“It’s incomprehensible: the group is going to perform in Balaklava, a small town on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia,” is how the German tabloid Bild formulated its bewilderment about the planned performance in Crimea of one of the most famous German bands performing electronic music. dance music. Scooter is, as follows from the ZBFest -2017 program, the only foreign performer at music festival. In addition to the German group, the following artists are indicated on the poster: Russian stage, like Serga, Brigada S, Dima Bilan, Degrees, L "One and the Leningrad group. Festival under open air"Golden Balka" is held from August 4 to 5 in a valley with vineyards located between the village of Balaklava on the southwestern coast of Crimea and Sevastopol. Scooter's performance is scheduled for August 4th.
Eight years for illegal visit
The popular German tabloid's bewilderment in connection with the planned performance of the German band Scooter in Crimea is due to the fact that the Crimean peninsula is considered, according to a United Nations resolution, to be Ukrainian territory, illegally annexed by Russia. The UN resolution of March 27, 2014 reaffirms the territorial integrity of Ukraine and calls for refraining from any actions or contacts that directly or indirectly recognize the change in the status of Crimea. Ukrainian law allows foreigners to enter “temporarily occupied territories” only with special permission and only through the mainland of Ukraine.
Scooter musicians, according to the Bild newspaper, citing the group's management, are flying to Crimea via Moscow in August, thus violating Ukrainian law. The German newspaper quotes in this regard the Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yevgeny Enin, who explained that such an offense is punishable by imprisonment for up to eight years and that Ukraine is already investigating foreigners who illegally visited Crimea.
German politician Rebecca Harms, who represents the Green Party in the European Parliament and is active in protecting the rights of the Crimean Tatars, commented with indignation on the news of Scooter’s plans. The group, as it told Bild, “apparently does not care that Crimea was illegally seized Russian troops“and that the musicians, by agreeing to perform in Crimea, are “taking Putin’s side.”
Context
Scooter said yes, Levina would have thought
The scale of the response in Germany to Scooter's Crimean tour came as a complete surprise to the musicians and the band's management. Bild quotes vocalist H.P. Baxxter, who assured that the musicians are going to Crimea “not to engage in politics, but because they have many fans there.” Manager Jens Thele also said that none of the organizers of the trip could have imagined that it could lead them into a political conflict.
Surprising in words, in reality the situation is somewhat different. Scooter's upcoming summer performances include: official page The festival in Crimea is not listed on Facebook. The performance in Balaklava appears on the group’s official website, but without specifying in which country this is located locality, although all other foreign tours on the list follow the city and country of the concert.
It is unlikely that the Scooter musicians have not heard anything about the tense relations between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the West’s position regarding the annexation of Crimea. Of the recent scandals provoked by the current controversial status of the peninsula, the loudest occurred at Eurovision, when Ukraine refused entry to a Russian participant who had previously visited Crimea, having entered its territory from Russia. And Russia in response refused to broadcast the European singing competition.
Even if H.P. Baxter and his manager had never heard of Yulia Samoilova, they might have assumed that their attempt to appear apolitical in a highly politically charged context would seem unconvincing. Representative of Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv Levina, for example, when asked by DW whether she would go to Crimea for the festival, answered that first she would think carefully about it and weigh all the pros and cons.
"Naive Illusion"
Now 53-year-old H.P. Baxter, who claims that Scooter does not mix culture and politics, obviously simply does not want to adequately assess reality.
In any case, foreign policy expert of the CDU/CSU faction in the Bundestag Karl-Georg Wellmann considers such a vision of reality a “naive illusion.”
In an interview with DW, the politician, in particular, said: “The group is creating unnecessary difficulties for themselves by opposing themselves to the unified position of the West regarding Crimea. Of course, their performance will be used for propaganda purposes. Musicians must realize that they are thus not helping any Ukrainians , nor to the people who live in Crimea."
