Brotherhood with Russians “impossible” amid ongoing occupation – ruling party MP

Mikheil Sarjveladze, a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party and the chair of the Human Rights Committee in the Parliament, on Wednesday said brotherhood with Russia was “impossible” until the latter occupied Georgian lands, in response to the protests at the US rock band The Killers’ show in Georgia’s Black sea city of Shekvetili on Tuesday, after its soloist invited a Russian drummer onstage. 

 

“If someone wants Georgians and Russians to be brothers, in such a case the main priority is the de-occupation of Georgian territories. All issues begin and end with this”, Sarjveladze said in his press comments, adding amid the ongoing occupation of 20 percent of the Georgian territory by Russia it was “impossible” to speak about brotherhood. 

 

The Killers allowed the Russian citizen to play despite being booed off the stage, before describing the audience as “brothers and sisters”. 

 

The band, along with the Black Sea Arena which hosted the show, have apologized for the incident.