Rucriminal.info returns to the analysis of Boris Berezovsky's audio archive. On weekends, we will again publish confidential conversations between officials and oligarchs, which Boris Berezovsky recorded for years. From these conversations, readers can learn many secrets of representatives of the Russian power and business elites, journalism, what they are talking and thinking about, and not “humming” in their ears from TV screens. In a new batch of wiretaps, we present a conversation between Boris Berezovsky and the then editor-in-chief of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, and now a political scientist, Vitaly Tretyakov. The conversation is interesting because it discusses ex-deputy head of the presidential administration Vladislav Surkov when he was a top manager of Menatep, which was owned by Mikhail Khodorokovsky.

An article appeared in Nezavisimaya Gazeta that hit the interests of Menatep. Surkov called Tretyakov and demanded to fire the author of the material. The chief editor refused, after which Surkov cut off that "friendship is over." Tretyakov took this as a threat and asked if he should expect a beating at the entrance. Surkov reassured that physical force would not be used. Despite this, the situation is unpleasant, as Tretyakov told Berezovsky. The latter orders not to fire anyone and to transfer all the “arrows” to him, as the actual owner of “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”. And he promises to resolve this issue with the co-owner of Menatep Leonid Nevzlin.

On the recording of the conversation, which is published by Rucriminal.info, one can hear Vitaly Tretyakov explaining to Boris Berezovsky the essence of what happened. Nezavisimaya Gazeta published an investigation about a certain Romanov, which hit Menatep. "Menatep" behaved strangely. Surkov called me. But I am sure that everything is fine with the article, ”Tretyakov says. Berezovsky asks: “She (the author-Ed.) Prepared this on her own initiative? This is not a throw-in or an order? " However, Tretyakov assures that there are no signs of an "order" and there is no reason to believe that the material has been paid for. The editor-in-chief says that he explained this to Surkov and offered to smooth out the consequences for Menatep by other publications. But he was adamant. “An hour ago Surkov called me and spoke in a strange voice. He said: “You must punish and dismiss this employee,” Tretyakov told Berezovsky the content of the conversation with Surkov. “I explain to Surkov that he did not provide evidence that this material was paid for by the journalist. And he says: “Then the friendship between us ends. I asked Surkov if I should take it as a threat that they would catch me at the entrance and beat me up. To which Surkov replied: "You misunderstood me." Tretyakov tells Berezovsky that the newspaper had previously received financial assistance from Menatep, but that was two years ago. The editor-in-chief of "Nezavisimaya" told Surkov that he did not hide the fact that Berezovsky was financing the publication. “I told Surkov to let Khodorkovsky contact Boris. If he tells me to dismiss the employee, I will probably obey, ”Tretyakov makes a curtsey towards Berezovsky.

“I heard you, I’ll talk with Lenya (Leonid Nevzlin-Red) and I’ll tell you everything. All "arrows" translate to me. And under no circumstances fire anyone, ”Berezovsky ends the conversation.

To be continued

Yaroslav Mukhtarov