Ministry of Culture Dismisses Director of the Rebellious Theater
The Ministry of Culture has dismissed Davit Doiashvili, director of the Vaso Abashidze Music and Drama Theater, citing the theater’s failure to fulfill its “founding objectives.” The decision comes as the theater and its troupe have played a prominent role in ongoing pro-European, anti-GD protests.
In a statement, the Ministry claimed that “the creative activities of the theater should be carried out as continuously as the financing of the theater from the state budget” adding that a state professional theater “has a legal obligation to fulfill the purposes for which it was established by the state.” It noted that the theater’s leadership had disregarded repeated official warnings and continued to suspend the activities.
The theater’s actor Andro Chichinadze has been in detention since police arrested him on December 5 during the pro-EU protests. In response, the theater announced a strike and issued an ultimatum to the ruling Georgian Dream party, demanding Chichinadze’s release by January 21 – a deadline that passed without action.
On January 23, artists gathered at the theater to stage a symbolic performance and present a manifesto condemning the arrest of Chichinadze. Doiashvili declared that the theater would cease its usual activities and planned productions and tour Georgia’s regions, meeting with citizens and campaigning for freedom of expression. He stated that along with the detained protesters, “Georgian culture is also imprisoned.” The theater has visited many regions of Georgia with performances as part of the protest.
Doiashvili’s dismissal has drawn immediate backlash from artists, cultural figures, and civil society, many of whom view Doiashvili’s dismissal as politically motivated. For expressing solidarity with Doiashvili, many gathered near the theater.
Actor Bacho Kajaia called the move “another wave of repressions” of the GD government, while director Data Tavadze described it as “the biggest attack on Georgian culture” in recent history.
Nestan Tsetskhladze, editor-in-chief of Netgazeti, also weighed in, characterizing the decision as “shocking and infuriating.” She asserted that Doiashvili was being targeted for expressing dissent against the ruling GD party.
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