“Everything is black and white in war,” said Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. “There is one country that has attacked another. In this case, Putin’s regime is killing innocent civilians in Ukraine. Anyone who justifies this is on the wrong side of the black-and-white divide. The vast majority of entrepreneurs, event organisers and local governments have a moral compass, but there are some who are still planning concerts by artists who seek to legitimise the war and the deaths it is inflicting. We therefore decided today, as a government, that such artists will not be allowed into Estonia. The message we are sending out is clear and unambiguous: anyone singing Putin’s praises is no longer welcome in our country and their concerts shall not take place here.”
The government also decided that although the ban will be enforced, no ‘blacklist’ of Russian and Belarusian artists will be drawn up.
Minister of the Interior Kristian Jaani says his ministry can stop an artist from coming to Estonia.
“The principle the government has adopted is an unequivocal message, primarily to event organisers, that they should not plan concerts in Estonia for Russian artists who support the Putin regime,” he said. “If they press ahead with such plans, then the Ministry of the Interior will block the artist from entering the country, taking each case as it comes. We will be playing more of a ‘goal-keeper’ role, with the power to implement the decision the government has today made. I am sure the people of Estonia will understand the need for such a decision and be prepared to abide by it.”
