"Valery Gergiev is a well-known supporter of Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin regime, he cannot play in Caserta".This was the appeal made by MEP Pina Picierno to the governor of Campania, asking for the famous Russian conductor to be removed from the concert season. However, Vincenzo De Luca responded that the concert will proceed as planned on July 27 at the Royal Palace of Caserta. De Luca reiterated that "culture and art are examples of how dialogue between individuals can develop and the principles of human solidarity can be fostered. We have always sought to promote and facilitate the meeting of people with various perspectives. We have supported the presence of Jews and Palestinians, as well as Russians and Ukrainians, while avoiding any crossover between politics and culture". Even his center-right opponents showed support: according to Fratelli d’Italia deputy leader Alfredo Antoniozzi, "Gergiev is an exceptional artist. If the Russians must bear the consequences of their president's errors, we are committing a form of cultural genocide. MP Picierno would probably ban Fyodor Dostoevsky from visiting Italy if he were alive today".