reported<\/a><\/span> by the Financial Times, the Commission stated that expenditures made by the Russian delegation for its participation in the event are considered “indirect support” from Moscow to the Biennale.<\/p>\nThe warning comes amid an escalating dispute over Moscow\u2019s participation ahead of the event’s opening, according to the newspaper.<\/p>\n
A letter delivered to organizers by the European Commission\u2019s culture agency stated: “By failing to comply with EU sanctions, the Biennale has called into question its obligation to ensure respect for EU values.”<\/p>\n
The correspondence further noted that any expenditures made for the Russian delegation\u2019s participation in the Venice Biennale “benefit the Biennale and could apparently be considered indirect economic support.”<\/p>\n
The European Commission has demanded “clarifying information regarding the arrangements between the Biennale and the Russian government,” providing a 30-day window for a response.<\/p>\n
The Commission noted that it will evaluate the compliance of the aforementioned arrangements with sanction norms.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the European Commission emphasized that “cultural events financed with European taxpayers’ resources must protect democratic values.”<\/p>\n
The spokesperson added that these values “are not being complied with in today’s Russia.” According to the Financial Times, the European Commission had previously threatened in March to cut a three-year, \u20ac2 million grant provided to the Biennale, describing the decision to include Russia as “incompatible with the collective EU response to Russia’s brutal aggression.”<\/p>\n
Behind these developments lies the decision by Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco to allow Russia to open an exhibition in the national pavilion for the first time since 2022.<\/p>\n
The newspaper reported that this move has placed the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a “difficult position.” Biennale organizers, for their part, argued that they have “audited and complied with all national and international rules,” asserting that they acted within their authority. Meloni\u2019s office has not yet commented on the matter.<\/p>\n
Buttafuoco, who was appointed head of the Biennale in 2024, has resisted pressure from Brussels and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli to reconsider Russia’s participation.<\/p>\n
Buttafuoco cited a deep commitment to freedom of expression as the basis for his stance. Meloni stated last week that she did not agree with the decision but emphasized that the Biennale foundation is autonomous and that the government does not interfere in its operations.<\/p>\n
The Russian pavilion within the framework of the 61st Venice Biennale is titled “The Tree Taking Root in the Sky” and aims to showcase a multinational Russia.<\/p>\n
The pavilion will feature performances by artists from the Komi Republic, Yakutia, and other regions for several days. The pavilion opened in an invitation-only preview format and will remain open until May 8, after which recorded performances will be presented to broader audiences on large outdoor screens.<\/p>\n
Russia had not participated in the Venice Biennale since 2022. The country\u2019s return has triggered backlash from the European Union and Ukraine. Kyiv demanded that Moscow\u2019s participation be barred, while Brussels canceled the \u20ac2 million grant allocated for the exhibition.<\/p>\n
Mikhail Shvydkoy, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation, described the move by Brussels as a dishonorable attempt, political pressure, and an interference in the internal affairs of Italy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The European Commission has warned that the participation of Russia with a national pavilion at the Venice Biennale would constitute a violation of European Union sanctions. In letters sent to the organizers of the Biennale, as reported by the Financial Times, the Commission stated that expenditures made by the Russian delegation for its participation in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14820,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[18424,18428,18427,4303,2518,612,841,18426,12203,971,18423,683,822,18422,18425],"class_list":["post-14819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","tag-alessandro-giuli","tag-art-exhibition","tag-cultural-diplomacy","tag-eu-sanctions","tag-european-commission","tag-giorgia-meloni","tag-italy","tag-komi-republic","tag-mikhail-shvydkoy","tag-moscow","tag-pietrangelo-buttafuoco","tag-russia","tag-ukraine","tag-venice-biennale","tag-yakutia"],"yoast_head":"\n
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