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Ukraine bans Italian opera singer’s concert because of his plans to sing in Crimea

According to Ukraine’s Culture Minister, Alessandro Safina should cancel two concerts in Sevastopol and Simferopol to be able to give five big concerts in other Ukrainian cities

Alessandro Safina EPA/ROBERT VOS

Alessandro Safina

© EPA/ROBERT VOS

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KIEV, January 18 /TASS/. Ukraine has banned all concerts of Italian opera and pop singer Alessandro Safina because of his forthcoming concert in Crimea, Ukraine’s Culture Minister Vyacheslav Kirilenko said on Monday.

"Safina [Alessandro Safina] will give concerts in the occupied Crimea in violation of Ukrainian laws on February 21-22. He was supposed to perform in other five cities of Ukraine which, however, will never take place because those who violate the regime of entry and exit from Crimea automatically fall under sanctions," the minister wrote in his blog in Twitter.

Kirilenko said that Alessandro should cancel two concerts in Sevastopol and Simferopol to be able to give five big concerts in other Ukrainian cities.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture published an additional list of 83 Russian and world cultural figures who, according to the authorities, are creating a threat to Ukraine’s national security.

Ukraine’s blacklist for cultural figures includes film directors Karen Shakhnazarov and Pavel Lungin; musicians Alexander Rozenbaum, Sergey Penkin; Nikolay Rastorguyev; actors Vasily Lanovoy, Valentin Gaft, Oleg Tabakov, Valentina Talyzina, Valentina Telichkina, Natalya Varley as well as singers Lev Leshchenko, Joseph Kobzon, etc. The blacklist also includes American musician Fred Durst, the head of American rock group Limp Bizkit; boxer Roy Jones Jr. and ot hers. The list was drawn up on recommendations from the SBU and in execution of requirements of the law on protection of Ukraine’s information radio and television space.

On March 16, 2014, the authorities of Crimea and Sevastopol held a referendum on reunification with Russia in which 80% of Crimean inhabitants who were eligible to vote, took part: 96.7% of voters in Crimea and 95.6% in Sevastopol voted for the reunification with Russia.

On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty on the reunification of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia; the Russian Federal Assembly (parliament) ratified it on March 21, 2014.

Despite of the referendum’s convincing results, Kiev refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.

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