The defence of Deputy Prime Minister Chernyshov stated that the book given to him was a cultural gift, not an attempt to bribe him.
The value of the book is unknown, and no official actions were required from the minister, so the accusations are considered unfounded.
Chernyshov himself emphasized in court that the suspicion announced to him «does not contain any objective grounds». The minister noted that during the three years of investigation, he was never summoned by NABU and only learned about his involvement in the case from the media.