Black list of MPs
The first meeting of GRAD was held in the State Duma on 3 August. How reported On the group’s website, this meeting was attended by the chairman of the “Fair Russia – For Truth” party, co-chairman of the same party Zakhar Prilepin, chairman of the State Duma Committee on National Affairs Gennady Semigin, deputy. Dmitry Kuznetsov, Senator Sergei Bezdenezhnykh and “representatives of parties, public figures and cultural figures.
“GRAD aims to counter pro-Western influence in the cultural sphere, create barriers for agents of foreign intervention and create development opportunities for patriotic cultural elites, including young talent, and change the “fifth pillar” in culture,” the organization’s website says. .
Members of the group decided that reforms in the cultural sphere were necessary. They also announced their intention to “reveal the facts of support” by “the position of hostile and unfriendly states in relation to Russia’s (primarily NWO) activities” by officials, companies and cultural figures. Members of the organization pledged to “draw the attention of supervisory authorities to these facts”.
“Furthermore, an information resource will be created with a clear record of cultural figures who are not advised to hold government posts because of their anti-state positions,” the lawmakers said.
Blacklisted first. renovated Urgant, called the “accomplice”, the Bi-2 group and director Alexander Molochnikov, the general director of Channel One Konstantin Ernst, was the director of the “accomplice” Bolshoi Theater Vladimir Urin.
From GRAD to SHIT
In response, Urgant posted a statement on his Telegram channel, in which he said that he carefully read the video materials of the first meeting of GRAD – only 1 hour 40 minutes of viewing. The TV presenter noted that she considers “the emergence of such a group is necessary, and all the offers made by the meeting participants are correct and timely.” He also decided to “contribute to the productive work of the group” and “make some sensible suggestions”. At five points.
Specifically, Urgant suggested that the closest relatives of the blacklisted persons be legally allowed to be held liable (with the possibility of later waivers), “withdrawing from the free sale of all Paul McCartney albums except the album.” Return to the USSR ”, as well as changing the name of the organization from GRAD to the abbreviation SHIT (“Group for detecting the enemies of our Fatherland” and using Yaroslav Evdokimov’s song “Dreamer” as the anthem of the group.
In addition, the TV presenter suggested “the release from the meeting of the group of members of the Just Russia – For Truth party, whose guilty verdict was declared in the Moscow City Court today.”
On August 3, SRZP deputy Vadim Belousov was sentenced to 10 years in prison for bribery. Party leader Sergei Mironov described the sentence as illegal.
After being blacklisted, Urgant posted a post on his Telegram channel comparing three lawmakers attending the GRAD meeting with characters from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter book series.
“Hermione. Ron. Harry. Letter to author JK Rowling. Dear Joan, you are requested to impress the characters in your books. Best regards, Ivan Urgant,” the TV presenter wrote.
Comments from GRAD members
Dmitry Kuznetsov, deputy secretary of GRAD, told socialbites.ca that the group did not address Urgant, but to Konstantin Ernst, the general director of Channel One. According to him, Urgant “as an artist” does not have to be a patriotic and intelligent person.
“The object of our influence is not Ivan, but Konstantin Lvovich Ernst. We contacted him. I asked him to influence or inspire, to encourage Ivan to somehow prove to civil society that he is for the country: go to Donbass, help the children, help our soldiers, this is his choice. Then it will be clear to everyone that he is for us and not a scared patriot somewhere. Or I ask Konstantin Lvovich to fire Ivan, ”the man said.
Kuznetsov emphasized that he treated the artists like children, so GRAD was not offended by Urgant’s statements.
“It is important that our military and our people see that they have a strong back and their culture supports them. Now civil society is concerned that because of this uncertainty, Ivan looks like a fig in his pocket, and Channel One’s position is incomprehensible if they cannot make the impact people need, then they will be released from contracts,” he added.
The parliamentarian also advised Urgant to visit Donbass “if he wanted to know the truth”.
In turn, the broadcaster Zakhar Prilepin, who was also present at the GRAD meeting, stood up for the new working group under the State Duma on the Telegram channel.
“There are, as I understand it, highly civic forms of interaction being considered: either people who are actively opposed to the SVO reveal themselves, or they don’t get government contracts,” he wrote.
He also advised Urgant to go to Izyum, a city in the Kharkov region.