THE BAND: Here is Belarus’s Galasy SZmestas, as the group is called. Foto: Eurovision Song Contest/Twitter
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Belarus will not be allowed to participate in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
It became clear Friday night after the Eurovision Song Contest writes that the country’s contribution to the competition is not within the guidelines.
The reason for this is that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) thought the contribution was too political. It was the group Galasy SZmesta’s song “Ya Nauchu Tebya” (“I will teach you”) that was to be sent from Minsk to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
The Belarusian broadcaster BTRC got first notice of the decision on March 10, and was given the opportunity to make a new contribution. But the new contribution is also not within the guidelines, informs Eurovision, and also this is disqualified.
The country will thus not have the opportunity to participate in the competition this year.
A statement dated March 11 also states that reactions to the song could bring ESC into disrepute since the competition should be apolitical.
According to German wave The band is known for making fun of the mass demonstrations against the country’s authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko
Norway introduced in October sanctions against Lukashenko. The measures include travel restrictions and freezing of financial resources.
Large demonstrations have marked Belarus after the country’s controversial presidential election on 9 August. In several of the demonstrations have over one hundred thousand people participated.
Eurovision is scheduled to take place in Rotterdam in the Netherlands in May, with a final on 22 May.
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