Sturua's dismissal

The letter from Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman and Thelma Holt (29 August) expressed concern at Robert Sturua's dismissal from his position as artistic director of the Rustaveli Theatre Company after he made xenophobic comments. I agree with the authors that Mr Sturua has made a significant contribution to the arts in Georgia and beyond, but they may not be aware of his recent remarks. In various interviews, he made derogatory remarks about minorities and suggested it was unacceptable to have a member of an ethnic minority (specifically, Armenian) as president of our country. It is correct that nothing in Mr Sturua's work suggests xenophobia, but he has not retracted his comments. In multicultural Georgia the remarks are provocative and dangerous. Free cultural expression is a cornerstone of Georgian life, but a message had to be sent out that xenophobic comments, from a state employee, are unacceptable.
Nikoloz Rurua
Minister of culture and monument protection, government of Georgia, Tbilisi