Every year the Eurovision song contest is an outstanding calendar event for SBS especially as for the third year Australian singers take part in the festival, and for the last two years in the official competition program. Unfortunately, this year the excitement was over clouded by the decision of the Ukrainian Security authorities to ban the entrance to Ukraine of Russian disabled singer Julia Samoylova. EBU the main producer of Eurovision expressed its deep disappointed in this decision, which as it says, goes against both the spirit of the Contest, and the notion of inclusivity. This week EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre has also expressed the deep concern, and called the Ukrainian authorities ban unacceptable. However, in an angry row ahead of the kitsch song contest in May to be hosted in Kiev, Ukraine has barred Russia's 27-year-old singer Yuliya Samoilova over illegally entering Moscow-annexed Crimea for a 2015 performance. More on this story by Odysseas Kripotos. Interview by Sima Tsyskin
Share
