3 thousand visitors are expected at “Basovishcha" but Belarusian fans will be given only 150 visas
ERB has found out that the “ZET” band will not go to “Basovishcha” because the organizers have refused to allow them perform on Friday instead of Saturday, and “Znich’ will not be able to do it because they have not managed to get visas. The winner of last year’s festival “Flaus and Klein” have not been invited because the festival concept has changed. The organizers apologized to N.R.M. and said they would not invite them this year. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a quota of 150 free visas for Belarusians. Lyavon Volski talked to ERB two days ago and expressed his hope that the organizers of “Basovishcha” would meet half-way and allow the band to perform on Friday instead of Saturday. But it did not happen. It became known that the band was crossed out of the programme yesterday. One of the organizers Radek Dombrowskі explained it to ERB.
Radek Dombrowskі: “ZET” did ask for permission to perform on Friday and we did want them to perform but unfortunately, it was not possible to change the schedule. The band suited the Saturday programme. Otherwise, the programme would have been different from what we wanted it to be”.
According to Lyavon Volski, “ZET” were quite philosophical about the situation.
Lyavon Volskі: “This is the organizers’ concept so it is up to them to decide how to create it and to schedule the programme. We have other problems that have not allowed us to go there besides the inablity to perform on that day. “ZET” apologized and were very sorry they could not come but I hope everything will be ok next time”.
ERB asked the musician what the circumstances that did not allow N.R.M. to accept the invitation were.
Lyavon Volskі: “N.R.M. were not even invited. Maybe they decided that the fee was too big but we did not even discuss it. They phoned Pit and told him politely that a performance of N.R.M. was not included in the schedule”.
“Znich” were also crossed out of the programme. The band’s leader Ales Tabolich accuses the organizers of it as they have not managed to help them get visas in the consulate.
Ales Tabolіch: “We have to go to Hrodna to get visas. But they are not interested in giving visas to Minsk bands. At the same time, to we have to organize everything ourselves in order to get visas in Minsk. Just imagine it, we would have to spend 5-7 hours a day queuing for several days. Something is wrong with the organization this year”.
However, the organizer of “Basovishcha” Radek Dombrowski says that the musicians are to blame for it.
Radek Dombrowskі: “Nobody sent “Znich’ to Hrodna. We only suggested that visas should be prepared there. Visas for many other bands besides “Znich”. We have an agreement with the consul about free temporary visas there. Moreover, I got the passport data of “Znich” musicians two days ago and I was supposed to get it a month ago. That is why it caused problems”.
The winner of last-year’s “Basovishcha” has not been invited to the festival for the first time in the history of the festival.
Radek Dombrowskі: “It does not mean that “Flaus and Klein” were not wanted at “Basovishcha”. We have decided to change the tradition of inviting laureates this year and to invite bands that seem to have high-quality programmes”.
The hopes of numerous fans to get free visas with the help of the festival’s organizers have not been justified either. A usual visitor of “Basovishcha’ Uladzimir says he sent his appeal on the following day after he had heard the news about free visas and the collection of passport data. But he was refused.
Uladzіmіr: “I was told that the first 150 people would be asked to bring their documents one of the following days and the others would not be able to get free visas”.
The guy and many of his friends are looking for other ways of getting visas now. However, there is not enough time for it and he no longer hopes to get to the festival this year.
Radek Dombrowski explained to ERB that the limit of 150 visas had been introduced by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affaires.
Radek Dombrowskі: “ZET” did ask for permission to perform on Friday and we did want them to perform but unfortunately, it was not possible to change the schedule. The band suited the Saturday programme. Otherwise, the programme would have been different from what we wanted it to be”.
According to Lyavon Volski, “ZET” were quite philosophical about the situation.
Lyavon Volskі: “This is the organizers’ concept so it is up to them to decide how to create it and to schedule the programme. We have other problems that have not allowed us to go there besides the inablity to perform on that day. “ZET” apologized and were very sorry they could not come but I hope everything will be ok next time”.
ERB asked the musician what the circumstances that did not allow N.R.M. to accept the invitation were.
Lyavon Volskі: “N.R.M. were not even invited. Maybe they decided that the fee was too big but we did not even discuss it. They phoned Pit and told him politely that a performance of N.R.M. was not included in the schedule”.
“Znich” were also crossed out of the programme. The band’s leader Ales Tabolich accuses the organizers of it as they have not managed to help them get visas in the consulate.
Ales Tabolіch: “We have to go to Hrodna to get visas. But they are not interested in giving visas to Minsk bands. At the same time, to we have to organize everything ourselves in order to get visas in Minsk. Just imagine it, we would have to spend 5-7 hours a day queuing for several days. Something is wrong with the organization this year”.
However, the organizer of “Basovishcha” Radek Dombrowski says that the musicians are to blame for it.
Radek Dombrowskі: “Nobody sent “Znich’ to Hrodna. We only suggested that visas should be prepared there. Visas for many other bands besides “Znich”. We have an agreement with the consul about free temporary visas there. Moreover, I got the passport data of “Znich” musicians two days ago and I was supposed to get it a month ago. That is why it caused problems”.
The winner of last-year’s “Basovishcha” has not been invited to the festival for the first time in the history of the festival.
Radek Dombrowskі: “It does not mean that “Flaus and Klein” were not wanted at “Basovishcha”. We have decided to change the tradition of inviting laureates this year and to invite bands that seem to have high-quality programmes”.
The hopes of numerous fans to get free visas with the help of the festival’s organizers have not been justified either. A usual visitor of “Basovishcha’ Uladzimir says he sent his appeal on the following day after he had heard the news about free visas and the collection of passport data. But he was refused.
Uladzіmіr: “I was told that the first 150 people would be asked to bring their documents one of the following days and the others would not be able to get free visas”.
The guy and many of his friends are looking for other ways of getting visas now. However, there is not enough time for it and he no longer hopes to get to the festival this year.
Radek Dombrowski explained to ERB that the limit of 150 visas had been introduced by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affaires.
