Why did Bilan withdraw?

Some days ago it was announced that the winner of Eurovision 2008, Dima Bilan, withdrew from HET GROTE SONGFESTIVALFEEST 2019 which will take place on December 15th. Event organizers explained to oikotimes.com  the reason why Dima Bilan came up with this decision:

“Hi, unfortunately, we must inform you that Dima Bilan has broken the contract and will not attend the concert for two reasons: First, he because he wasn’t the only Russian artist in the show and second because his name was not sufficiently big in the poster.”

After all the drama caused by this announcement, Dima Bilan explained himself his version of the story in his Instagram account. Here’s what he said:

“In the first person I want to write about some slight agitations, about my refusal to go to Holland for a big, popular concert with Eurovision stars! A concert that may not be related to the official concerts of Eurovision itself! The organizer of this event came to me with a list of Eurovision winners and I agreed, having on mind my frequent performances, for example, in London with Graham Norton, an excellent show that was broadcast on British channels. Then, I realized that it’s about a mass concert and it doesn’t have the “all Eurovision winners” stamp in it. The atmosphere and status of the concert itself changed, and we, to put it mildly, stayed in the delusion of the previous list. Being organized and in advance, on November 15, I proposed to the organizers, in civilized manner, to discuss the termination of the contract with the agreement of the parties. Moreover, even then, on the scales was a charity evening on December 15th, in favor of which I took this decision.

I don’t understand the reason why, to cheat with posters. The organizers sent me a specific one, but in social media they shared a different one. I don’t care about it, I don’t suffer from underestimation syndrome, this for kids’ amusement. But there are unspoken rules, if you see the least swindle in organization, then the trust immediately disappears! I have been working for a long time with international companies and I know how it has to be done. And the affair with the posters became one more reason for my insistent request to discuss the termination of the contract. It’s absolutely wrong, that organizers decided to inform people now, they might have bought tickets for me too! Why now this hype, 3 days before the concert?

The hype that rises in this moment makes me think, that someone, with this supposed scandal, wants to raise the sales of the tickets. It seems like for someone this isn’t a strange thing to do. It’s strange to put my words and my desires under any doubt, as long as I am absolutely an adherent of Eurovision, and I simply cannot be ungrateful to the contest! And of course there is definitely no antagonism in the fact that artists from Russia participate there, and especially about Sergey Lazarev, with whom we often meet at various venues. But I can’t take part to the concert, because due to my proposal to discuss about this situation, organizers just handed over tickets and requested compensation.

I was little surprised at this kind of request, so I agreed with a great fund to take part in a charity concert in 15th of December, they’re doing great things in sphere of charity.

I appeal to my favorite fans, that I’m ready to be and live on the stage even with broken legs for them: If you want to meet me and see my show, next year I’ll go on tour to Germany!

I’ll be happy to see you!”

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От первого лица хочу написать про легкие волнения,по поводу моего отказа ехать в Голландию на кассовый концерт звёзд Евровидения ! Концерт, который, возможно, не имеет отношения к официальным концертам самого евровидения @eurovision ! На меня вышел организатор этого мероприятия со списком участников- победителей Евровидения и я согласился ,проведя параллель с моими нередкими выступлениями, например, в Лондоне с грэммом Нортон @thegrahamnortonshowofficial – отличным шоу, которое транслировалось на британских каналах. В этом же случае, я понял, что концерт, все-таки, абсолютно сборный и в нем нет грифа «все победители Евровидения», некая атмосфера и статус самого концерта поменялся, а нас, мягко говоря, ввели в заблуждение первичным списком. Я в организованном порядке , заблаговременно, 15 ноября цивилизованно предложил организаторам ,обсудить вопрос расторжения договора по согласию сторон. Тем более уже тогда на чаше весов был благотворительный вечер 15 го декабря, в пользу которого в конечном итоге пал мой выбор. ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ ТЕКСТА В ПУБЛИКАЦИИ! ЛИСТАЙТЕ! #билан #димабилан #биланперезагрузка !

A post shared by Dima Bilan (@bilanofficial) on Dec 11, 2019 at 10:48am PST