Following months of scandals over the purchase of Izvestiya by Unexim, the newspaper Novye Izvestiya is beginning its history. MN was the first to be granted an interview by Igor Golembiovsky, editor-in-chief of the new publication.

MN: How do you see your new newspaper?
IG: I'd like for it to become a national paper that reaches beyond Moscow, both in terms of facts and its perception of life. It will definitely be a political publication. On the one hand, I'd like to preserve the spirit and the style of the old Izvestiya, but on the other, I'd like to get rid of everything that weighed heavily on the old paper. We want to win the trust not only of politicians, but of ordinary readers as well, and in order for this to happen, it is necessary to give a clear and honest rendition of what is going on.

MN: Who is your publisher, and what amounts of money are we talking about?
IG: The publisher is the Fund for the Support of Freedom of Speech. It has people on its board of directors who are well-known for their convictions -Andrey Voznesensky, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Mikhail Zhvanetsky, Galina Volchek. I won't hide the fact that these and other names could become our guarantors against outside pressure. The first credit was rather large - 20 billion rubles - and it went toward the initial preparation work. We're also being helped by two not verywell-known banks, among other organizations.

MN: Some say that the main investors are Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky.
IG: With regard to Berezovsky, I'd say maybe. Gusinsky did not participate in the project, and we didn't really ask him to.

MN: Is the backbone of your collective made up of employees from Izvestiya?
IG: The entire Council of Founders comes from Izvestiya: Otto Latsis, Sergey Agafonov, Sergey Dardykin, Valery Yakov and myself.

MN: Are you aware of the fact that the future newspaper is still a bone of contention between Unexim and the rest of the banking community?
IG: We understand the main thing, which is that we are attractive not as individuals, but as a team. I know that Unexim, which grabbed Izvestiya, is in panic and is planning on raising wages over there by three to four times. So, in that sense, by leaving we did something good for the people who stayed at Izvestiya. As for those who are helping us, I admit that they are all looking toward the year 2000. This must be admitted, and it is inevitable.

From the Editorial Office: MN asked Boris Berezovsky to comment on his role at Novye Izvestiya: "I wouldn't want to get involved in the scandal that erupted at Izvestiya," Berezovsky said. "Moreover, I'm not amused by the way the press is commenting on my role at the new newspaper. At the same time, it is perfectly clear to me that a newspaper like this should be financed by various sources.

Copyright 1997 Moscow News