Dyadya Vanya’s Concert in Gomel Canceled after His Comments on Elections

Voices from Belarus
2 min readAug 3, 2020

After the statements of the singer and showman Dyadya Vanya (Ivan Vabishchevich) regarding the presidential election, his concert in Gomel, scheduled for Independence Day, was canceled.

Ivan Vabishchevich

The concert was supposed to be held on July 3 on the Sozh embankment. There were posters, the announcement of the concert was published on the website of the state newspaper Gomelskaya Pravda.

The artist cannot comment on whether the cancellation of the concert is related to his statements about the situation in Belarus. “I did not go into details,” the signer said. “We are all smart people.”

“I am proud of those who, despite obstacles and difficulties, fed, helped, and continue to help doctors. I am proud of doctors who, despite all the difficulties and “so-called” state support, continue to heal, save people, and not spare themselves. I am proud of those who were not afraid to say no, even when they faced dismissal. It turned out that not everyone can be fired or imprisoned. I am proud that many have already made their choice. I am proud that more and more people are starting to think and reflect. More people who have become honest with themselves!” he posted on Instagram.

The musician also said that he will go to the presidential election to vote for the candidate he considers worthy, and he hopes that everyone will do so.

Commenting on the latest events in the country and the actions of the authorities, he noted: “In my opinion, this is fear. And one who is afraid cannot lead people. Fear is contagious. I won’t even go into details about who is more afraid — the one above or the one below… It doesn’t matter anymore. Change is needed!”

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Voices from Belarus

Stories of people hoping for a democratic Belarus. Created, translated and moderated by a collective of independent authors.