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This was said by the minister in the Seimas on Tuesday during the Government’s half hour in response to the observation of the parliamentarian Remigijus Žemaitaitis about the concert of the Russian pianist Nikolai Luganskis scheduled for October at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic in Vilnius.
“Last week I was looking for a ticket to the Philharmonic on October 3. And what do you think I find? I find such a character: N. Luganskis. If you know, actually a well-known piano virtuoso and the like. But the most interesting thing is that this man constantly organizes concerts and events in Donbas, that is, on the territory of Ukraine occupied by Russia. How do you get here now? Tell me, “said R. Žemaitaitis.
The Minister of Culture stated that N. Luganskis could not be compared to the Russian interpreter Filip Kirkorov: Lithuania had been banned from entering Lithuania for five years due to his repeated visits to the annexed Crimean peninsula, denial of territorial integrity of Ukraine and the justification of Russia. aggressive actions.
“I would not like only those artists who pass the inspection of special services and the like can go on stage in Lithuania. How would we see each other? But how to solve this matter, I intend to summon the heads of all concert institutions to the next week and speak in principle, “said S. Kairys in the Seimas on Tuesday.
According to him, “no system will protect us from it if we ourselves, those responsible for making up our program of activities, do not take certain things into account.”
N. Luganskis gave a concert in Donetsk in August this year.
The Ukrainian army has been fighting pro-Russian separatists in the eastern areas of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014. The conflict arose after Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in March of that year and has already demanded more than 13,000. lives.
In May this year, the Seimas adopted amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners to include in the list of undesirable persons in Lithuania those who have publicly expressed their support for an aggressive policy followed by a foreign state and which violates international law.
This amendment was drafted after it became clear that the Culture Council had awarded grants for lost or relocated cultural events to companies that had planned concerts by Russian artists Filip Kirkorov and Mikhail Shufutinsky.
On January 19, at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Migration Department added Russian artist F. Kirkorov to the list of undesirable people in Lithuania for justifying the occupation of Crimea.