See also:
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Capture operation
Brave Putin on graffiti and posters, as well as Russian flags instead of Ukrainian ones appeared in Crimea after February 27, 2014, when people in military uniform without insignia they occupied the buildings of the Council of Ministers and Supreme Council in Simferopol, and then key facilities and Ukrainian military units. The Russian operation to seize the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which is part of Ukraine, took place in just a few days.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
Under the control of the Russian military
The illegitimate referendum on March 16, 2014 changed the lives of Crimeans. Despite the protests, bypassing the Constitution of Ukraine, the issue of changing the status of Crimea was put to a vote. The new authorities called the transfer of the Crimean region from the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954 illegal and signed an agreement on joining the Russian Federation. The majority of Crimean residents rejoiced, and repression fell on the protesters.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
Crimean Tatars are outlaws
Those who suffered the most from the annexation of Crimea Crimean Tatars. The repressions affected everyone who considers Russia’s actions illegal. In 2016, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people was recognized as an extremist organization. Its leaders are being persecuted; searches and arrests in Tatar homes do not stop. This was the case in 1944, when they were deported from the peninsula as enemies of the people by the Soviet NKVD.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
“Is it possible to breathe in Crimea?”
Instead of Ukrainian TV channels, which have been switched off in Crimea since the spring of 2014, Russian analogue television operates. The independent channel of the Crimean Tatars ATR, which advocated for the integrity of Ukraine, now broadcasts from Kyiv, since its activities are prohibited on the peninsula. Other Crimean media were also banned - “15 minutes”, “Lâle”, “Crimea. Realities”. “Is it possible to breathe in Crimea?” local journalists ask.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
How to legally get to Crimea
Kyiv does not recognize uncontrolled entry into annexed Crimea from Russia. Foreigners must first enter the territory of Ukraine and only then proceed to the peninsula, otherwise they may end up in Ukrainian lists prohibited from entry. You can get to Crimea through a checkpoint on the administrative border with mainland Ukraine - on foot or by car; there is no other transport here. Travel and passage are free for Ukrainians.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
Sanctions for annexation
The European Union and the United States, which have not recognized the annexation of Crimea, do not recommend their companies to acquire businesses, real estate or trade with the peninsula. And Crimean enterprises cannot sell their products to the EU and America. Because of the sanctions, Visa and MasterCard cards do not work for Crimeans and loans have become more expensive, because large Russian banks are in no hurry to come to Crimea.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
The promised one has been waiting for three years
Those who voted for Crimea as part of Russia expect Putin to fulfill his promises: the construction of the Kerch bridge, a gas pipeline, power plants and solutions social problems. In the meantime, the incomes of Crimean residents do not keep pace with rising prices and the increase in the cost of communal services. But information about those dissatisfied with the standard of living and local protests appears only on social networks and independent media.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
Bridge from Putin's friend
Construction of a bridge across Kerch Strait, which will connect the mainland of the Russian Federation and Crimea, is being carried out in emergency mode. The construction contract worth 228 billion rubles was awarded to the Stroygazmontazh company of Arkady Rotenberg, a Russian oligarch and friend of Putin. It is planned to build 4 vehicle lanes by December 2018, and 2 lanes by December 2019 railway and access roads to them.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
Black redistribution
Over the past 3 years, small businesses in Crimea have suffered greatly from the redistribution of property in favor of Russian businessmen. According to the website "Crimea. Realities", the number of small enterprises in 2016 compared to 2014 decreased from 15 to 1 thousand. Problems may arise for owners of land and houses in coastal zone. They will lose their land if Crimean courts do not recognize documents issued before the annexation of the peninsula.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
Tourist business suffers losses
During the season, all beaches in Crimea are open; Russia has allowed the import of products from Ukraine here. Residents working in the service infrastructure hope that life will return to normal. But the flow of tourists has decreased by almost a third over 3 years. Railroad connections have been interrupted, and flying on vacation without much comfort is expensive. Due to EU sanctions, cruise ships with foreigners do not enter the ports of Crimea.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
The gold of the Crimean Scythians will move to Kyiv
The treasures of local museums - hundreds of gold jewelry and weapons - will not return to Crimea. In December 2016, a court in the Netherlands decided to transfer this unique collection of 550 artifacts, which traveled to exhibitions in Europe during the days of the annexation of Crimea. The court ruling stated that future fate exhibits of the exhibition "Crimea. Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea" will be decided by a Ukrainian court.
