21:00, 16 May 2009

Sikharulidze: alternative "Eurovision" in Georgia is all freedom and no politics

At the Georgian festival "Tbilisi Open Air - Alter/Vision" held in Tbilisi in parallel with Moscow's "Eurovision", everybody performs what he or she wants and everybody has the right to express one's opinion. This was stated by Anna Sikharulidze, organizer of the festival.

"The title 'Alternative Eurovision' is ridiculously. Our festival is called 'Tbilisi Open Air'; the organizer is the 'Step Records' Company. The alternative to 'Eurovision' here can be seen in the fact that we have no contest, and everyone performs what he or she would," Ms Sikharulidze said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In Georgia, entrance to the festival is free, while in Moscow a ticket can cost 30,000 Russian roubles.

We remind you that Georgia was not admitted to "Eurovision-2009" for political reasons. The song "We do not wаnna put in" by Georgian group "Stephane and 3G" which should have represented Georgia, was denied by the organizers of the contest. The group was offered to change the words or the song, but Georgia refused and recalled its participation in "Eurovision".

See earlier report: "Georgia reaches the final stage of "Eurovision-2008"".

Author: Dmitry Florin

Source: CK correspondent