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The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia holds a personal reception of citizens

Mr. Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, hold a reception of citizens. The meeting, held via videoconference, was attended by Mr. Eduard Valeryevich Kaburneev, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee, Deputies Chairmen of the Russian Investigative Committee Mr. Sergey Nikolaevich Goryainov and Mr. Alexander Vladimirovich Klaus, Heads of Divisions of the Main Directorate, and as well as the Leadership of the Territorial Investigative Bodies, in whose proceedings are criminal cases that have become the subject of attention of the Head of the Department.

The Head of the Investigative Committee of Russia listened to the Applicants from St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast.

Residents of Narvskaya Zastava micro-raion of St. Petersburg categorically object to the renovation program, which involves the demolition of 163 apartment buildings and the relocation of people. The Applicants want to preserve the historical appearance of the city. They request the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia to verify the legality of the initial auction, the legality of recognizing the houses as emergency. As they think that examination expertise is of fake nature and it is done with one purpose, which is to deprive the buildings of its "protection status". People are unhappy that a high-rise buildings are planned to be built on the site of their low-rise buildings. They expressed their concern that their district, built by famous Soviet architects V.F. Belov and V.A. Kamensky, will lose its historical appearance. Mr. A.I. Bastrykin agreed that the area is a unique one and it should be preserved. The report of Ms. M.G. Parastaeva, Acting Head of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for St. Petersburg. She reported that the Investigative Bodies of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for St. Petersburg launched a criminal investigation on the mentioned above facts in accordance with Part 1 of Article 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (abuse of power), however, the City Prosecutor's Office canceled the decision to launch the proceeding. This decision is now being appealed to a Higher Authority. The Head of the Investigative Committee of Russia recalled that the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia is investigating a criminal case on the illegal demolition of cultural monuments in St. Petersburg, which means that the demolition of a number of objects has been suspended for the duration of the investigation. The Chairman of the Investigative Committee gave a number of specific instructions, including the appointment of additional examinations. In addition, the Leadership of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for St. Petersburg was instructed to promptly submit a report on the general situation in the city related to attempts to illegally destroy historical buildings, and an action-plan for further work.

Сitizen's action group from Leningrad Oblast turned to the Head of the Russian Investigative Committee for a personal reception. The citizens are participants in the shared construction of housing compound in Vsevolozhsk raion. Developers have violated the terms of construction, respectively, apartment buildings have not been introduced into operation up to date, and the Construction Companies have been declared bankrupt. According to the Applicants, their housing issue has not yet been resolved, and the proposed amount of compensation does not correspond to the current cost of apartments.

Mr. S.T. Sazin, Head of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Leningrad Oblast, presented a detailed report on the work done to protect the rights of deceived equity holders. Thus, the criminal investigation was launched on the embezzlement and commercial bribery on an especially large scale by the Fund for the Protection of the Rights of Citizens - Participants in Shared Construction of Leningrad Oblast; and the Investigating Authorities of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Leningrad Oblast, established facts of illegally spent budget funds in the amount of more than 330 million rubles. In addition, the Investigative Directorate carried out some work to verify the exercise by Officials of the Government of Leningrad Oblast of powers in the field of State Construction Supervision over the construction of multi-apartment residential buildings. Based on the results of the inspection, criminal cases were launched on malfeasance by Employees of the State Construction Supervision Committee of the Government of Leningrad Oblast and against bribe givers and intermediaries in receiving bribes by Officials. A number of criminal cases have been investigated and sent to court. In addition, the former Head and Deputy Head of the Fund for the Protection of the Rights of Citizens of Participants in Shared Construction of Leningrad Oblast, Deputy Head of the State Expertise Department of Leningrad Oblast, were prosecuted. Investigation continues.

The Head of the Investigative Committee of Russia noted the positive results of the activities done by the territorial division and instructed to submit the action-plan for further work. In addition, Mr S.T. Sazin was instructed to strengthen the investigative team that is investigating criminal cases of this category.

At the end of the personal reception, Mr. A.I. Bastrykin gave a number of instructions to the Forensic Expert Center of the Russian Investigative Committee. The Head of the Department once again reminded his subordinates that the issues of protecting the rights of equity holders, as well as the preservation of the historical appearance of St. Petersburg and its environs, are very acute, and it is necessary to continue active work to solve existing problems.