Crimea 3 years after Russian annexation
With Russian passport
Since the annexation of Crimea local residents can buy SIM cards for mobile phones only with a Russian passport. But with a document issued on the peninsula, they do not issue a visa at the embassies of the EU countries and the USA. The winners were Crimean pensioners who received Russian passports. Their pension has increased to the Russian level, and the retirement age for women has decreased from 60 to 55 years.
With the message: “Unfathomable: the band Scooter is going to perform in Balaklava, a small town on the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula.” We are talking about the planned performance of one of the most famous German bands at the ZBFest 2017 festival (“Golden Beam” - KR). As follows from the event program, Scooter is the only foreign performer at this music festival.
The article in the German tabloid caused a strong reaction not only from the fans of the group, but also from ordinary citizens. After all, Scooter is one of the most successful musical groups in German history.
Organizer of a performance of musicians on the annexed peninsula Jens Telle explained to Bild: “We didn’t even know that we were getting involved in a political conflict. Our music is completely apolitical and we want to stay away from political issues. We have been traveling to Ukraine and Russia since 1995. We have a lot of fans there who are looking forward to Scooter."
We don't want to make the situation explosive
Jens Telle
On the group's official website, next to the date of the performance in Balaklava, the country is not indicated, only the city. The manager admitted that this was no coincidence: “We did this on purpose. We don’t want to make the situation explosive, we want to remain neutral,” Telle emphasized.
Vocalist Scooter HP Baxter was surprised by the public interest in the group’s performance in Balaklava: “We are going to Crimea not to engage in politics, but because our fans live there. We have something to show them."
Just music - no politics?
Scooter's tour plans for this year also include Ukraine - the band is considering the opportunity to play a concert in Kyiv. But by going to annexed Crimea, the musicians violate Ukrainian legislation - and subsequently they may be banned from entering Ukraine.
We play for our fans. We do not want and will not allow ourselves to be used politically
HP Baxter
However, the members of the group try to convince listeners that they are apolitical - they say, no politics, only music. “We see this as a purely musical event, we play for our fans. We do not want and will not allow ourselves to be used politically,” frontman HR Baxter said in a comment to the dpa news agency.
Meanwhile, a serious discussion has unfolded in Germany regarding Scooter’s Crimean tour.
A German politician, who represents the Green Party in the European Parliament and actively defends the rights of the Crimean Tatars, reacted to these group plans with indignation:
A difficult situation has developed in Crimea. I don't consider Scooter's performance neutral
“I don’t consider Scooter’s performance neutral. They come to a territory where human rights are constantly violated. Where, according to the Society for the Defense of Oppressed Peoples, Russification is taking place, where Russian citizens are systematically resettled. And the militarization of this beautiful peninsula is taking place. Crimea could become one of the most important military bases Russian army", - she said Crimea.Realities.
“The group does not seem to care that Crimea was illegally occupied by Russian troops and that by speaking there it is siding with Putin,” she told Bild.
The German politician recalled that human rights fighters in Crimea were sentenced to decades. She believes the group's performance will be beneficial Russian authorities– to hide “all these terrible human rights violations in Crimea, to divert attention from them.”
Rebecca Harms also believes that if musicians wanted to take part in the festival, they could set their own conditions:
“We want the Crimean Tatars to receive their rights, to be able to freely take part in elections, and for political prisoners to be released, like Oleg Sentsov, who was sentenced to 20 years of labor in Siberian camps. But we didn’t hear all this from the group’s representatives. Therefore, they cannot claim that their speech is a contribution to understanding between peoples.”
Fans are outraged performance by Scooter in Crimea
Rebecca Harms expressed her thoughts on this topic on her Facebook page. One of the commentators wrote under her post: “If we say that we are talking only about music, then this is not so. It's not just about the music - or the singer did not understand the entire political complexity of the situation in Crimea, the war in eastern Ukraine, which Russia is waging in the center of Europe. He didn’t understand or doesn’t want to understand...”
Think about who you are supporting with your performance and who is paying you for it.
