Culture and Authority: New structure of the Ministry of Culture of Russia approved

The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation has approved a new structure of its central apparatus, which was established after the apparatus had merged with Rosokhrankultura (culture protection agency), said the press secretary of the agency Nalaliya Uvarova.

“This structure has 11 departments and 399 staff members”, she mentioned.

Nataliya Uvarova said that some of the departments have changed their names and functions, and two more departments have been introduced in the agency – the Department for Public Service, Personnel and Awards, and the Department for State Control and Supervision in the field of Cultural Heritage.

This department will be responsible for protection of cultural heritage objects, problems of unified state register, control in the field of cultural heritage objects and preservation of cultural values, as well as regulation of town planning activities. All these issues used to be the responsibilities of Rosokhrankultura before it was abolished.

Functions of the Service for State Regulation of Export and Import of Cultural Values have been passed to Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts Department. There has been set up a new Archaeological Division, while the Archives and Libraries Division has been moved to the Department for Science, Education and IT. Museums and Fine Arts Divisions remain to be the part of Cultural Heritage Department.

Control and supervision in the field of copyright and related rights, which was also fulfilled by Rosokhrankultura, will take the Legal Department, while issues on property relations have been passed from this department to Economics and Finance Department.

No changes have been introduced to the State Support of Arts and Folk Art Department; International Cooperation Department; Building, Major Repairs, Investment Policy and Restoration Department; General Secretariat Department. The Cinematography Department has been renamed the State Support of Cinematography Department.