Kobakhidze criticises EU and Danish Cultural Centre over funding of Kordz concert

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticised the European Union and the Danish Cultural Centre over their funding of a concert by electronic music artist Kordz, accusing the organisers of promoting what he described as “liberal fascism”.

Responding to a journalist’s question about the cancellation of the concert, Kobakhidze said the involvement of the EU and the Danish Cultural Centre was the most troubling aspect of the controversy.

“The most disturbing aspect of all this is that the concert, the event in question, was funded by the European Union and the Danish Cultural Centre. When a cultural centre funds a lack of culture and, beyond that, funds fascism, it is, of course, an absolutely inconceivable situation,” Kobakhidze said.

The prime minister also accused European officials of employing what he called Soviet-style methods, drawing a comparison with remarks made by Giga­uri.

“These are precisely the methods Ms Gigauri was talking about, Soviet methods. The European bureaucracy is now employing such Soviet-style methods, which is truly astonishing.

“It is inconceivable to organise a concert for someone who promotes fascism. This is, of course, a political act, and it is an act that genuinely encourages fascism, liberal fascism, which is a tragic development,” Kobakhidze said.

He expressed hope that European institutions would change their approach in the coming years.

“I hope that developments within the European bureaucracy will take a different course and that, over the coming years, it will completely abandon its Soviet-style methods,” Kobakhidze said.