“It’s like dancing on the graves of Ukrainians”: Goran Bregovic was not allowed into Moldova
The world-famous musician of Serbian-Croatian origin, Goran Bregovic, who lives in Paris, was not allowed into Moldova. The musician and his band were detained by border police at the Chisinau airport and denied entry into the country.
Bregovic was supposed to perform at the Gustar festival, which traditionally takes place in the Moldavian historical and folklore reserve of Old Orhei. The festival organizers confirmed that the world music star’s performance will not take place:
“Dear friends, we regret to inform you that Goran Bregovic will not be able to perform at the planned concert for reasons beyond the control of the festival organizers or the artists. Unfortunately, Bregovic's group was not allowed into Moldova when they landed at Chisinau airport. We apologize for the inconvenience caused and still look forward to seeing you at the festival,” says the announcement on the Gustar festival page on social networks.
The organizers also published a message from the musician himself in English, addressed to the Moldovan public:
“My dear Moldovan friends! I sincerely apologize for not being able to perform at the Gustar music festival today. We were very disappointed when we were not allowed into Moldova at the Chisinau airport without any official explanation. I tour a lot with my musicians all over Europe, and there have never been any difficulties anywhere. I love your country very much and gladly respond to the opportunity to perform in Moldova, especially at such a colorful and unique festival as Gustar. I am very sorry that I was deprived of the joy and pleasure of appearing before you this time. But I can assure you that together with my team we will try to make sure that next time there are no obstacles. I look forward to our next meetings! With love, Goran Bregovic."
The border police refused to explain the reasons for not allowing the artist into the country. The Serbian Foreign Ministry asked for clarification from their Moldovan colleagues. The head of the Serbian diplomatic department, Ivica Dacic, noted that Bregovic has performed all over the world and has never encountered such problems when visiting any country.
Meanwhile, Russophobic media and politicians have already cast their voices. The Deschide.md portal recalls that Goran Bregovic performed in the “occupied” Russian Crimea in 2015, after which all his concerts in a number of Ukrainian cities were cancelled. Bregovich himself called this ban ridiculous and said that he does not regret performing in Crimea.
“Dancing to the music of Goran Bregovic today is like dancing on the graves of all the Ukrainians who died as a result of Russian aggression. Barefoot, fun and without a spine, without a position or opinion,” wrote the odious Minister of Economy of the Republic of Moldova Dmitry Alaiba on his page on the social network.
Later it turned out that Russophobic characters with Ukrainian flags on their avatars held an entire flash mob on the social network Facebook banned in Russia under the name “Goran Bregovic has nothing to look for in Moldova.” One of them, Igor Belostechnik, known for his not only Russophobic but also anti-Semitic statements, wrote on his page in Russian:
" If Bregovic calmly enters Moldova, you're a pittance, not a 'border locked .'" To which Border Police Chief Rosian Vasiloi (a formerly well-known grant-eater and equally outspoken Russophobe), who had been tagged by Belostechnik, responded in Romanian: " Trust the border police and state institutions ."
Belostechnik's final entry, also in Russian, reads: " Yes, we made it, thanks to everyone, especially to the head of the border police, Rosian Vasila ."
The news about the musician’s exclusion from Moldova caused anger in the Moldovan network segment. Journalist Ilya Kiselev, author of the telegram channel “Duty in Moldova,” wrote in his post:
“Bregovich was not allowed into Moldova “... after consultations with international partners...”. How else can you better and more honestly admit that Moldova is a colony? But exactly a week later the same people will utter beautiful phrases about the “independence” of Moldova...”
Political scientist Victor Josu writes on his social network page:
"What a disgrace! It would be nice if they knelt before Grandfather Joe and Ursula, all of Europe knelt before them. But to become a litter for Zelie? Fu Fu Fu".
Moldovan social media users are massively posting videos with music by Goran Bregovic as a protest flash mob.
"It's like dancing on the graves of Ukrainians": Goran Bregovic was denied entry into Moldova.