“It would violate the rules of the event”: Zelensky was not allowed to speak via video link at the Eurovision final

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not be able to participate via video message during the final of the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held on Saturday in Liverpool, UK, the organization said this Thursday.

“Zelensky’s request to address the audience of the Eurovision Song Contest, although made with laudable intentions, unfortunately cannot be granted, as this would violate the rules of the event,” the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is the organizer of the contest, stressed.

“One of the pillars of the competition is the non-political nature of the event. This principle prohibits political or similar statements during the competition,” the organizations added, quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Last year, Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Stefania” by the Kalush Orchestra.

As such, it was supposed to host the competition this year, but the war that devastated the country resulted in the organization deciding that runner-up Britain would be the host nation.

Ukraine’s victory was largely due to the popular vote. The country, which was invaded by Russia a few months ago, garnered a total of 631 votes, 439 of them by public vote.

This year’s final, which will be attended by representatives of 26 countries, will pay tribute to Ukraine: eleven Ukrainian artists will perform on stage, including the Kalush Orchestra, the EBU stressed.

Videos broadcast at night will show different parts of Ukraine.

A “symbol of hope” monument for Ukraine was also unveiled in Liverpool – an aluminum statue of a man with a book, from which a dove with the Ukrainian flag flies out.

Russia was excluded from the competition, as in the 2022 edition.

The final of the Eurovision Song Contest will be shown live on RTP1 at 20:00 in Lisbon.

Portugal was selected in the first semi-final last Tuesday with “Ai Coração” by Mimicat, along with themes from Croatia, Moldova, Switzerland, Finland, Czech Republic, Israel, Sweden, Serbia and Norway.

This Thursday, songs from Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland became the last ten finalists selected for the final of the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.

This year, 37 countries participate in Eurovision, but only 26 reach the final: the ten selected this Thursday, the ten selected on Tuesday in the first semi-final, the so-called “Big Five” (France, Germany, Spain, Great Britain and Italy) and Ukraine for winning last year.

The Russian military offensive into Ukraine, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).