We decided to have a little fun and, at the same time, run an interesting experiment in journalism. One of the businesspeople who signed the “Social Contract” during the election campaign told us that he—like a great many others—is infuriated by United Russia politicians and all sorts of state-corporation bureaucrats throwing lavish New Year’s parties in places like Courchevel, St. Moritz, and other Monacos.
(the famous report from which we learned that FSO chief Murov and Presidential Property Department head Kozhin were partying in Courchevel with the wanted fraudster Kuznetsov) What makes it so irritating is obvious: any entrepreneur dancing away over New Year’s in Courchevel knows perfectly well what that dancing costs. And can easily calculate how much the “servants of the people” from the State Duma and the Kremlin spent on their fun. These guys fly in on charter jets, throw snowballs made of black caviar, and build snowmen out of foie gras. And yet their legal incomes would only honestly stretch to maybe two black-caviar sandwiches in a four-star hotel in Spain—which, all things considered, is not bad either. We all understand perfectly well that when United Russia is dancing and swigging Cristal straight from the bottle, it’s doing it on our money. So here’s what this businessman proposed: you find a good journalist, and I’ll pay for a trip to one of the traditional high-end playgrounds of the Kremlin riffraff, and the journalist will write an investigative report for all of us. So let’s give it a try. If it works—great. If it doesn’t, then the small consolation prize will be that the Kremlin riffraff partying in Courchevel will nervously look over their shoulders, afraid of our superspy (ominous music plays), and behave a little more modestly. So. The Anti-Corruption Foundation is announcing the Hunter Thompson competition.
We’re looking for a journalist who will spend the New Year holidays visiting a couple of elite foreign resorts and write us a scathing report, full of disgusting (but true) details—details so vivid that the workers of Uralvagonzavod (a major Russian tank manufacturer) will grab their weapons and, screaming wildly, drive a tank straight to the United Russia office. In other words, we want investigative reporting on how the top brass of United Russia, along with officials from the Kremlin, the government, and state corporations, vacation far beyond their means at the world’s most fashionable resorts. The prize is the luxurious trip itself, plus the nationwide journalistic fame that will go to the winner. If you’re a young journalist who really has “curiosity of mind” and wants to do something interesting—something that stands out from the hellish, dreary swamp of Russian journalism—this is your chance. Forget your feeble journalism school and your idiot editor who trembles at the thought that “the editor-in-chief might get a call from the Kremlin.” This is where there is room for real journalism—journalism that exposes society’s vices and makes our world a better place. If this works out, you’ll get more links, citations, and clicks than any report published by any Russian media outlet. How to become a star and the great hope of Russian journalism: Applicants need to do one simple thing: within the next seven days (that is, by December 18 inclusive), carry out an engaging and socially useful mini-investigation on any topic. Attention: it must be a new investigation—last year’s articles won’t do. The target of the investigation: corrupt, immoral, rotten власть in any of its forms. Any methods. Any region. If you want, go photograph dachas; if you want, ask uncomfortable questions over the phone; if you want, dig up names in databases; if you want, wait outside an apartment building with a camera; if you want, rummage through reports. Anything at all. The main thing is that after reading this mini-investigation, readers say: “Wow, that journalist is sharp. Good job—we didn’t know that.” The investigation should be submitted in the exact form in which you yourself would want it published. Send it to me at navalny @ fbk.info. Don’t forget to put the title of this post in the subject line. Age, gender, and professional experience do not matter. A valid international passport with at least one year remaining before expiration is required. If there’s something genuinely interesting, I’ll publish it. Obviously not under your real name, so as not to blow your cover. Something like: here’s a piece by Mr. Pink, and here’s one by Mr. Green. The winner will be chosen by a secret commission of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. Naturally, everyone will learn the winner’s name only after the final report is published. To answer the obvious questions in advance: no, of course we’re not going to tell the winner, “Here’s a wad of dollars, go somewhere in France and find where the United Russia crowd hangs out.” We’ll choose the destination together, taking into account recommendations from our agents deeply immersed in the abyss of high society. We’ll provide all other necessary assistance as well. So there it is. Take part—it’ll be fun.