Moscow’s haunted house in Vilnius is waiting for money from Russia and is becoming a mecca for graffiti lovers Business

Moscow House is a gray building in the center of the capital, opposite the Courtyard by Marriott and the Hilton under construction, as well as the Vilnius Concert and Sports Hall. Its construction was funded by the Moscow Duma, but there are currently pending legal disputes over the building.

The public institution “Moscow Center for Culture and Business – Moscow House” has concluded a land lease agreement with the state, which is valid until 2106 years. But as the controversy continues, graffiti lovers and squatters reign here. It is true that the notes do not seem to have anything to do with politics.

Vilnius isn’t like that chamavotasthat those drawings mean something. It is difficult to protect yourself from hooligans, both there and there, said A. Makarov.

Two years – legalized for construction

In April this year, the Vilnius Regional Court ruled that the public institution that built the Moscow house must legalize the illegally constructed building within two years, the BNS news agency reported. Authorities say the building has too much of a floor as possible.

There is currently another legal dispute over the building. At the Vilnius Regional Administrative Court (VAAT), the municipality is trying to demonstrate that it did not reasonably approve the design proposals for the building.

The municipality stated that it did not approve the project because it had received information from the Department of Homeland Security (SSD) that its role represented a risk to the country’s security.

In 2018, Mayor Remigijus Šimašius stated that “the object is a tool of the Kremlin propaganda and represents a threat to the national security of Lithuania.”

The 2017 SSD National Security Threat Assessment states that the prospects for the Moscow House project in Vilnius “have relatively high symbolic and practical significance for Russia as a potential instrument of its influence, compatriot policy and public diplomacy” .

“In 2017 Russia is likely to take various propaganda measures and unofficial pressure to compel Lithuania to ensure that this project, which is useful for the propagation of Russia’s influence, can be implemented,” intelligence said three years ago.

Anyone can enter

As long as the owner of the Moscow house tries to legalize the construction, the building can be inhabited by homeless people without any obstacle, and for young people it has become a place of entertainment. An example of this is the graffiti seen from afar on the glass, which has already surrounded social networks.

The fact that access to the building is really easy was convinced and 15 minutes Journalists When we got to the building, we thought we would have to scale the fence, but it wasn’t necessary. Construction fences, though tied with wire, are loose enough and, in some places, open.

It is not difficult to pass through the fence, and here, in some places, the passage is covered only with material.

We didn’t dare go to the building on a busy city street, and passersby curiously watched what was happening.

However, we went down to the basement of the building, which is also easily accessible. The construction fence is wide open, the gates are not closed.

What happens inside the building can also be seen through the windows. On the ground floor, various construction materials, foam, rock wool, paint buckets, bricks and tools were thrown. Visible and suspended respirator and throwing cigarette packs. It seems that the interior installation work has started, but everything is thrown away and left behind.

The places where the windows were not installed were covered with boards, but now they are peeling off in many places. Also troubling is the façade, which has fallen and shattered in places. The tiles have fallen off and some of the structures barely adhere.

In addition, aluminum structures and concrete mixes are placed next to the building.

15 minutes Journalists also noted several cameras that were supposed to protect against intruders, but did not appear to work. Furthermore, they are connected by cables that are not even hidden from the rain.

The builder expects money from Moscow

Alexander Makarov, head of the public institution “Moscow Center for Culture and Business – Moscow House” responsible for the construction of the building 15 minutes He said he has no money to maintain the building, and that it is only enough, for example, to remove construction debris.

“We are waiting for financing. Here is a quite complicated process, the money is waiting for us to fix it, – said A. Makarov. – The location is really beautiful, in the center. Moscow understands this, appreciates it and tries to allocate money as soon as possible. possible “.

According to him, the Moscow municipality should provide more answers on the financing of the project at the end of July: “Everyone, both the embassy and Moscow, are really interested in having that house.”

A. Makarov said that after receiving the money, it is planned to paint the huge graffiti that appeared on the building. He also claimed that he believed the darkening of the building was unrelated to politics.

“Vilnius is not like that chamavotasthat those drawings mean something. “It is difficult to protect yourself from the hooligans: draw there and there,” said the director of the public institution.

He acknowledged that the building is now like an unfinished “ghost”: “Any unfinished construction exists on the ghost principle.” After all, it is not possible to decorate a building that has not been completed. “

Incidentally, the “Moscow Center for Culture and Business – Moscow House” was automatically included in the list of companies covered by the State Tax Inspectorate and Sodra’s tax relief measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The companies on this list are not subject to default interest or tax recoveries. In addition, A. Makarov revealed that the institution also received financial support from the state through quarantine, but did not indicate its amount.

“It is more a symbolic sum,” said the head of the public body.

Embassy of Russia in Lithuania 15 minutes He declined to comment on the situation with the construction of houses in Moscow. The Vilnius City Municipality did not provide further detailed comments, but only indicated that the construction of the building itself has not been completed at this time, the work done has been preserved, and legal disputes regarding the additional work are taking place.

“The building permit for the building has been revoked, but the builder has received a deadline to redesign the design documentation and obtain a new building permit. Otherwise, it will be necessary to demolish the building. ” 15 minutes Representatives of the Vilnius city municipality commented in writing.

The building does not meet the detailed plan.

15 minutes recalls that in 2016 the Vilnius City District Court partially satisfied the claim of the State Inspectorate for Space Planning and Construction (VTPSI) and recognized that the building permit issued in 2008 was illegal. The builder is required to re-prepare the project within three years, obtain a building permit, and reduce the building by one floor.

VTPSI told the court that according to the detailed plan prepared in 2005, it was possible to build a 6-story building in the A. Juozapavičiaus street area, but in 2008 the Moscow House of Culture and Business Center Moscow designed and then built a 7-story building. The municipality granted him a permit in 2008, which did not verify the project solutions.

The idea of ​​building a house in Moscow in Vilnius was born in July 2004, when then-Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov visited the 750th anniversary celebrations of King Mindaugas’ coronation. Then it was decided to carry out a similar project in Moscow.

It was announced that these houses would be a center for cultural and commercial cooperation, the aim of which is to create and further develop good neighborhood relations between Moscow and Vilnius.