The Minister of Culture of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko held a meeting with the management of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Dovzhenko Center, representatives of the Presidentʼs Office and MPs.
He announced this in his Telegram channel.
The meeting participants developed the following action plan for the Center:
- to stop the reorganization of the Dovzhenko Center in the way it is happening now;
- to leave the foundation and the museum in the status they are in now — as a complete property complex;
- to appoint a transparent competition for the director of the Dovzhenko Center;
- to apply to the State Audit Office for a full audit of the Dovzhenko Center;
- to start the process of granting the status of the national Dovzhenko Center de jure (not only in name, but in essence), which should ensure the use of its property for other purposes;
- to resolve the issue of reorganization of the state enterprise into a state organization, which will allow the Dovzhenko Center to function as a museum and archive;
- to create an interdepartmental working group for expert assessment of the Dovzhenko Centerʼs museum assets.
"We are waiting for details on these decisions from the Ukrainian State Film Agency in the near future," Tkachenko concluded.
- On August 17, 2022, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Center announced that The Ukrainian State Film Agency issued an order on its reorganization, which, in fact, means the liquidation of the institution. All films from the collection and property of the Center should be transferred to the State institution "Scientific Center of Cinematography of Ukraine", which was created during the Yanukovych era. Minister of Culture Oleksandr Tkachenko stated that "it is not about liquidation, but only about reorganization." The Peopleʼs Council under the Ukrainian State Film Agency demands to withdraw the decision on reorganization of the center.
- Derzhkino itself assures that they are not liquidating the Dovzhenko Center — they will only take away part of the functions, and no one will be fired.
- On August 28, the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) unanimously decided to appeal to the government and the Ukrainian State Film Agency to cancel the order on the reorganization of the Dovzhenko Center.
- On October 12, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine responded to a petition demanding the cancellation of the order on the reorganization of the Dovzhenko Center. The government refused to review this decision.
- On November 2, the State Film Agency of Ukraine appointed a new acting general director of the Dovzhenko Center — Yuliya Kazhdan. The former head Olena Honcharuk was suspended based on the results of the audit. After Kazhdan was appointed, the Dovzhenko Center staff accused the Ukrainian State Film Agency of raiding: through "manipulation of information, seizure of territory and appointment of puppet leaders."