The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), continues to investigate options to ensure Russian contestant Yulia Samoilova’s participation in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, EBU Senior Communications officer Dave Goodman told on Thursday.
Kiev earlier responded negatively to the suggestion to broadcast her song during the contest. When asked if there were any options that could provide Samoilova with an opportunity to participate, Goodman said that “we are continuing our dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities with the ambition to have all artists present to perform in host city, Kiev, which is, of course, our preferred option.”
“However, in case the travel ban on Julia Samoylova is upheld, we have to investigate alternative options,” he added.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kirilenko earlier wrote on Twitter that broadcasting Samoilova’s song during the Eurovision Song Contest would be against Ukraine’s law.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Channel One rejected the EBU’s proposal to arrange a satellite broadcast of Samoilova’s performance. “We believe the remote participation proposal to be strange and reject it. It is undoubtedly contrary to the very idea of this event,” Channel One said in a statement.