The “no” front to the decision to “host” the video message of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the last evening of Amadeus’ Sanremo Festival on February 11 is widening. One of the first to oppose this was Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini, who said he wanted to see Sanremo not for other reasons but to listen to the songs. A position that has drawn much criticism from those who are convinced that winking at that segment of the pro-Russian electorate is a propaganda move. “If I have 10 minutes to watch the Sanremo Festival, I will see the songs, not Zelensky. If Zelensky has time to go to the Oscars or the Sanremo Festival, he will know. Every context deserves seriousness, even Sanremo. I wonder how? It seems appropriate to me that he spends some time with the war and the ongoing deaths, things are not going well to me,” repeated the minister.
Beppe Grillo, the former leader of the 5 Star Movement, also gave a kind of morale boost to those who decided to use it, by writing “From bombs to songs. Even pain makes a show” on her blog. A story as dramatic as the battle to increase the follower count of a popular show in the country. Then Grillo also harshly attacked the president of Ukraine: “But how can you trust and respect a President who has been connected for a year from his bunker, who has attended every international forum declaring war until final victory, and watched the destruction indifferently? Your country, a generation of young the death of people, the displacement of several million citizens, the wholesale destruction of infrastructures, the injury or maiming of thousands of innocent civilians, the doomed survivors of the bombings to poverty?” .
Not far from others saying “no”, such as the cartoonist Vauro Senesi and Alessandro Di Battista, who wrote on Facebook: “Speaking of Sanremo, I look forward to talking at least once about what happened yesterday in Palestine. journalist Shireen Abu Akleh Eight Palestinians were killed in the Jenin camp, where he was killed, in an area where Israeli soldiers shouldn’t even be there. As always, there is absolute silence from the mainstream”.
Conte opposes sending more weapons to Kiev: “I was very happy when President Fico invited President Zelensky to Parliament. However, I don’t think it is so necessary anymore for Zelensky to be in a light context like Sanremo’s” .
Criticism from Ukraine and arms shipment supporters
But they are not the only ones, because until now, even with a certain malice, they can be thought of as having taken a firm position on the war in Ukraine. But the front also expands on the part of politics that has always been in favor of Kiev and voted to extend the arms shipment: Giuseppe Conte, Carlo Calenda, Gianni Cuperlo and Vittorio Sgarbi.
Azione’s leader, Calenda, reiterated her firm support for Ukraine, including military support, but considers it “a mistake to combine a musical event with the message of the president of a country at war”.
Vittorio Sgarbi, Undersecretary of Culture, also strongly opposes the Ukrainian leader’s participation in the festival: “Zelensky had better not join Sanremo, so as not to be used as a handkerchief by Amadeus”. Even the Democratic Party’s candidate for secretary, Gianni Cuperlo, squints at the subject: “Is Zelensky in Sanremo? No. It’s a war. People are dying. Does Rai want to give a voice to the president of an occupied country? Self-defense? United at 8:30 p.m. broadcast a message to the networks from the president of Ukraine. But let’s not confuse the tragedy with the audience. Please have mercy”.
Maurizio Gasparri, senator of Forza Italia, comes from the right: “I find the juxtaposition between Sanremo’s ballets and songs and the attack on Ukraine astonishing. I have great respect for the Ukrainian people, with whom I and many other high-ranking politicians stand. No hesitation. Russia attacked. and there’s no doubt in this country he bombed. I even have great respect for the Sanremo Festival. In the past, even Gorbachev and some other political masters have passed this stage, but to be honest, they are confusing tragedy. We live in a media mixer where you can switch to the song and then denounce the aggression against Ukraine. I find this combination surprising, “explained the force member.
Voice outside the choir
The only dissonant voice was the voice of Benedetto Della Vedova (Più Europa): “I hope President Zelensky’s invitation to send his greetings to Sanremo is not backed down. It is important that the Italians hear the direct testimony of those who led the resistance against the brutal and unreasonable Russian aggression. Their freedom and European It’s a way of being close to the Ukrainians who are defending their elections, and thus they are defending our values”.
Source: Today IT
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
