The Ministry of culture sabotages the creation of a Museum on the Post – Deputy head of the KSCA

Alexey Reznikov

KIEV. July 5. UNN. Under the law, the creation of a Museum at the Postal square in Kiev is the responsibility of the Ministry of culture. However, it took a passive stance in this matter and will not respond to offers of cooperation with the city authorities. About it in interview to the edition “Kievvlast” said Deputy head of Kyiv city state administration Alexey Reznikov.

“According to Ukrainian legislation, all found during archaeological excavations, automatically becomes the property of the people, of national heritage. And the only authorised body that can dispose of and control, the Ministry of culture. The same applies to excavations at the Postal square” — said Reznikov.

However, according to him, the Ministry of culture took a passive stance in the situation with the Postal area and not in a hurry to perform their duties.

“We should not force the Ministry to engage — it is their direct responsibility. But on behalf of the city, we wrote a number of letters to the Minister of culture Eugene Nischuk with the proposal after they will assess the artifacts found, pass them to Kyiv Museum collections. These findings can be a good exposure for the branch of the Museum of history of Kiev, no matter where he was — at the Postal square, in the arcade or somewhere else. But, alas, four years of dialogue failed no activity. We met, asked to resume the work of the working group submitted the nominations to this working group, including activists. And in March 2018 was approved the list of new working group. But this group still never met”, — noted the Deputy head of the KSCA.

He expressed hope that MPs will support the resolution on the preservation of historical and cultural heritage at the Postal square, which, in fact, oblige the Ministry of culture and the entire Cabinet to consider the issue of granting the status of national importance to the excavations at the Postal square.

“And the excavations to be financed from the state budget, in case of loss of the investor, will oversee the Ministry of culture. And already the state authorities will decide what and in what format to be in the area. Explore, evaluate and maintain is a task of the Ministry of culture in collaboration with the national Academy of Sciences. But this infrastructure — and we are all interested in the fact that in Kiev there was another tourist destination. Because we are willing to be partners of the Ministry of culture, which may not be enough funding or determination”, — said Reznikov.

However, he stressed that the position of the Ministry of culture raises questions and only delays the process of creation of the Museum.

“While the behavior of the Ministry of culture, to put it mildly, amazing. Recently from this Ministry we were approached with a request to send them documents to provide excavations in the area of national status. But the point is that last year we sent these documents”, — said the Deputy head of the Kyiv administration.

Recall that in 2013, the Moscow government allowed OOO “Hansford-Ukraine” to build on the Postal square underground shopping center. However, during the preparation of the pit was discovered the wooden street of Kievan Rus in XI-XII centuries. In 2015, it was working archaeologists, who managed to find a historical quarter.