Germany: Greens call for closure of Russian cultural center

Berlin's 'Russian House' is the largest Russian cultural center in Europe. Critics accuse the institution of spreading anti-Ukrainian propaganda.

Transcript

00:00This huge building in a prime location in central Berlin is the property of the Russian Federation.

00:07It's the Russian House of Science and Culture, the largest of its kind in Europe.

00:13The Russian state agency that runs the center has been under EU sanctions since 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine.

00:21Critics say it's being weaponized as a propaganda tool in the war against Ukraine.

00:27Activists from the Ukrainian NGO Viche have held repeated demonstrations in front of the building.

00:36Many in Berlin don't know that such big space is being given to the Russian Federation to basically spread propaganda.

00:44They are showing like movies, documentary movies about the Second World War,

00:48where they started that Soviet Union was fighting Nazis back then,

00:54and now Russia again fighting Nazis because Zelensky is Nazi.

00:59And it has also recently emerged that the German government is funding the property tax bill

01:04using 70,000 euros of taxpayers' money as part of an arrangement stemming from a 2013 German-Russian cultural agreement.

01:13Now Germany's Greens are demanding the Russian House be closed.

01:20The time has come for us to admit that there isn't any mutual cultural exchange going on here,

01:27but that Russian war propaganda is being spread in Germany.

01:31For example, through the sale of kids soap in the shape of tanks and rifles,

01:35the sale of books in the bookstore, and events and movies that clearly pursue a certain narrative,

01:40including a certain image of Ukraine.

01:44The Russian House director rejects German charges that the Russian House is a temple of propaganda,

01:50and says none of its critics have even been inside to talk to its staff.

01:55And that issue isn't about the building's contents, but rather its premium location.

02:01He insists the center is doing nothing illegal,

02:05but is often forced to call in law enforcement because of demonstrators.

02:10When protesters set off sirens on the street, we call the police.

02:19Or when people are verbally harassed entering or leaving the building,

02:25often they themselves call the police.

02:29During the interview, Pavel Izvolsky spoke of peace, of cooperation, of cultural ties.

02:38But one word he carefully avoided – war.

02:42Sorry, I reviewed.

02:43How important is that we are.

02:56Anyone saving up, not up again?

02:57There's no history that wasn't doin' what we can say about.

02:59To where you have a school called occupancy.

03:01So, by Stephen, when we do a state protest,

03:04and we're not voting for transparency,

03:07we don't haveبtight running to

03:07or bele Boris,

03:08but you know the喔.

03:09akis are just won.