Russia can participate in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, if it introduces a contestant that had not breached the Ukrainian law, and it is inadmissible to demand Ukraine to violate its own legislation, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Viacheslav Kyrylenko said.
“I can reiterate that Russia can participate in the 2017 Eurovision in Kyiv, if there is a contestant who hadn’t violated the Ukrainian legislation. And I believe, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland or any other member of the European Broadcasting Company, would adopt the very same decision. And it’s unprecedented and inadmissible to demand Ukraine to adopt an unprecedented decision to please Russia and in violation of its own laws and, besides, the norms of international law,” Kyrylenko’s press service cited him as saying on the Ukrainian Radio.
Ukraine is observing not only its laws, but also international ones, while Russian contestant Yulia Samoilova breached the Ukrainian legislation, he said.
“Unfortunately, Russian contestant Yulia Samoilova breached the Ukrainian law by performing in the annexed Crimea. When the issue is about Crimea, Ukraine is guided by all decisions of all international organizations, and no international organization recognized the annexation of Crimea. This is why we’re not only protecting our Ukrainian legislation, we are also following the norms of international law and defending the status of this international law in Ukraine,” the deputy prime minister said.
If Russia nominates another contestant, then their security, normal reception and stay will be ensured, as all other delegations, he said. Otherwise, Ukraine will host the Eurovision for 42 countries, the deputy prime minister said.
As reported, Russia selected Samoilova with the song called ‘Flame is Burning’ to participate in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. She has been using a wheelchair since childhood and has the group one of disability.
On March 22, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) adopted a decision impose a three-year entry ban on Samoilova as a person who had illegally visited Crimea on the grounds of the obtained information about her breaching the Ukrainian law.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) expressed a deep regret with this decision and said it intends to contact with Kyiv to ensure participation of all contestants.
On March 23, the EBU offered Samoilova to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest via videolink. But Channel One declined the EBU’s offer, saying that the organizers should ensure the singer’s participation in accordance with the contest regulations.
The Oikotimes media reported later about a letter of EBU Director General Ingrid Delterne. In her letter, she said that if the situation with participation of Russian contestant Samoilova is not resolved, it will jeopardize Ukraine’s further involvement in the contest. In her letter to Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, Deltenre calls on him to interfere with the situation surrounding Samoilova’s entry ban and make it possible for her to come to Kyiv in May.
