Georgian Minister of Culture: stage director Sturua was dismissed because of his xenophobic statements

The well-known Georgian stage director Robert Sturua was dismissed from his post of the artistic director at the Shota Rustaveli State Drama Theatre because of his xenophobic statements, Nikoloz Rurua, Minister of Culture and Protection of Monuments of Georgia, told reporters today.

According to his story, he understands as xenophobia "those statements and ethnic metaphors that Sturua used during his numerous interviews in relation to the larger community, our neighbours and our fellow citizens, who represent other ethnic groups," the "Georgia Online" reports.

"This step of the authorities looks like settling accounts," runs a special statement of the Georgian oppositional party "New Right-Wingers". A similar statement was disseminated by the "Georgian Party". "The dismissal of the renowned stage director Robert Sturua is another manifestation of antidemocratic tendencies," runs the statement of the party.

The renowned theatre director, People's Artist of Georgia and the USSR Giga Lordkipanidze believes that "the reason of Robert Sturua's dismissal is in his political statements and his viewpoint different from the Georgian authorities' one."

Robert Sturua had initially associated his dismissal with his oppositional views in relation to Georgian authorities. Today he said that he is unaware of the official reason of his dismissal, the Radio Liberty reports.