Communist Lawmaker Complains to Culture Ministry Over Rave at Lenin Library

Nina Ostanina, a Communist Party member of Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, has filed a formal complaint with the country's Culture Ministry. She objects to a rave held during Halloween at the Russian State Library in Moscow, popularly known as "Leninka." The episode has sparked a political dispute over which events should be allowed in historically significant government buildings.

The library hosted the event last weekend together with Eksmo-AST, Russia's largest publishing group. Organizers said more than 3,000 people attended. Eksmo-AST said the aim was to engage a young audience with literature "in the language of rhythm and light." Tobacco and alcohol were banned at the event, and the company stressed that no property was damaged.

Letter to the minister

In a letter to Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, Ostanina reportedly asked the ministry to give lawmakers guidelines on how it decides whether "entertainment and commercial events" may be held in government buildings listed as historically significant.

Speaking to the news outlet RBC, she said the library is "truly a temple, a sanctuary" to her. She rejected Eksmo-AST's claim that the dance floors were in separate halls from the books, arguing that one cannot say there is a separate "hall of orgies" and a "hall of books."

Proposed bill

Ostanina heads the State Duma Committee for the Protection of Families. Earlier this week she said she was working with the Justice Ministry on a bill that would write into law "what is good and what is bad." At a parliamentary meeting she said that if people do not absorb such things from family, teachers or public media, they will have to be defined by law.

The event has been defended by State Duma Deputy Speaker Vladislav Davankov of the right-leaning New People party. He urged critics to stop looking for a reason to ban every creative idea.