EBU confirms Ukraine's refusal to participate in Eurovision 2019
The respective comment has been published on the EBU's official website.
"It is with sadness that the EBU can confirm that Ukraine's broadcaster UA:PBC has informed the EBU that, following further discussions, they have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest," the statement reads.
It notes that there will be further discussions between the EBU and UA:PBC on this matter "but we hope to see them again in 2020."
Earlier, Head of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC) Zurab Alasania said that Ukraine would not participate in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.
As was reported earlier, singer Maruv (Hanna Korsun) earned the highest score among six contenders in the final of the Ukrainian national selection for Eurovision 2019 on February 23. This caused a scandal and questions about how performers giving concerts in Russia were admitted to the competition.
The winner of the national selection had to sign a participation contract with the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine. One of the terms of the contract was the refusal to give concerts in Russia, which Maruv scheduled for April. However, the Maruv team and the PBC did not agree on the terms of the contract, and the singer refused to participate in the contest.
The Freedom Jazz and Kazka bands, which took second and third places in the national selection, respectively, also turned down the offers to participate in the international song contest.
