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Ukraine withdraws from Eurovision 2019 song contest

The National Public Broadcasting Company's board member said the decision was made "due to excessive politicization of the national selection"

© David Jones/CC BY 2.0/Flickr

KIEV, February 27. /TASS/. Ukraine will not participate in the Eurovision 2019 international song contest, the press service of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine informed on Wednesday.

"The National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine withdraws from the Eurovision 2019 international song contest," the message informs.

According to the company’s board member Alexandra Koltsova, "due to excessive politicization of the national selection" the broadcasters decided to withdraw from the Eurovision 2019 song contest.

Earlier, all three finalists of the Ukrainian national selection for Eurovision 2019 refused to participate in the contest. Members of the group Anna Maria publicly refused to render the events in Crimea in 2014 as "Russian aggression". Various Ukrainian officials also criticized another band that had reached the final, Yuko, whose member, Yulia Yurina, is a Russian citizen.

When Ukrainian singer Maruv came in first in the national selection, Ukrainian politicians urged her to cancel the tour planned in Russia. As a result, Maruv and the National Public Broadcasting Company failed to sign the contract that would allow her to take part in the contest. Other bands participating in the national selection, such as Freedom Jazz, Kazka, and Brunettes Shoot Blondes, refused to sign a deal with Ukrainian broadcaster out of solidarity with other participants.

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