Jazz musician Igor Butman, a People's Artist of Russia, said the decision to give singer Larisa Dolina an apartment was a wonderful one, speaking in an interview with the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
Butman said the gift was a fitting end to a scandal that swept the country and led to the phrase "Dolina scheme" being added to a dictionary of neologisms. He said he was relieved it was finally over, thanking God for it. He described Dolina as a person of incredible strength of spirit who had coped with the ordeal she faced.
Sale and Court Battle Over Moscow Apartment
Two years ago, Dolina sold a five-room apartment in the Khamovniki district of central Moscow, receiving 112 million rubles from the deal. She later said she had been the victim of fraudsters, and a lengthy court case followed.
The court ultimately ruled that the buyer, Polina Lurie, was a bona fide owner and ordered Dolina to vacate the property. Despite the ruling, the singer repeatedly postponed the date of her move.
A New Home From Friends
Dolina had earlier said that acquaintances bought her a new home after the scandal over the Khamovniki sale. She said the new property was better than her old one, describing it as a new building with fresh renovations.
Singer Natalya Shturm questioned whether the gift was genuine. She said stars often exaggerate about their property so as not to lose face with the public, but that such claims tend to backfire, fuelling even greater public discontent.
Who Is Igor Butman
Butman is a saxophonist and one of the leading figures in Russian jazz, honored with the title of People's Artist of Russia. Dolina, who also holds that title, has been one of Russia's best known pop and jazz singers for decades.
