Translated material
Ukrainian Ministry of Culture asked to ban Kusturica's concert in Kyiv
The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine appealed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine with a request to ban Emir Kusturica from participating in the concert on July 28, which will be timed to coincide with the millennium since the death of Prince Vladimir the Great of Kiev. According to the Ministry of Culture, the speech of Kusturica, who has repeatedly spoken out in support of Russia's policy, could provoke mass violations of public order.
The UNN agency reports , citing law enforcement sources, that Kusturica will be denied entry to Ukraine.
The appeal [of the Ministry of Culture] to law enforcement agencies was initiated as a reaction to numerous appeals from public activists and cultural figures about the inadmissibility of Kusturica's participation in the concert.
- Emir Kusturica was going to take part in a concert in Kyiv with his band The No Smoking Orchestra.
- In March 2014, shortly before the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation, Kusturica stated that "Russia must protect the Russians who live in Ukraine." In December 2014, while speaking in Moscow, Kusturica said he would like to film in Crimea.
- In April 2015, it became known that concerts of the Serbian musician Goran Bregovic, the author of music for many Kusturica films, were canceled in Ukraine. The reason for this decision was the fact that in March Bregovic gave a concert in the Crimea.