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The number of individuals who have managed over the
past decade to
create
things rather than destroy them is extremely low in
our country. Only a
very
few have built their wealth on the creation of something
principally new
and
useful for society, something which the country may
be proud of, rather
than
from mere theft.
Vladimir Gusinsky, Igor Malashenko and Evgeni Kiselyov
created a modern
information system of public importance, based on
international
standards,
first and foremost the NTV and NTV Plus television
companies that in
many
aspects are ahead of similar European structures.
On the day of th fire
at
the Ostankino TV
Tower, this became absolutely clear against the background
of the
uttter
helplessness of the so-called state channels.
That is why all the mass media have to compete with
the standards and
style
created by Vladimir Gusinsky and the NTV. All this
was done in extremely
difficult circumstances, including flagrant pressure,
both in 1994, 1999
and
2000.
The mass media of this holding have always been remarkably
adept in
terms of
their “pluralism
and freedom of opinions. Any political parties of
significance have
always
been covered there
One can firmly state that nothing anti-state or nihilistic
has ever been
heard in the broadcasts of NTV or “Ekho Moskvi” or
has been presented
in
the newspapers or magazines of the Most Media holding.
The present authorities cannot co-exist with a mass
media that shows
things
that the authorities would like to eliminate from
their Kremlin life.
High-ranking officials think that “whatever is not
reflected in the
press or
on television does not exist in life”. In this aspect,
as well as in
other
aspects, the present authorities do not differ from
the absolute
majority of
Soviet leaders. This is what leads our authorities
to a deadlock – the
deadlock of illusions and lies. But the time of propagandist
illusions
is
short, and sooner or later they will lead the country
to an abyss. The
independent mass media, and first and foremost NTV,
all try to oppose
this.
And here we express our solidarity with them.
Head of the Yabloko faction
Grigory Yavlinsky
September 20, 2000
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