museums of former Russian presidents. Department response published State Duma deputy Andrei Alshevsky (“United Russia”).

“It is currently not possible to conduct verification activities in relation to the center, as well as recognizing the center as a non-profit organization that performs the functions of a foreign agent,” the text of the response says.

The Ministry of Justice explained this by the law “On the centers of the historical heritage of the presidents of the Russian Federation who have ceased to exercise their powers”, according to which the provisions of clauses 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 of Art. 32 of the Law “On non-profit organizations”.

June 15 Deputy Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation Oleg Sviridenko informed about the beginning of inspection of the museum by the department. Deputy Alshevsky pointed to the speculation around the “Yeltsin Center” on the subject of whether the activities of the museum fall under the status of a foreign agent. In this regard, the deputy called on the Ministry of Justice to conduct an audit and stop the discussion on this issue “once and for all.” Sviridenko acknowledged the validity of Alshevsky’s arguments and clarified that the Ministry of Justice “does not hide anything.”

The press service of the Yeltsin Center told TASS that they were calm about the information about the check. The interlocutor of the agency pointed to the “transparent financial reporting” of the museum and noted that the activities of the organization – both substantive and financial – are carried out in accordance with the law.

May 13 Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, director Nikita Mikhalkov urged remake the Yeltsin Center into a museum of modern history, which will be “honest, where it will be clear why it happened, who did it, what it led to.” Chairman of the Human Rights Council (HRC) Valery Fadeev spoke against the closure of the museum, but said that “there is a need to correct the ideology.”