German consulate did not issue visa to Kobzon

Yesterday, Russian Duma deputy Yosef Kobzon publicly claimed that thanks to the intervention of the Russian president, he was issued a medical visa and planned to fly out for cancer treatment on 9 September. However, it emerged today that the German consulate had not issued such a document to the artist.

«Консульство Германии в Москве с изумлением узнало о том, что оно выдало медицинскую визу Кобзону по личному требованию Путина. (The German Consulate in Moscow was astonished to learn that it had issued a medical visa to Kobzon at Putin's personal request.)

Про оба события: про требование Путина и про факт выдачи визы, консульство узнало только из сообщений прессы. (The consulate learned of both events: Putin's request and the fact of the visa issuance, only from press reports.)

До прояснения ситуации посольство пока будет воздерживаться от комментариев. В любом случае о том, имеется ли у Кобзона шенгенская виза и кто ему эту визу выдал (если она имеется) станет известно в ближайшее время», - сообщил Андрей Шипилов. (Until the situation is clarified, the embassy will refrain from commenting for the time being. In any case, it will become clear in the near future whether Kobzon has a Schengen visa and who issued it to him (if he does),” said Andrey Shipilov.)

For now, the consulate has sent a query to find out who issued Kobzon the visa, while he himself, having bought two bottles of expensive whisky at duty-free, is touring the territories of the DNR and LNR.