In an unprecedented move, Russia is banned from Europe’s biggest TV show over its war of aggression in Ukraine. The 66th Eurovision Song Contest is to take place without Russia.
GENEVA – Russia is banned from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Turin due to the invasion of Ukraine. This was announced by the responsible European Broadcasting Union EBU on Friday evening in Geneva.
The 66th ESC is scheduled to take place on May 14th with its grand finale. Germany wants to nominate its song next week.
The European Broadcasting Union, as the organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest, announced on Thursday that the ESC was a non-political, cultural event. “However, the EBU is concerned about the current events in Ukraine and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
After Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukraine had demanded that EBU member channels consider excluding Russia from this year’s ESC in Italy as early as possible. Other countries had also called for the exclusion. According to the responsible broadcaster Yle, Finland even threatened not to send a contribution to the ESC if the European Broadcasting Union did not ban Russia from participating. Yle said on Friday that the Russian attack on Ukraine violated all the values that it stands for, as do all other European broadcasters.
With Russia, 41 countries actually wanted to take part in the ESC 2022. The EBU has a maximum of 44 participants – but this number has never been reached before. Belarus remains banned from the competition following the suspension of broadcaster BTRC last year.
On February 16, Alina Pash resigned as Ukraine’s candidate. The background was open questions about a trip by the singer to the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2015. After Pash’s resignation, Ukraine is now sending the band Kalush Orchestra entitled “Stefania” to Turin. He still has to qualify in one of the semi-finals (May 10th and 12th). The Russian contribution had not yet been selected. dpa
