After becoming a meme, furniture manufacturers dispute authorship of the table where Putin received leaders.
In Cantu, Italy, there is an OAK furniture factory. The company's CEO, Renato Pologna, says that the table used by Vladimir Putin in recent days was built there.
By RFI - The piece of furniture, which became the target of jokes and went viral on social media, was the solution found by the Russian head of state to maintain social distancing from leaders who refused to undergo Covid-19 tests by Russian professionals before meeting him, as was the case with French President Emmanuel Macron 11 days ago. The scene inspired many internet users, who used the image to create different memes on Twitter.
The famous six-meter-long white lacquered table, adorned with gold leaf, was custom-made in 1995 and delivered to the Kremlin, according to the Italian businessman. "The table was part of one of the largest orders we've ever had," he stated.
The furniture was paid for in liras, he says. Today, the price would be equivalent to around €100 (approximately R$580). The order from the Russian government, which at the time was headed by Boris Yeltsin, reached €20 million.
"A table is a place where we eat, have fun and play, but where we also decide wars or sign armistices. We hope it brings good luck, and doesn't lead to war," the CEO of the furniture factory told AFP. Since the company wasn't the first to claim authorship of the furniture's design, the Italian businessman made sure to gather and show proof: a photo of the table in a 1999 book about the Kremlin, a certificate signed on November 22nd by then-President Boris Yeltsin, and the detailed design of the table before manufacturing.
Spaniard also claims
"I'm sure of what I'm saying," says Pologna, when questioned about the statements of another Spanish manufacturer, Vicente Zaragoza, who claims to be the creator of the famous piece of furniture in 2005. "I imagine that in Spain they may have made a replica, but I can't confirm that," declared the Italian businessman, trying to avoid controversy.
In addition to French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also refused to take a Covid-19 test and sat at the long table. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who recently visited Russia, was able to speak with Putin a little more closely, as he did not refuse to take the test.
According to the Italian businessman, his factory furnished two floors of an area of approximately 7000 m2 in the Kremlin. "Abroad, the quality of Italian design and craftsmanship is well known," he said.
The success of the table, which became a "cult" object, inspired the Pologna family. "Producing new pieces could be a good idea," they say. Among the brand's clients are royal families from the Middle East and dictators such as former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi or Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
*With information from AFP
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