Pina Picerno, Vice President of the European Parliament, is speaking out against the hiring of Ildar Abdrazakov at Verona’s Teatro Filarmonico.

The politician took to X and said, “First of all, let’s remember what we have already done, what we are doing now and what we will always do: fight together for democracy and against the propaganda of criminal regimes.”

She reposted an older post from 2024, where she also spoke out against Abdrazakov’s hiring at the Teatro San Carlo.

The statement comes after Abdrazakov was announced to open the Teatro Filarmonico’s new season in a production of “Don Giovanni,” marking his return to Italy. The Russian bass is a known supporter of Putin, who has been named General Director of the Sevastopol State Opera and Ballet Theater as well as a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art in Russia.

First of all, let’s remember what we have already done, what we are doing now and what we will always do: fight together for democracy and against the propaganda of criminal regimes

@yulia_navalnaya @rshaveddinov @Stefanocomics @arenadiverona https://t.co/gb9a0ZVLEy

— Pina Picierno (@pinapic) October 20, 2025

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