The European Broadcasting Union has confirmed the decision to transfer the international song contest Eurovision 2023 to another country and will continue to discuss the issue of finding a suitable venue.
“The EBU fully understands the disappointment caused by the announcement that the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 cannot be held in Ukraine, this year’s winning country. The decision was dictated by the EBU’s obligation to ensure that conditions are met to guarantee the safety of all who work and participate in the event for which planning must begin immediately in the host country,” the organization said in a statement.
The Broadcasting Union stated that it is essential that decisions made regarding the contest are made by broadcast professionals and do not become politicized, and also stressed that the rules of the contest clearly state that the event can be rescheduled in force majeure situations, such as like an ongoing war.
“The EBU sought advice from an outside security expert who made it clear that the countermeasures proposed to mitigate threats when planning the event in Ukraine were insufficient for an international public event, and the assessment of the risk of a mass casualty event due to the ongoing conflict is “high” , the statement says.
In addition, the EBU says that in addition to security concerns, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine makes delegations and participants reluctant to travel to the country.
“As for the possibility of holding the Contest in a border area near a neighboring country, the technical characteristics of the proposed venues and the lack of the necessary surrounding infrastructure do not meet the requirements of Eurovision,” the Broadcasting Union emphasizes.
In this connection, the EBU has decided to move the event to another country and will continue to discuss the issue of finding a suitable venue for Eurovision 2023.
As reported, on June 14, the official kick-off meeting of the Eurovision organizers from Ukraine with the Supervisory Board, partners of the International Song Contest and the EBU core team took place, discussed the issues of guarantees and preparation activities, a security questionnaire, potential locations for the contest.
At the same time, on June 17, the EBU refused Ukraine to host Eurovision in 2023 after analyzing the security situation in the country. He also announced that he would start negotiations with the BBC about the possible holding of the competition in the UK.
After that, the Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko said that Ukraine did not agree with the nature of the decision on the impossibility of holding the Eurovision 2023 international song contest in the country, and demanded to change it.
In turn, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed the hope that Ukraine will be able to host the Eurovision Song Contest next year in 2023.
Later, Poland also stated that it did not agree with the decision of the European Broadcasting Union to deprive Ukraine of the right to host Eurovision 2023.
Based on the results of a comprehensive assessment and taking into account the ongoing war, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced the impossibility of holding the final Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine in May 2023 and will start negotiations on its organization in the UK, whose representative took second place following the Ukrainian group “Kalush” at Eurovision 2022.
“After an objective analysis, the Reference Group, the governing board of the Eurovision Song Contest, has concluded with deep regret that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees necessary for a broadcaster to run, organize and produce the Eurovision Song Contest in accordance with the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest , cannot be performed by the (national broadcaster) “UA: Suspіlne movlennya,” the EBU said on Friday on its website.
According to him, as a result of this decision, in accordance with the rules and to ensure the continuity of the event, the EBU will now start negotiations with the BBC on the possible hosting of the final stage of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in the UK.
The priority in negotiations with the possible hosts of Eurovision 2023 will be to reflect Ukraine’s victory in this year’s contest, the release notes.
In addition, the EBU thanked Suspіlna for cooperating and exploring all possible scenarios in the weeks following Kalush’s May 14 victory in Turin and promised support in a number of areas to ensure the company continues to provide services to Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra has reached the final of the Eurovision 2022 International Song Contest in Turin (Italy).
As the correspondent of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reports, on May 10, the first semi-final of the International Eurovision Song Contest 2022 was held in Turin.
17 participants performed in it, of which 10 were chosen who will fight for victory in the final of the competition.
The Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra with the song Stefania performed at number six.
According to the results of the first semi-final, Ukraine qualified for the final, which will take place on May 14.
As reported, on February 12, the national final of the selection for Eurovision 2022 was held in Kyiv. According to the results of the competition, it was determined that in 2022, performer Alina Pash will represent Ukraine at the international song contest with the song “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors”. Pash received 15 points (8 points from the jury and 7 points from the audience). The second place was taken by the group “Kalush Orchestra” (6 points from the jury and 8 from the audience), the third – the singer Wellboy (7 points from the judges and 6 from the audience). Roxolana, Barleben, Michael Soul, Cloudless and Our Atlantic also fought for the victory in the final.
After a series of conflict situations and scandals around this topic, Pash was disqualified for providing the organizing committee with a fake certificate from the State Border Service. In this regard, it was decided that the Kalush Orchestra would represent Ukraine at the competition.
In 2021, at Eurovision, Ukraine was represented by the electro-folk band Go_A, who took fifth place in the final of the competition.
In 2019, Ukraine did not take part in the competition due to public criticism of the singer Maruv because of her performance in the Russian Federation. The National Public Broadcasting Company and the winner of the 2019 National Selection refused to sign the contract.
Eurovision 2022 is taking place in Turin (Italy). The second semi-final will take place on May 12. The final of the competition will take place on May 14.
The Italian group Måneskin has won in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam with 524 votes.
The Ukrainian band Go_A with the song Shum took the fifth place with 364 votes.
The top three also included representative of France Barbara Pravi with the song Voilà, which received 499 votes, and representative of Switzerland, Gjon’s Tears, with the song Tout l’Univers, who scored 432 points.
