Why isn’t Volodymyr Zelensky allowed to speak at Eurovision?
THE Grand Final of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will take place on Saturday, May 13. after Ukraine’s win the previous year.
Ukraine is the reigning champion but their President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been barred from speaking at the event.
Why isn't Volodymyr Zelensky allowed to speak at Eurovision?
Volodymyr Zelensky requested to make a video appearance at the the Eurovision final in Liverpool.
However his request to address the 160 million strong audience was declined by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU),
It was reported that the President wanted to urge backing for Ukraine amidst the ongoing fight against Russia.
The EBU, the contest producers, described his request as having “laudable intentions”.
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There statement said the ban was made “to protect the non-political nature of the Eurovision Song Contest”.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak commented that he was “disappointed” by EBU’s decision to prevent Zelensky from speaking.
BBC Eurovision commentators Rylan Clark said: “At the end of the day we are commentators so we don’t get involved in show format.
";I just think Eurovision, people say it is political – votes here, votes there.
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“From being on the inside it is the least political experience you could ever have, actually.”
Fellow presenter Scott Mills added: “People always ask, ‘Do you think it is political?’ It really isn’t. It is a song contest.”
The Eurovision Song Contest should have been held in Ukraine in 2023 after the country's winning entry in 2022, but organisers changed the location to Liverpool instead.
Ukraine’s national broadcaster UA:PBC said in October 2022 that it was unable to host the contest on safety grounds due to the conflict.
What has Volodymyr Zelensky said about Eurovision?
Speaking of the decision to host the final in the UK, Zelensky had said he would have preferred it to be held in a country that bordered Ukraine.
He had suggested either Poland or Slovakia would have been better choices than the UK as it would have allowed Ukrainian citizens easier access to watch the contest live.
Who is performing for Ukraine at Eurovision?
Electronic music duo Tvorchi will represent Ukraine at the 2023 Eurovision.
The twosome formed in 2018 in the western city of Ternopil in Ukraine and consist of vocalist Jeffery Kenny and producer Andrii Hutsuliak.
Ukraine were the previous winners at Eurovision 2022 with the song Stefania performed by the group Kalush Orchestra.