The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is the organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest, has reacted to blocking controversial Ukrainian singer MARUV, who was previously announced the winner of this year's national selection for Eurovision, from representing Ukraine in Tel Aviv, Israel, this May.
"Each participating broadcaster is responsible for the selection of their participant for the Eurovision Song Contest in accordance to the rules set out by the European Broadcasting Union," the EBU said, according to the official website of the Eurovision Song Contest.
"The broadcaster is currently in talks to announce the representative for this year's contest and once they are confirmed, [they] will be announced on the official Eurovision channels," it said.
Read alsoUkraine's public broadcaster blocks MARUV from representing country at Eurovision-2019
As UNIAN reported earlier, MARUV (Hanna Korsun) was to represent Ukraine at Eurovision Song Contest 2019, which will be hosted by Israel this year.
A major debate erupted among Ukrainians following the national selection where MARUV sealed the victory. Many were furious over the fact that the performer has been touring across Russia despite the Kremlin's aggression against Ukraine, and, moreover, had at least two gigs, in Moscow and St Petersburg, scheduled for this spring.
On her Facebook page, the singer wrote that in order to participate in Eurovision 2019, she was ready to cancel the earlier scheduled tour to Russia.
On Monday, February 25, it became known MARUV was not allowed to represent Ukraine in Tel Aviv, Israel, this May.
"The public broadcaster and MARUV, the singer who won the national selection for Eurovision, did not reach an agreement on the issue of her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 for a number of reasons," according to UA:PBC, a public broadcaster that is entitled to sign a corresponding contract with the potential participant.
