Organizers of "Eurovision" threaten to disqualify Armenia

The European Broadcasting Union has treated the demonstration of the flag of Nagorno-Karabakh on the air as violation of the rules of the "Eurovision-2016" song contest.

Let us remind you that on May 10, Iveta Mukuchyan, a participant from Armenia, raised the flag of Nagorno-Karabakh during the announcement of the voting results on the air of the "Eurovision-2016" song contest. Khikmet Gadjiev, the spokesman of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), has said that Azerbaijan will express its discontent in connection with the incident to the organizing committee of the song contest.

On May 10-14, Stockholm hosts the "Eurovision-2016" song contest. Viewers of the "Eurovision-2016" are forbidden to bring into the concert hall flags of a number of partially recognized and unrecognized states, including Nagorno-Karabakh.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), engaged in the organization of the song contest, has stated the appearance of the flag of Nagorno-Karabakh on the air is a "serious violation of the rules" of the song contest.

In connection with the incident, the EBU "has introduced a zero tolerance policy" at the song contest with regard to the Armenian delegation. Any further violation of the contest rules may result in disqualification from participation in the current or further song contests, states the official EBU report published on the Facebook on May 11.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.