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Georgia’s Zion Festival Introduces Political Test for Russian Attendees
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Organizers of the Zion Festival, scheduled to take place in Tbilisi, Georgia, on September 25–26, have introduced additional entry requirements for Russian citizens ahead of the event.
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According to EA Daily on Sepetember 11, two weeks before the festival, its listing on ticket platform Tkt.ge stated that Russian nationals would not be allowed to attend.
“Russian citizens are not allowed to attend the festival,” the event description said.
The organizers later removed the restriction from the ticketing page, Russian media outlet ASTRA reported. However, they subsequently said on the festival’s Instagram page that Russian citizens would be required to complete a questionnaire concerning their political views and position on Georgia’s territorial integrity.
Responding to an inquiry from Vot Tak about whether Russian citizens who had already purchased tickets would be admitted, the organizers said ticket ownership alone would not guarantee entry.
“Your ticket is valid, however, for Russian citizens, purchasing a ticket does not guarantee automatic entry. You will be able to attend the festival if you complete and sign a short questionnaire confirming your respect for Georgia’s territorial integrity, recognition of the occupation of Georgian territories, and the values of Zion Festival. Once completed, we will confirm your admission to the festival,” the organizers said.
The restrictions come amid another recent development involving an international artist and a planned event in Russia. A scheduled St. Petersburg concert by American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was called off after the venue said no rental agreement had been finalized with the organizers, despite the shows having previously been promoted.
According to The Moscow Times on August 24, the performances had been scheduled for October 10 and 11 at Gazprom Arena, with Moscow-based Say Agency listed as the organizer. The stadium later said it had not signed a venue rental agreement with the organizers and therefore could not host the concerts.
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