Translated material
Channel One rejected the idea of Yulia Samoilova performing remotely at Eurovision
Channel One rejected the proposal of the European Broadcasting Union to organize a remote performance at Eurovision 2017 by the Russian participant Yulia Samoilova, who is banned from entering Ukraine.
“We consider the offer of remote participation strange and refuse it, since it, of course, contradicts the very essence of the event, the strict rule of which is live performance on the Eurovision stage,” the channel said in a statement received by the editors of Meduza.
The message also says that the European Broadcasting Union "should not invent new rules for the Russian participant in 2017 and is able to hold the competition in accordance with its own regulations."
“According to the rules of Eurovision, the broadcasting country must ensure that all participants “have the opportunity to obtain an entry visa for the entire period of the event.” Thus, the refusal of Yulia Samoilova to enter the territory of Ukraine violates the rules of the competition, ”the statement says.
- Ukraine banned Russian singer Yulia Samoilova from entering for three years because she performed in Crimea in 2015, having flown there from Moscow. Ukrainian legislation considers it permissible to enter the territory of the peninsula only from Ukraine.
- After that, the organizers of the competition from the European Broadcasting Union proposed for the first time in the history of the event to organize a performance by Samoilova via video link. Ukrainian authorities said the proposal also violated Ukrainian law, as "tours and TV shows involving persona non grata are prohibited in Ukraine."