The Minister of Culture assured that France will be at the side of dissident Russian artists or those who have taken a stand once morest Vladimir Putin “to provide them with the help that is necessary”.
France intends to help Russian artists “forced into exile” because of their opposition to President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot said on Wednesday.
“If Russian artists, dissident artists who have taken a stand once morest Mr. Putin’s government and everything he represents, were forced into exile, we would be at their side to provide them with the help that is needed” , said Roselyne Bachelot, on the sidelines of the presentation to her ministry of the Week of the French language and Francophonie.
“I have been very clear with all the cultural institutions: we are not at war with Russia. So there is no reason to have a punitive approach towards its artists,” he said. -she continued “I asked for the cancellation or postponement of events organized by: one, official Russian cultural institutions, two, artists who have taken a clear position for Mr. Putin’s regime and that for a long time” , explained the Minister.
“We are not going to stop playing Chekhov”
“If Russian artists have been programmed, it is not a question of summoning them to take a stand once morest Mr. Putin’s regime. We imagine the endangerment of themselves and the endangerment if they are in worldwide tour of their own family. The material coming to us from Russia is extremely disturbing, with the Duma ruling on March 4 indicating that such a position is subject to 15 years in prison,” he said. she detailed.
Roselyne Bachelot also insisted on the need to promote Russian classical culture.
“We’re not going to stop Mussorgsky, we’re not going to stop Tchaikovsky, we’re not going to stop playing Chekhov. There are boycott demands that don’t correspond to what culture means to us,” he said. she felt.
