Who is Igor Golod and what is the scandal at Rizzi

Igor Golod is a Ukrainian, resident of Germany.

“yoga/mixologist/halfmarathon/marathon/vegan/trailrun/ Trainer with USSR diplomas. Professional sportsman. personal couch. Motivator and magician” wrote Igor Golod in his profile.

Biography

Igor Golod was born in 1971 in Odessa, Ukraine. Now he is 52 years old.

In 2000 he moved to live in Germany.

In 2015, he began working as a bartender at the Rizzi restaurant in Baden-Baden.

Igor Golod has a wife, Inna, and two children: a daughter and a son.

My wife works in a sportswear store.

What is the scandal with Igor Golod in Rizzi

After Russian President Vladimir Putin staged an open full-scale war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Igor Golod posted a video on his Instagram page where he scolded the Russians.

As a result, the administration of the Rizzi restaurant decided to fire Igor Golod.

“Friends! The war of Russia against independent Ukraine reached the peaceful Baden-Baden in Germany. I was fired from the famous restaurant #rizzibadenbaden for peacefully protesting Russian aggression in Ukraine,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Namely, for anti-war posts on social networks. According to management, they cause reputational losses to the restaurant. Allegedly, Russian-speaking people do not want to come to the restaurant, because their employee supports Ukraine,” added Igor Golod.

“Yes, this is an expensive restaurant where, of course, no one wants to hear about the champagne war. But the democracy that is still operating in Germany presupposes freedom of speech, expression, and political views. And I have the right to wear a flag in support of my country. But it turns out that in Germany, as well as in Russia, it is also impossible to call war a war, ”the bartender writes.

According to him, he and his wife with great difficulty managed to take their relatives out of the war zone from Ukraine.

“They did not want to leave their country, the war forced them. They need our support now. But in Germany, we are not safe either. My wife was attacked, they write threats to me. In addition, I lost my income. I don’t have huge bills, I’m just a bartender,” wrote Igor Golod.

“The restaurant accused me of racism and fired me for it. I’m not a racist! I hate the idea of racism. I am against any discrimination, and I do not call for anything. And why did the words “Glory to Ukraine” become synonymous with the word “racism”, but “we are Russians, the force is with us” – no? I am 100% convinced that #rizzibadenbaden violated my rights. And I think that it is necessary to fight not only for ourselves, but also to prevent the recurrence of such situations in the future. Therefore, I call on the Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmitry Kuleba, to respond to what happened and help me restore justice. I also ask my friends in Germany to involve, if possible, local human rights activists and officials,” the bartender said.

How the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stood up for Igor Golod

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba stood up for Igor Golod.

“When I was Ambassador to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, I traveled several times to neighboring Baden-Baden in Germany. A picturesque, quiet, surprisingly elegant city. But also a German city with a surprisingly large number of Russians. They love Russia, but choose Germany for life,” Kuleba wrote on Facebook.

According to the minister, a glaring story has just happened there.

“Odessian Igor Golod, who worked at a local Rizzi restaurant, was fired for his video message to the Russians because of Russia’s war against Ukraine. According to available information, the management of the restaurant, oriented to the Russian-speaking population of Baden-Baden, did not like the truth about the thousands of dead Ukrainian civilians, more than a hundred killed children, dozens of cities destroyed as a result of the aggression of Russian troops,” the minister wrote.

“My signal to all putinfershteers – supporters of Putin in Germany and other countries – you are the same as the pilots of Russian planes that kill Ukrainian civilians,” Kuleba said.

According to the minister, with the tacit consent or open support of such people, Ukrainian children have been hiding in basements from Russian bombs for 27 consecutive days.

“Already 117 children have died and 155 children have been injured. Adults cannot bury their loved ones due to artillery shelling. You are also responsible for the war crimes of the Russian army in Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy, Volnovakha, Kherson, and other parts of Ukraine,” the minister wrote.

“Rizzi, you in Baden-Baden are worried about your reputation in the eyes of Russian-speaking customers. And you must understand that right now your reputation has come to an end. And even the most effective German detergents will not wash off the blood of the innocently killed from your hands and from your restaurant,” Kuleba believes.

As for Mr. Golod, according to the minister, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is already providing Ukrainian citizens with the necessary consular assistance.

“We provided legal advice in connection with a lawyer and the mayor’s office in order to protect the legitimate interests of a Ukrainian employee. And we won’t back down as long as he needs our help. The Ukrainian state will not allow anyone to offend its citizens. Neither in Ukraine nor abroad. We at the Foreign Ministry will react harshly to cases of disrespect. And not only us, but, I am convinced, every citizen who will now do what is in his power, for the sake of justice, ”Kuleba wrote.