Court Upholds Abolition of Cultural Heritage Service in Zabaykalsky

On January 22, the Zabaykalsky Krai Court dismissed the claims of the regional prosecutor«s office, which sought to invalidate the order abolishing the State Service for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Objects. This was reported to a Chita.Ru correspondent by the court»s press service.

The service was established in Zabaykalsky in 2017. At that time, it was separated from the Ministry of Culture into an independent agency, explained by the requirement of federal legislation for independence.

After 8 years, in early 2025, Governor Alexander Osipov ordered the abolition of the service and its return to the structure of the Ministry of Culture. Meanwhile, there were no changes in the federal law that previously mandated the opposite. The reasons for this reorganization were not explained, but the deadline was postponed to December 2025.

The prosecutor«s office attempted to challenge such a transfer of authority and filed a lawsuit. The governor»s position is based on the fact that Russian federal subjects have the right to independently determine the structure of executive bodies, and the krai exercised this right. To make a decision, the court required two sessions.

Yevgeny Sinelnikov, senior assistant to the krai prosecutor for media and public relations, told a Chita.Ru correspondent that the department«s employees will decide later whether to challenge the verdict. They need time to study the court ruling and evaluate it.

Four employees of the service have already been employed in the Ministry of Culture. Also, a vacancy for a deputy minister for cultural heritage protection issues has been opened there.

In addition, two consultant vacancies have been opened in the department for the protection of cultural heritage objects. Details of what is happening can be read in the author«s column.