technical difficulties
The live commentary from the professional jury encountered interruptions due to technical problems. For Azerbaijan, the audience was told that a representative of the European Broadcasting Union would announce the results instead of the host Narmin Salmanova. Similar disruptions were reported in several other countries, including Georgia, highlighting broader technical challenges during the broadcast.
During the live voting sequence, the on-screen tally showed England receiving 12 points from Azerbaijan, Italy 10, Sweden 8, Portugal 7, Ukraine 6, Spain 5, the Netherlands 4, and France 3. Greece earned 2 points, while Poland received 1. The results were read aloud, but subsequent discussions about the voting emerged after the broadcast concluded.
Right after the event, discussions about the Azerbaijani voting results continued on the program Sabaha saxlamaq, broadcast live on İTV. Narmin Salmanova later expressed astonishment at the on-screen voting table, noting it did not reflect the actual tallies.
Georgian protest
Eurovision’s official site records that the Georgian jury awarded the maximum 12 points to Great Britain, which finished second overall, while Ukraine received only 6 points. At the same time, Georgian viewers gave Kalush Orchestra the full 12 points. Georgian Public Broadcasting denied claims that the Georgian jury, in contrast to the audience, undercut Ukraine with low scores during Eurovision 2022 voting.
Notarized documents allegedly sent to the competition organizers indicated that the Georgian national jury placed Ukraine first with 12 points. The Georgian side is actively seeking clarification from Eurovision organizers while the contest site continues to display the earlier results.
The reaction of the Greek delegation
TVR reported that Yuliana Marchuk, head of the Romanian delegation, argued that the Romanian jury should have given Moldova the highest marks rather than Ukraine. Misreadings within the juries led to Moldova receiving no points from Romania, which was later addressed through official explanations. In the late stages of preparation for the second semi-final, the European Broadcasting Union acknowledged that several voting patterns appeared incorrect and stated that any attempted manipulation would be treated seriously. The organization reserves the right to nullify votes in accordance with official voting rules if such actions are detected, regardless of potential effects on the final ranking.
Kalush Orchestra victory
The Eurovision Song Contest 2022, staged in Turin on May 14, concluded with Ukraine winning the title by collecting 631 points from both professional juries and viewers. Kalush Orchestra won with the song Stefania. England finished in second place with 466 points. After the initial tally, Kalush Orchestra initially appeared to sit in fourth place, but audience votes propelled the group to a decisive victory. Following the performance of Stefania, the Ukrainian lead singer addressed a call for support for Ukraine. While Eurovision rules prohibit political statements from the stage, the European Broadcasting Union described this moment as a humanitarian gesture rather than a political act.