Citi Zēni, winner of the Latvian national selection, Supernova ,has requested EBU to reconsider the Russian participation in Eurovision 2022, after the invasion of Ukraine by their military forces.
The request was done with a statement on twitter:
Dear EBU Team
Citi Zēni on Twitter
“The sound of beauty” cannot become the “sound of war”.
The current agression & external politics conducted by the goverment of the Russian Federation are not acceptable to us. We stand united with the people of Ukraine and are strongly opposing the human suffering currently occurring.
Citi Zēni as the winners of the Latvian national selection & the Latvian representatives for the 66th Eurovision Song Contest are requesting you to reconsider the participation of the delegation of the Russian Federation in the upcoming event in May.
We believe that Eurovision is about peace, entertainment and love. It is completely in opposition with the politics currently conducted by the governing bodies of the Russian Federation. In our opinion it is not correct to be sending an artist to one EBU country, while an army is being deployed to another.
Sincerely hoping for action on the matter, Citi Zēni
Representatives of Latvia in the 66 Eurovision Song Contest
This thursday the Swedish national broadcaster, SVT, has asked EBU to reconsider the decisition to keep Russia as participant of Eurovision 2022. As the European organism said in a statement, it gave the welcome to Ukraine and Russia artists to perform in May in a “a non-political cultural event which unites nations and celebrates diversity through music.”. That statement was also a response to the petition of the Ukrainian broadcaster, Suspilne, to suspend the Russian broadcasters with EBU membership and the participation of the country in Eurovision.
