MOSCOW — Organizers of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest have disqualified
Belarus, ruling that its entry song — by a band whose lyrics have been deemed
in the past to mock anti-government protests — is in breach of competition
guidelines.
اضافة اعلان
Earlier this
month the organizers rejected an entry by Belarus, which has been gripped by
political crisis since August last year, as the submitted song mocked protests
against President Alexander Lukashenko.
The song, by
the band Galasy ZMesta, sparked a backlash from opposition figures in Belarus,
who have faced a violent crackdown during the protests.
After the
European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rejected the song, Belarus submitted another
option, by the same band. But late on Friday the EBU also turned that down.
It said in a
statement that it had “carefully scrutinized the new entry” and found it to be
“in breach rules of the competition that ensure the contest is not
instrumentalized or brought into disrepute.”
This means
Belarus will not be participating in the Eurovision Song Contest at all, the
EBU said. The contest takes place on May 18–22 in Rotterdam.
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