Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture of Ukraine, GuardHe said the European Broadcasting Union had indeed turned down his request to give the floor to President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to Tkachenko, he was “surprised” and “confused” by the decision of the Eurovision organizers, who feared jeopardizing the “non-political nature” of the contest.
Tkachenko said he applied to the European Broadcasting Union on May 6 and was rejected by email two days later. “I’m confused. And frankly, I’m not the only one surprised by this decision,” he said.
The Ministry of Culture also denied that the attempt to perform in the Eurovision 2023 final came from Volodymyr Zelensky. According to Tkachenko, the President of Ukraine was unaware of this request. “The situation is exceptional and it would be wise to include a short and pre-recorded greeting from the president of the country that is supposed to host the final of the Eurovision Song Contest,” he added.
Eurovision 2023 winner it happened Singer Loreen (Lauryn) from Sweden. She became the second player in the history of the competition to win twice.