Every fifth artist who received permission to go abroad is not returning to Ukraine.
This was stated by the Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochytskyi during the discussion ‘Ukrainian culture as one of the main tools of our victory’ within the New Country project by LB.ua and EFI Group, as reported by Ukrinform.
“Over the past few years, a system should have been established to allow artists to travel abroad. However, it does not exist. I have to review about 100 applications for departure daily, and as I am not familiar with most of these names, I must spend time searching for information. I should also note that one in five artists who has left does not return to Ukraine,” the minister said.
Tochytskyi also pointed out that each area of culture requires a separate strategy – for theaters, arts, libraries, etc. He assured that the ministry is working on this and will be ready to present five strategies by March 2025.
Additionally, it was reported that according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion by Russia, 46 Ukrainian servicemen had gone abroad for vacation and had not returned.