“Fans are outraged by the group’s planned performance in Crimea. Baxter defends the decision to perform, but the reaction of the fans is not neutral, they clearly express their displeasure and disappointment.” One of them writes: “Scooter, do you want to perform in annexed Crimea in August? And Baxter’s statement that music is above politics seems to be correct. But think about who you are supporting with your performance and who is paying you for it. Europe and the world are subjecting Russia to sanctions, and they are not doing it as a joke. Your upcoming performance is nonsense, a bad decision!”
Are you going to Crimea? It's better you stay there
The Rolling Stones believe that, despite the indignation of fans, there will most likely not be a cancellation of the performance. After all, Scooter still defends his decision to perform in Crimea. To which the fans again responded with indignation: “It’s bad what some people can do for money. Even performing in Crimea to cozy up to Putin. Disgusting. Even if not we're talking about about those killed in the conflict." One of those condemning the group advised: “Are you going to Crimea? It's better that you stay there. Yours better times have long passed, and Russia gladly accepts aging individuals.”
The online music portal laut.de also published the opinion of its participants: “The Technogroup is the only foreign participant at the festival in Balaklava. And her fans are announcing a boycott of the concert in Hamburg, which will take place soon.”
And on the Facebook page of vocalist Scooter, one of his admirers writes: “I consider a concert in Crimea impossible, so I offer my three tickets to the performance in Hamburg to others who wish.”
Musicians must realize that they are not helping either Ukrainians or people living in Crimea
Another adds: “If you're really not interested in politics, if you don't have politics and you want to please the fans, then don't go to Crimea. After all, it’s very likely that your Ukrainian fans won’t see you for a long time, and to please the Russian fans, you don’t have to go to Crimea.”
“Musicians should realize that in this way they are not helping either the Ukrainians or the people who live in Crimea,” writes another commentator.
Punish to the fullest extent of the law
The scandal continues in other German media over the upcoming visit of the German music group Scooter to Crimea. The Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany said that the embassy is trying to contact the group’s management to clarify the situation. But, according to him, this has not yet been done. To reach out to the artists, the embassy contacted BILD.
If they do go, we must deal with them to the fullest extent of the law.
“I hope that after such a media attack we will convince management to change plans and not violate the laws of Ukraine. If they do go, we must deal with them to the fullest extent of the law. So that they feel that it is their mistake to disregard our laws and consider their actions “just music, and no politics.” And to discourage other such “figures”. I hope that since the scandal has gained such great momentum, perhaps there will be some other solutions,” said Andrei Melnik Crimea.Realities.
But for the musicians themselves, as they say, the scale of the response in Germany to the Crimean tour came as a complete surprise. However, they continue to claim that they are going to Crimea “not to engage in politics, but because they have many fans there.” And that allegedly none of the organizers of the trip could have thought that it could lead them into a political conflict.
The electronic group Scooter gave its first ever concert in Crimea. The musicians performed in front of thousands of spectators at the ZBFest festival in Balaklava and promised to return. But the joy of the Crimeans who saw their idols live haunts the Ukrainian authorities - a criminal case has been opened against the Germans in Kyiv, they are going to summon them for questioning and threaten prison term.
Thank you Crimea, amazing crowd! (Thank you, Crimea, amazing audience), - the band’s frontman HP Baxter thanked the Crimeans after the concert on social networks.
The first visit to Crimea left warm memories both for the musicians themselves and for the residents of the peninsula. The musician was pleased with the hospitality of the Crimeans.
When going to Crimea, Scooter emphasized that their performance was beyond politics, they came for the fans. And that’s why they didn’t even talk to journalists behind the scenes. Instead, bandleader H.P. Baxter concentrated on the music. According to the organizers, before the concert he sat in a tent for a long time and prepared himself for the concert.
Good evening, Balaclava! - he greeted the audience as he entered the stage.
The musicians performed in front of thousands of spectators at the festival in Balaclava and promised to return
An expressive show in the style of techno, trance and hardcore was accompanied by flashes of fire, fireworks, and the performance of go-go dancers. Scooter performed his most famous songs - Hyper Hyper, Weekend!, Bora! Bora! Bora! and many others. If at the beginning of the concert the audience looked at the stage with interest and filmed the show on their phones, then after a few songs they began to dance with all their might and sing along with the energetic German.
