MOSCOW BRIEFING March 2005

News this month

Opposing the cuts

Braving the cold weather (and legions of police) with their fur hats and placards, Russian pensioners and war veterans have been demonstrating all over the country against the government's new benefit reforms Since January 1st, the cash payments have replaced a number of in-kind benefits (free transport, help with housing costs, and so on) Already there have been problems with incompetence and cash shortages, and many Russians are duly suspicious of cash benefits after the hyperinflation of the 1990s For many older Russians, the state's help with transport, medicine and utilities kept them from serious poverty, and was seen as fair compensation for past services to the state.

The reforms have been vigorously challenged by Yuri Luzhkov, Moscow's populist mayor In February, Mr Luzhkov personally handed a letter to Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, asking for the welfare reform to be suspended Mr Luzhkov, an ally of Mr Putin's (though an erstwhile rival for the presidency) argued that the reforms had increased the financial responsibilities of the regions, while also cutting their funding Mr Putin's reaction to this criticism was receptive, but he has not suggested a different course He apparently took a “benevolent” view of the mayor's proposals, and ordered three top ministers to consider the letter and present their views to him soon.

Finally, a suspect

In February a man was finally charged for the killing of Paul Klebnikov, an American journalist of Russian descent who was shot last July. He was working at the new Russian edition of Forbes. The Committee to Protect Journalists has listed Russia as one of the world's ten most hazardous and restrictive countries for reporters.

The alleged perpetrator, who was arrested in Belarus and extradited to Moscow, is of ethnic Chechen origin and is the first person to be charged in connection with the death While the Klebnikov family have welcomed the fact that charges have been brought, they also noted that the real challenge will be to find those who ordered the assassination, and they are wary of “a Chechen show trial” Speculation about motives for the killing at first concentrated on Klebnikov's investigations into the Russian business world Now the investigation is looking into his reporting on the misappropriation of reconstruction funds in Chechnya.

Fighting the wind

Yuri Luzhkov, Moscow's mayor, has never been able to resist a little demagoguery Recently, he aimed his words at a largely unpopular group: weather forecasters Accusing the Moscow Weather Bureau of giving out “tufta” (variously translated as “bullshit” or “nonsense”), Mr Luzhkov threatened to cut the bureau's funding unless it signed an agreement allowing the city to impose penalties for inaccurate forecasts The mayor went on to explain that coping with Moscow's extreme weather is a challenge for municipal services, and inaccurate forecasts tangle plans City officials use weather forecasts to marshal resources for snow removal, and to dispatch ice-hackers.

This is not Mr Luzhkov's first row with weathermen. In 1998 he accused forecasters of “telling lies” when a thunderstorm brought down trees throughout the city. Like his Soviet forebears, he sometimes tries to dictate to the weather itself: on important public holidays, he often sends up planes to seed the clouds ahead of celebrations, hoping they will disgorge their contents before the big day.

Comforting newcomer

Though most international retail brands have already made their way to Moscow, the hotel market is still relatively under-developed. A visitor to the city is faced with a choice of either the “western-standard” establishments near to the centre—which are often full and always pricey—or the doss houses further out. But perhaps not for much longer.

When the 12-storey Holiday Inn Moscow Lesnaya opens next week, another 301 rooms will be added to Moscow's stock. It is the first international-brand hotel to appear since the autumn of 2002, and also the first example in the city of an international franchise agreement with a local Russian representative. With rack rates of $250, the hotel will be cheaper than many of its counterparts. It aims to match the city-wide 80% occupancy rate within two years. Two more Holiday Inns are slated to open in and around Moscow in 2006.

Big date

The Olympic torch blazing in Red Square, resplendent opening and closing ceremonies in the shadow of the Kremlin and night shots of onion domes: that's the vision Moscow's 2012 Olympic bid committee is keen to impress upon the International Olympic Commission (IOC) members, who make their evaluation visit to the city from March 14th.

From the scheme to have the Moscow River as the main transportation route (a good way to avoid the traffic jams that plague the city) to the use of many of the 1980 venues, the Moscow plan is creative and resourceful. But unlike in most other short-listed cities, popular support in Moscow is distinctly lacking. Muscovites recognise the Games might be a chance to develop the city, but are suspicious that the income generated might find its way into the wrong pockets.

Looking West

World-famous, and a regular of the international tour circuit, the Bolshoi Theatre Company has increasingly been diversifying its repertoire over the last few years. Soviet-era staples are still regularly revived, but most new productions are Western imports, catering to the changing tastes of contemporary audiences.

Recent highlights include an East-meets-West co-production of Richard Wagner's “The Flying Dutchman” with a German theatre company, and a La Scala production of “Falstaff”. Future plans include Puccini's “Madama Butterfly”, with a visit from Bob Wilson, an American director, to adapt the show to the Russian stage. With extensive renovations underway and more planned, the Bolshoi hopes these innovations will put money in the bank.

Catch if you can

March 2005

Russia-Italy From Giotto to Malevich

Until May 20th 2005

After the high-concept success of the Bienniale of Contemporary Art, this more traditional big-budget exhibit is attracting long queues at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts It marks the mutual influence and historical relationship between Italy and Russia from the 14th to 20th centuries It took four years to cull the paintings here, and more than 100 museums from both countries have participated in the project Its time in Moscow comes by way of Rome, where it had a four-month stint.

The main attractions are Russian avant-garde artists (such as Melevich and Chagall) and the Italian masters (Giotto, da Vinci, Raphael and Titian). Critics have gently suggested that the whole thing is a ploy to get as many reciprocal masterpiece loans as possible, but this collection of rare works should moot such grumpiness. Sections devoted to Andrei Rubylov, a legendary 14th-century icon painter, and Mikhail Vrubel, a Symbolist, are especially strong.

Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, 12 Volkhonka St. Metro: Kropotkinskaya. See the museum's website.

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