Prague does not want Russian singer Netrebko to perform in city

The Prague city coalition government has announced that it wants to cancel or postponse Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko's concert, which is scheduled for October 16 in the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House. However, the coalition's resolution is only advisory as the Municipal House is a joint-stock company and ultimately the final decision will be up to the company's management.

Netrebko, who lives in and is also a naturalised citizen of Austria, is on the Ukrainian sanctions list as in the past she has helped Russian President Vladimir Putin win the presidential election, had herself photographed with the flag and representatives of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, and donated money to the separatist leader Oleg Tsarev. Mr Pospíšil said that at a time when the war was still going on, it would be insensitive for such a person to perform in Prague and that the authorities feared that the concert would damage relations with Ukraine if it were to take place.