Press Release, 19.02.2021

Photo: Lev Shlosberg, Deputy of the Pskov Regional Assembly from Yabloko / Photo be the Press Service of the Pskov branch of Yabloko

ANO Youth Development Centre “Loft” still continues to work in the historical buildings in the centre of Pskov, despite the violations revealed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Pskov region and the regional department of the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, and the termination of the agreement with the State Property Management Committee on the transfer of these premises for free use.

The agreement between the Committee for State Property Management of the Pskov Region and the ANO Youth Development Centre “Loft” on the transfer for free use to Loft of three historical buildings in the city centre (with a total area of ​​496.6 sq. m, which previously belonged to the Pskov city hospital) was concluded before the inclusion of these buildings into the List of Property Owned by the Region and Provided for Free Use, which violates regional legislation.

This was announced by the head of the regional department of the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service for the Pskov region Olga Milonaets in response to the inquiry of Lev Shlosberg, deputy of the regional parliament from Yabloko.

Olga Milonaets also noted that the agreement was terminated on 30 December, 2020, upon the recommendation of the regional Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the regional department of the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service has no reason to take anti-monopoly response measures against the Committee on State Property Management, since the violation was eliminated voluntarily.

It should be noted that 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.

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 inquiries 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 conducted an audit on Shlosberg’s inquiry, but did not reveal any violations during the transfer of state property to Loft.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Pskov region also carried out an inspection and found that Loft does not belong to socially oriented organisations, which means that it could not legally obtain state property for use bypassing the auction.

On 16 December 2020, the supervisory authority sent to the regional State Property Management Committee a recommendation on the need to terminate the rights of ownership and use of the three historical buildings for Loft and return them to the treasury of the Pskov region. On 30 December, 2020, the agreement was voluntarily terminated by the parties, and the property was returned to the regional treasury.

However, Loft still occupies the buildings. The grounds on which the ANO Youth Development Centre “Loft” continues working in the buildings, despite the termination of the contract, are being established.