The artist Goran Bregovic and his group were not allowed to enter the Republic of Moldova on Sunday, where they were supposed to perform in the evening at the festival, although they landed at the international airport of Chisinau, according to the local press, cited by Agerpres.

The organizers of the Gustar festival, which is taking place these days in the cultural and natural reserve “Orheiul Vechi”, announced that the band of Goran Bregović will not be present at the event, considering the fact that “they were not allowed to enter the Republic of Moldova”.

“We regret to inform you that the band Goran Bregovich will not be able to attend the planned concert this evening for reasons not related to the organizers of the festival or the artists. Unfortunately, they were not allowed to enter the Republic of Moldova, as they had already landed at Chisinau International Airport,” the organizers of the event wrote on Facebook.

They later returned with a post in which they reproduced a message sent in English by an artist from the Balkans. He says he is disappointed by the authorities’ decision not to let him into Moldova, and says he has not been given any official explanation.

“My dear Moldovan friends!

I apologize for not being able to perform at the Gustar music festival today. We were very disappointed when we were not allowed to enter the Republic of Moldova at Chisinau airport without any official explanation. I have done many tours with my musicians all over Europe and nowhere have I had any difficulties. I really like your country, and it is a pleasure for me to 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 we, together with our team, will try to ensure that my performances in Moldova next time do not face any obstacles. I look forward to our next meetings! With love, Goran Bregovich,” the artist sent.

Journalists from Chisinau turned to the border police for a point of view, but have not yet received an answer.

Goran Bregovic, 73, was born in Sarajevo, in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, but is a self-proclaimed nostalgic for the former Yugoslavia and wrote the song with which Serbia entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010. Goran Bregovich openly supported the occupation of Crimea in 2014, where he also spoke the following year, as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Although in the message sent to the Moldovans, he claims that he had no problems in other parts, the artist is banned from entering Ukraine and Poland. Earlier, the Chisinau authorities stated that public figures who call for war, discord and hatred are not welcome on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, deschide.md reminds.

On Sunday evening, at the Gustar festival, where Brehovych was supposed to perform, there was also a concert by Ukrainians from the Kalush Orchestra group, which won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022.