Come on, come on! - Baxter encouraged them in Russian and gave them new charges of rhythm and drive.
Scooter fans specially came to Balaklava from all over the peninsula and from distant Russian cities. Many people danced to their songs in discos in the 90s and still remember the words. Social networks were filled with photos from the concert, which caused a storm of emotions in everyone.
Among the spectators were Germans - participants in the Berlin-Moscow motor rally. They said that they came to Crimea, despite the horror stories that the German media tell about the peninsula, and expressed hope for friendship between Russia and Germany.
When the musicians left the stage towards the end of the show, the audience sang the melody How Much Is The Fish in chorus. Scooter rewarded them for their creativity with their favorite composition Fire. The concert ended with fireworks.
Scooter's visit to Crimea caused indignation among some German and Ukrainian politicians, although before their trip to the peninsula the musicians asked not to be drawn into a political conflict. While Crimean fans rejoiced at the arrival of their idols, the Ukrainian authorities wasted no time - the prosecutor’s office in Kyiv opened a criminal case against Baxter and other members of the group for allegedly violating “the procedure for entering and leaving the temporarily occupied territory of the country.” For this they face up to eight years in prison. Ukrainian law enforcement officers are already dreaming of calling the Scooter group for questioning. The representative of the prosecutor's office, Tatyana Tikhonchik, said that Ukraine would send a request to the “competent authorities of Germany” so that they could help interrogate the musicians.
Scooter themselves do not react to these attacks in any way. Instead, they promised to come to Crimea again:
Thank you, Crimea! “See you next time,” shouted HP Baxter at the end of the hour and a half show.
The musicians announced the concert in Balaklava on their official website; it took place as part of the band’s European tour. Scooter is considered one of the most successful musical groups in Germany, Russia and Eastern Europe it became popular in the mid-90s. Next year the group will celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk said that he would try to persuade German group Scooter cancels performance in Crimea.
“Today is a particularly delicate diplomatic mission in Hamburg: a meeting with the manager of the Scooter group to abandon the adventure in Crimea,” the politician wrote on his Twitter.
As the correspondent of the portal “” reports, Scooter plans to perform in Balaklava on August 4 at the #ZBFest festival. Participants will also include the groups “Leningrad”, “SerGa”, “Brigada S”, “Gradusy” and singer Dima Bilan. In the summer of 2016, a festival whose goal is to popularize Crimea as a fashionable tourist destination, a center of cultural, gastronomic and social life, brought together 15 thousand guests.
Earlier, the German tabloid Bild, citing representatives of Ukrainian justice, reported that musicians could face up to eight years in prison for a concert in Sevastopol in Ukraine. At the same time, in the announcement on the Scooter website next to the name of the city of Balaklava, the country is not indicated. As the group manager emphasized, this was done intentionally so as not to “inflame the discussions.”
The appearance of Scooter at this year's festival was opposed by some European politicians. In particular, Member of the European Parliament from the German Union 90/Greens party Rebecca Harms, who took an active part in the events on the Kiev Maidan in 2014, sharply criticized the musicians’ plans in an interview with the newspaper.
“The Scooter group doesn’t care that Crimea is illegally occupied by Russian troops,” she said. Kharms is sure that the musicians should be ashamed of their irresponsibility, since the Russian authorities “made Crimea the largest military base on the Black Sea.”
“Speaking only in the interests of your own fans is completely unsuitable,” the deputy added.
Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yevgeny Enin told reporters that, according to Ukrainian legislation, “foreigners can visit temporarily occupied territories only with special permission,” and they must enter and leave Crimea only from the mainland of Ukraine. Violation of this is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 1 to 8 years, “depending on the circumstances.”
In turn, the manager musical group reported that the group's leader, HR Baxter, and his colleagues would fly to Crimea by plane via Moscow. German journalists note that the musicians are unlikely to face prison, but they do face fines.
“We are going to Crimea not to engage in politics, but because there are many of our fans there. We have something to offer them,” said group leader HP Baxter.
