Media: Ukraine threatened with suspension from Eurovision
If a decision is not reached in the near future regarding Russia’s participation in Eurovision, Ukraine may be excluded from the list of participants, stated Ingrid Deltenre, the Director General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is the organizer of Eurovision.
In an interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick, she called the ban of the Russian contestant “absolutely unacceptable.”
According to her, negotiations are now underway with the Prime Minister and President of Ukraine to find an “optimal solution.”
Later, Deutche Welle reported that the European Broadcasting Union confirmed the statements of Director General Ingrid Deltenre ,published in Blick ,concerning Ukraine’s “unacceptable actions”.
In response to an inquiry by Deutche Welle, the organizers responded that they are not responsible for comments made in the newspaper other than the direct quotations, particularly those concerning the fact that the EBU is considering the possibility of sanctions against Ukraine, and possibly of even excluding its participants from Eurovision.
“We are working hard to ensure that all 43 participants in Eurovision can perform at this year’s contest,” the European Broadcasting Union reported.
At the same time, if “one of the participants violates the rules of the competition,” then after the conclusion of the event, “certain measures would be considered” with regard to the offender, the EBU said.
Russia selected Yuliya Samoylova to participate in the contest. In 2015, in violation of Ukrainian law, Samoylova performed a concert in the city of Kerch in the annexed Crimea. Because of this, she has been banned from entering the territory of Ukraine.
The European Broadcasting Union proposed that her performance be done at a remote location and be broadcast via satellite during the competition. However, Channel One, to whom the proposal was made, rejected it.
Last week, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for Humanitarian Affairs Vyacheslav Kyrylenko stated that Russia can take part in Eurovision if they select a participant who has no legal issues in Ukraine. Russia, however, refused to change contestants.