IKES was created on the initiative of Andrey Batalov, Leonid Belyaev, Sergey Demidov, Boris Pasternak, Elena Stepanova, Vladimir Sharapov and their colleagues. “The general weakness of the existing system for the protection of monuments and the vagueness of federal legislation have led to the fact that in Russia, not only the architectural and restoration workshop, but also the production and restoration workshop have been virtually destroyed, and the institution of expertise has been greatly discredited,” believes Andrey Batalov. - Previously, there was a scientific and methodological council, which considered the most difficult, controversial issues. And if you were refused at the scientific and methodological council, then that's all - you had nowhere to go. Now - if one expert turned down you, you can find another, more accommodating one”.
“Uncertainty with the expertise, which lasted for the last few years (there were no approved regulations for 73-FZ), practically meant a moratorium on activities for setting and removing monuments from protection. After the examination began to work, a wave of proposals from developers to remove this or that monument from the state protection, to reduce the protected zone, to bless high-rise construction in the vicinity of the monument fell upon it, - adds Boris Pasternak. - this coincided with the decentralization of the monument protection system: if earlier it was possible to rely on Moscow, where specialists and social forces were involved, now the regions are guided only by themselves, their "economic activities" and their understanding of how to carry it out more efficiently. And what can the head of the regional security body (and often the head of the department, or even just an employee in the department of culture!) Answer to the governor? Or close business structures? Only "Yes!", Otherwise he will be forced to look for another job. Today he had the opportunity to transfer the arrows to the expert community, they say, this is the conclusion of the examination, and we trusted the opinion of respected experts. The ball is on our side today. The consolidated authoritative expert community should indicate its position on topical issues of the protection of monuments”.
It is hard to disagree with the experts: almost every month there are new examples of ruthless treatment of monuments, distortion of canonical historical views and panoramas. So, in the center of Serpukhov, a 16-storey building was built, which "killed" all the panoramas, a river valley was built up opposite the famous Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery in Zvenigorod, in Ryazan houses in historical buildings are burning with enviable consistency, it is planned to reduce the protective zones of Sukhanovo and Arkhangelsk …
According to the initiators of the creation of IKES, the main task of the new council will be "the creation of an authoritative community of experts and a professional association of people who are not indifferent to the history of Moscow and Russia." “The unification is necessary for a well-coordinated resistance to both the pressure of the administrative resource and the illegal actions of unscrupulous users of cultural heritage objects,” Boris Pasternak is sure. - Today the expertise is in its infancy. It can slip into a courtier, or it can become an effective tool, as it is written in the documents."
IKES is conceived as a partnership of professionals. The main principle of approach to the issued expert decisions has also been determined - according to the experts themselves, they will provide customers with a complete list of documents (in accordance with the regulations on expertise) and a reasoned, balanced decision “in favor of common sense”. The quality of the examinations carried out will be controlled by the Partnership Presidium, and in especially difficult cases it will work as a consultation of doctors. Andrey Batalov is confident that, having adopted such rules and regulations, the partnership has every chance of becoming a serious player in the market of expert services, making it civilized, understandable and transparent. “IKES does not set itself the task of monopolizing the market, but first of all cares about the formation of norms, rules, and sets a high bar for the expert community,” he emphasizes. But he does not hide that he really counts on the fact that the activities of the partnership, due to their transparency and guaranteed quality, will be attractive both for customers and for authorities. By the way, IKES plans to publish the conclusions of the examinations on its official website and in the media, so as not to create unnecessary tension among the public defenders of monuments.
In addition, IKES promises to launch a broad propaganda work: in the near future, the partnership plans to hold thematic conferences and seminars on the protection and use of historical and cultural heritage, as well as competitions and exhibitions on heritage conservation and restoration. The new non-profit organization intends to provide assistance to local history programs to perpetuate memorable historical sites.
