Press Release, 11.01.2021

At the request of Lev Shlosberg, Yabloko MP of the Regional Assembly of the Pskov Region, the Public Prosecutor of the Pskov region checked the legality of the transfer of three buildings in the historical centre of Pskov, which belonged to the Pskov city hospital, to the ANO Youth Development Centre “Loft” for free use. The Public Prosecutor’s Office found that the organisation is not socially oriented, and thus, according to the law, it could not get state property for use bypassing the auction. The Public Prosecutor sent an order to the Committee for Property Management of the region on the need to terminate the rights of ownership and use of the buildings by Loft and return them to the treasury of the Pskov region

The buildings in the historical centre of the city were transferred to the organisation ANO Youth Development Centre “Loft” for 49 years so that the oganisation could provide services in the field of spiritual, cultural and patriotic education of youth in accordance with its statutory activities. There were no competitive procedures such as tenders for the right to conclude this agreement. Loft was supposed to create a youth centre providing opportunities for development, self-education, intellectual leisure and communication of young people with a lecture hall, exhibition and stage areas, co-working and an open kitchen for holding master classes.

However, as stated in the response of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the statutory documents of ANO Youth Development Centre “Loft” do not allow it to be classified as a socially oriented non-profit organisation, thus, it can not get state property for use without an auction.

The main activity of Loft is organisation of conferences and exhibitions. It is also associated with the provision of daily administrative support services to businesses.

It should be noted that on October 29, 2020, deputies of the Pskov Regional Assembly adopted amendments to the law of the Pskov region “On the regional budget for 2020 and for the planning period of 2021 and 2022” and introduced changes to the list of state property provided for free use.

According to the document, the Youth Development Centre “Loft” got for free use three buildings in the historical centre of Pskov (316 sq. m., 96.6 sq. m. and 84 sq. m.).

Yabloko MP Lev Shlosberg sent appeals to the Accounts Chamber of the Pskov Region, the regional Public Prosecutor’s Office and the regional department of the Anti-Monopoly Service of Russia in the with a request to check the legality of free granting of state property to the Loft centre for a long term

According to Shlosberg, the organisation Loft was created specifically on the eve of the gubernatorial elections in the Pskov region in 2018, in order to receive state support bypassing competitive procedures.

The Regional Accounts Chamber did not reveal any violations during the transfer of state property to Loft.

The Anti-Monopoly Service for the Pskov region announced the extension of the terms of consideration of the Lev Shlosberg’s inquiry.