The Times reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been prevented from addressing the 160 million people who will watch Saturday’s grand finale.
Ukraine won the competition last year and under normal circumstances would have hosted this year. But the country is still under attack from Russia.
The EBU, which organizes the Eurovision Song Contest, has long held the position that the competition should be free of politics, and while this year’s event reflects Ukrainian culture, it was felt that a speech by President Zelenskyy would add to the spirit of the competition would object.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is an international entertainment show and is subject to strict rules and principles that have been established since its inception. One of the cornerstones of the competition is the non-political nature of the event,” said a spokesman.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Zelenskyy’s request to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, although made with laudable intentions, cannot be granted as it would violate the rules of the event.”
It’s not the first time the President has had such a request denied. He was rejected by the Oscars in March and by Italy’s Sanremo music festival, which selects the country’s Eurovision entrant, in February.