A famous Russian actor has been barred from performing in Tbilisi because of his open support to Russia’s actions in Crimea, Ukraine.
The Georgian organisers of the tour have cancelled Sergey Bezrukov’s guest performance as the actor signed an open letter in support of President Vladimir Putin’s position on Crimea.
Bezrukov's theatre was scheduled to perform in May in the Georgian capital city, Tbilisi.
The Georgian Chamber of Culture revealed its decision about cancelling Bezrukov’s tour today.
"I will never invite to Georgia any actor who makes an anti-democratic decision before our country in any possible form,” head of Georgia’s Chamber of Culture Davit Okitasvili said, adding Bezrukov’s position on Crimea was the same as supporting the occupation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region – Georgia’s breakaway territories.
"We once again want to express our support toward Ukraine, its sovereignty, territorial unity, and our friends, the real heroes, the Ukrainian people,” the Chamber’s statement read.
Bezrukov’s theatre has been informed about the decision to cancel its Tbilisi tour.
Bezrukov was one of 86 top Russian performing artists who signed an open letter in support of President Vladimir Putin’s policy on Ukraine and Crimea.
In the letter, published on the Russian Culture Ministry’s website, the authors said they "cannot be indifferent observers with cold hearts” and they "firmly state [our] support for the position of the president of the Russian Federation on Ukraine and Crimea.”
Among those who signed the letter were two Georgian nationals: sculptor Zurab Tsereteli and ballet dancer Nikolay Tsiskaridze.
However an assistant of Tsereteli said the sculptor never signed the letter and the Russian Culture Ministry unlawfully named him on the list. The assistant said Tsereteli was not currently in Russia and was working on a monument of Columbus in the United States, and would react to the news when he returned to the country.