The legendary electronic music festival Kazantip, which is traditionally held in the Crimea, this year because of the events in Ukraine, moved to the Black Sea coast of Georgia.
The festival will be held from 20 to 30 August Anaklia resort. Russian service Bi-bi-si decided to find out how preparations for Kazantip in its new incarnation.
On the territory between Anaklia and Ganmukhuri near the breakaway region of Abkhazia has a large yellow bag – one of the main fictional characters of the Kazantip Republic.
Despite the complicating training scorching sun, the mood on the eve of the opening of the festival are elated.
“The expectations are good, you are a very hospitable country” – says the bartender Ivan Kravchenko, showing elements of flaring – juggling the preparation of cocktails – on the future site of the bar “Plate”.
Kazantip – one of the most famous music events in the former Soviet Union – Georgia promises to tens of thousands of tourists and hence income and new jobs .
But the “Free State” as it is sometimes referred to as a festival in Georgia were many ardent opponents.
From Popovka in Anaklia
President Kazantipa Nikita Marshunok, says that the move from the Crimea in Georgia have a positive impact on the project itself.
“It somehow born to the city, but it takes time, and we know how to speed up time, we give this place a chance – he says. – At the same time we do something new. In Crimea, it is very difficult because the project to transform beyond recognition, and moving – it is always invigorating “.
President Kazantipa Nikita Marshunok decided to restart Kazantip in Georgia because of the events in the Crimea.
According to Marshunka, events in the Crimea could not interfere with the festival, but an international project to do it would not be able to.
“Crimea – not a place for dancing and for recreation, and for some time, it will remain difficult and hot zone. Perhaps only time will solve the problem with the Crimea “, – he said in an interview with BBC BBC.
” But I do not need to consider the annexation of the victim, and so on – he continues. – I just do not see where the prospects for growth and the chance was. Perhaps if people wanted development of the Crimea, I would have felt steps forward. I had a choice – to make the project known to be worse or do completely different. So I chose another “.
The decision to move Marshunok adopted quickly. However, he recognizes that not everyone in Georgia, as it turned out, lives up to its initial expectations.
” I was shown smiling police showed great laws – later I realized that they do not work – says Marshunok. – Here are the rules, but they do not work. All well thought out, but in order for this to work, you need to be more decisive and not to interfere with those who are willing to really work and change this space, the economy of this country “.
Church against
While in Anaklia and Ganmukhuri in anticipation of thousands of tourists, local residents are renovating houses, building new shops and bars, against the holding of Kazantip in Georgia is one of the most influential institutions in the country – the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Church and conservative public believe that Kazantip propandiruet “sex, drugs and debauchery”.
In late July, the Patriarchate of Georgia stated that “the participation and support of the festival in any form will bring dire consequences to individuals and the country”.
August 14 in a local church in Anaklia gathered believers and clergy from different parts of the country.
After serving in the local church group with placards “Kazantip – is debauchery” and “Let’s not turn Georgia into Sodom and Gomorrah” moved to the bridge leading to the festival area.
According to the representatives of the clergy, they are protesting against Kazantip, as this “sex, drugs and debauchery”.
“This is corruption, and we express our protest to this debauchery was not legalized. Allegedly, this is not anything – this is the legalization – the priest said Vasily Iashagashvili Bi-bi-si. – This is propaganda – when such a sin, such debauchery want to present in this light, supposedly nothing there is no “.
One of the participants, together with a statement of the Patriarchate of Kazantip handing out leaflets printed with the inscription:” Kazantip – import corruption in Georgia “.
In the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in response to the protests said that violators of the law related to the distribution or possession of drugs will be punished.
Nikita Marshunok, for its part, also responded to the concerns of the protesters Kazantip.
“We are all born as a result of sex. If this country is sex – it’s some painful subject, we are ready to abstain, from 20 to 30 August, not having sex at all – says Marshunok. – To remove completely this claim – that is so acceptable to everyone, I guess. Sex is not here “.
In anticipation of change
In Anaklia and Ganmukhuri protests against Kazantipa many look with disapproval and even cautiously.
” What brings [Kazantip]? Money, possessions. Nothing more, – said a resident Anaklia Tamaz bars. – After all, no one was coming here, all going in Batumi and Kobuleti. Here Saakashvili started here some movement, and then began to come, and somehow interrupt, and let them not interfere with me. Let not interfere! “
According to local residents, cancellation or disruption of Kazantip would mean for many, not only unfulfilled expectations, but also unpaid debts and loans.
” Kazantip must go, because a lot of people have invested money. People began to open bars, restaurants, supermarkets began to build. Now we say to these people? “- Says a resident of Anaklia Date Shelia.
Locals hope that 2014 can be not only the first but not the last year of the Kazantip Republic in Georgia.
If Kazantip really as scary as it is described by members of the clergy, anakliytsy, according to them, will be the first to require a ban on the festival of their native land.
Test Georgia
In on average in the Crimean Kazantip Popovka came about 100 thousand people, in the Georgian version of the festival is expected to nearly 30 thousand visitors.
The organizers do not exclude that due to the high cost of tickets and an insufficient number of flights between Georgia and Russia this year -trip comes less than Russians, traditionally make up the bulk of visitors to the festival.
In addition, the negative impact on the decision-making can and the information that the Russians get the events in Georgia, said Marshunok.
?? person before spending your vacation, to monitor the situation. He sees that there is some kind of minister who supported Kazantip, fired, that the church has a claim, there are no tickets, accommodation – as in Monte Carlo – says Marshunok. – Therefore, there can not be what I would like to, that’s for sure. But the fact that there will be a fun and massively – I do not doubt it “.
Such views await fans of electronic music, who decided to come to the Georgian-trip Anaklia
The former head of the National Administration the country’s tourism and an ardent supporter of Kazantip in Georgia Giorgi Sigua believes Festival 2014 – is just the beginning.
According to him, the existing infrastructure in place is able to take about 25-30 thousand people.
“Anaklia, Ganmukhuri, Zugdidi not physically be able to 100 thousand people. It will be a humanitarian disaster if 100,000 come because it will be a huge collapse on the roads, and they can not be accommodated, – says Sigua in an interview with BBC BBC. – But this is the first year, that is, as would be the first test for the local population, and to the organizers and the state “.
The future of the Republic
Sigua sure that in the future will involve Kazantip Georgia, hundreds of thousands of tourists.
“I personally mean negotiations with four huge world music festivals that they are carried out already on the finished infrastructure. That is, it is possible to spend a May festival in July – the second in August – Kazantip, in September, another one – he said in an interview with BBC si.- Territory Anakliya – Ganmukhuri you can easily turn into a center of international youth tourism. It has hundreds of thousands of tourists a huge investment, profits and a huge PR for the country “.
Meanwhile, now on the background of resentment on the part of the clergy about Kazantip in Georgia in the National Tourism Administration of the country refused to comment on the project, promising the country Tens of thousands of tourists.
Marshunok build some plans for the future of Kazantip in Georgia are in no hurry.
“I was three months old, and I was quite limited in the tools and instruments. Do not take this as the final product, – said the organizer of the festival. – Here it is necessary to have a energy, mood, check the compatibility of Georgia and Kazantip. This is a test mode, and if it goes well, we are ready to include a completely different speed for the development of this wonderful place “.
A lot will depend on the collaboration and support of the Georgian authorities, who, according to Nikita Marshunka, “understand the perspectives, but a little embarrassed to admit it publicly”.
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