Tarkan to Perform in Russia

Posted by Hatice Soylu from Istanbul, Turkey

Top trending news story on Turkish popstar Tarkan is that he will perform at a concert on 11 and 14 May in the Russian cities of Moscow and Kazan, according to daily Hürriyet's English language arm, the Daily News.

The event is being held as part of the cross-culture and tourism year, while other news wires claim that the artist is getting $1m to take part.

Selahattin Atalay, the organiser of the event, said they wanted to show their support for the social and cultural structure of Moscow.

Atalay said that Turkey holds great importance and attachment to the Republic of Tatarstan and Russia because of its common cultural links.

Posted up on the singer's official site, the singer will perform his first concert in Kazan at the Tatneft Arena.

The second will be held in Moscow at the Crocus City Hall.

“The concert was organized with the idea of integrating the Russian and Turkish people under the same roof, introducing our country, building a bridge of friendship and culture, and to make a positive contribution,” Atalay said.

Two years ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed an agreement to declare 2019 as the year of culture and tourism for Turkey and Russia.

It aims to highlight the importance of Russian and Turkish cooperation in political and business investments and opened on 8 April.

In December last year there had been stories in the press that Tarkan would be performing in Russia in 2019. Sputnik's Turkish language edition wrote about the possibility of a Tarkan concert to help strengthen ties between Ankara and Moscow.

Elsewhere, foreign language news sites have picked up the story of Tarkan's Russian visit, as multiple Turkish news wires claim that Tarkan asked for $1m for his two performances in May.

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