Ukraine: Minister of Culture asks EBU to reverse its Eurovision 2023 host country decision!
Ukraine, through its Minister of Culture and Director General of Public Television Suspilne, is requesting an official statement from the EBU, which Ruslana, along with Kalush Orchestra singer Oleh Psiuk, is reversing its decision on the country. which will host Eurovision 2023.
Ukraine, through its Minister of Culture, is requesting the official statement from the EBU about the decision on the country, which will host Eurovision 2023. In this statement signed by Eurovision winners Ruslana and Oleh Psiuk (frontman of Kalush Orchestra) and Mykola Chernotytskyi, the director of state TV channel Suspilne, the minister called for further talks about hosting Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine.
The minister’s statement:
“In response to the published statement of the European Broadcasting Union on the impossibility of hosting Eurovision – 2023 in Ukraine, we want to emphasize the following.”
“Ukraine does not agree with the nature of such a decision – when we were confronted with the fact without discussion on other options. But we strongly believe that we have every reason to hold further negotiations in order to find a joint solution that will satisfy all parties.”
“We honestly won Eurovision and have fulfilled all the condition within the deadlines for the process of approving its holding in Ukraine — we have provided answers and guarantees on safety standards and possible venues for the competition.”
“Hosting Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine is a strong signal to the whole world that it supports Ukraine now. We will demand to change this decision, because we believe that we will be able to fulfil all the commitments, as we have repeatedly [emphasised to] the European Broadcasting Union.”
“That is why we demand additional negotiations on hosting Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine.”
Apart from signing the minister’s statement, CEO of Suspilne Mykola Chernotytskyi released another one himself.
“We are disappointed with this decision of the EBU. During this month, a large number of people in Ukraine have thrown all their efforts to fulfil the conditions for holding Eurovision in our country. Security is, of course, our first priority. The team of UA: PBC, state and local authorities did a thorough job and offered different options. It is a pity to see such an unappealable statement, therefore, we ask our partners to hold further negotiations.”
According to Chernotytskyi, Ukraine had proposed three different possibilities: hosting in Kyiv, Lviv or Zakarpattia. These last two are close to the borders with Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, and have not been under continuous attacks during the war.
Eurovision’s organising body the European Broadcasting Union has confirmed that Ukraine will not host the 2023 contest. In a statement released on Friday 17 June, the EBU said that discussions will now begin with the United Kingdom.
Stay tuned in Eurovisionfun for all the updates!
