Volodin threatened Finland with the loss of statehood
The Finnish authorities, who detained works of art from Russia at the border, are jeopardizing their statehood.
Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stated this today at a meeting of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The topic was raised by communist deputy Sergei Obukhov.
“A new attack. There have been reports of the actual seizure of our works of art that ended up abroad as a result of various exhibitions. In particular, it is reported that Finnish customs officers detained three vans with paintings from the Hermitage and the Tretyakov Gallery. The very organization of these exhibitions, which are not supported by museum exchange and guarantees of the return of paintings, raises questions,” Obukhov said.
Volodin responded to the remark very quickly.
“As for the seized paintings: they will return them and also pay a penalty. We will give instructions not only to the culture committee, but also to the security committee. Those who did this in Finland probably don’t remember their history well,” Volodin said.
He believes that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation should take special control of this issue, since Finland received its statehood after the October Revolution.
“You gave them statehood, continuers of Lenin’s work. Why are your children and grandchildren behaving this way? The Communist Party of the Russian Federation should be the first to protest everything that is happening on the Russian-Finnish border. Lenin's huts were built there, but now our valuables are being seized. Where is it good? Who was given statehood? They have no responsibility and no historical memory. They froze there. Is there a Communist Party there? Lenin gave them all rights. If United Russia had been there, this would never have happened,” Volodin said.
On April 4, Finnish customs in Vaalimaa detained the sculpture of Turin masters, presented by the King of Sardinia Vittorio Amedeo III to the heir to the throne Paul I in 1782, “Pluto Abducting Proserpina.” The sculpture, along with dozens of other exhibits from Russian museums, was exhibited at the exhibition in Milan “Grand Tour: a dream of Italy from Venice to Pompeii.” Customs motivated their actions by EU sanctions.
Previously, the French authorities refused to return to Russia works by impressionist artists from the Hermitage collection, which were exhibited in Paris. The Paris exhibition was supposed to close on February 22, but then its opening hours were extended. Soon military operations began in Ukraine.
In January, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation began an investigation into the theft of “Scythian gold” from the territory of Crimea. Scythian gold is an exhibit of the exhibition “Crimea: Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea,” which was held at the Allard Pearson Museum from February to August 2014. Among the museums whose exhibits are now in Amsterdam are the Central Museum of Taurida, the Kerch Historical and Cultural Reserve, the Bakhchisarai Historical and Cultural Reserve and the Tauride Chersonese National Reserve.
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