YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—The Armenian Public Television on Wednesday officially told the European Broadcasting Union that it was pulling out of the annual Eurovision Song Contest, which is scheduled to be held in Baku, reported ArmRadio.
Armenian Public Television accused Azeri President Ilham Aliyev of making hostile remarks in recent days.
“Despite the fact that the Azerbaijani authorities have given security guarantees to all participating countries, several days ago the Azerbaijani president made a statement that enemy number one for Azerbaijan were the Armenians,” the TV said in a statement.
In a speech February 28, Aliyev told local governing body officials that “Our main enemies are Armenians of the world and the hypocritical and corrupt politicians under their control.”
Last month, a group of Armenian pop singers launched a Eurovision boycott campaign, saying: “We refuse to appear in a country that is well known for mass killings and massacres of Armenians, in a country where anti-Armenian sentiments have been elevated to the level of state policy. “There is no logic to sending a participant to a country where he will be met as an enemy.”
“We are truly disappointed by the broadcaster’s decision to withdraw from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest,” said the Contest Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand on behalf of the EBU.
Consequently, only 42 countrieswill be represented at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku. In each Semi-Final, 18 countries will be represented, whereas France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and host country Azerbaijan are automatically qualified for the final.
Finally, that’s a good decision. It would be foolish to send our artists in this corrupted and criminal country that is Azerbaijan.
typo… it’s azerbokjian.
No.. It’s Hodadz Baljan.
Good! It’s all a bunch of BS anyways….
So her lawyers will be the fall guys.
So if a thief gets caught the thief can blame his theft on his lawyers. Laughable.
She broke the law and losing her congressional seat is not the answer. She has to be reprimanded and thrown into the slammer.
I think this woman and Hillary can become good friends in state prison.
First of all what in hell’s name is Azerbaijan in Eurovision for? If Azerbaijan is in it, then why not Turkmenistan? Europeans are priding themselves of not being ‘racists’ – if they want to prove this, then they need to include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, etc in Eurovision as well.
Second of all, Azerbaijan being a terrorist country, a boycott of this shameless terrorist state is a necessity. These savages have taken enough Armenian lives, we don’t need to give them more opportunities to practice their criminal behavior.
Furthermore, any Armenians visiting these terrorists would be an insult to all the fallen heroes of Artsakh. We Armenians need Azerbaijan like we need the plague!
Right decision!
In Azerbaijani there is a Nazi like anti-Armenian propaganda on the heights level – Europe tries to ignore the rallies and actions of fascist regime in Baku!
Eurovision 2012 in Baku is similar to Hitler’s Olympic of 30´s in Hitler´s Germany
We should have gone there and won. That’s the way to deal with scum like that. Running and hiding is not the way of winners.
That’s great !!! Thank god !! Our Artists are not safe !! And don’t need to lower themselves !!
Finally Armenian common sense prevails.
Let this be a blunt message to those European countries who endorsed Azerbaijan and made those savge Azeris part of their community.
Officials in Stepanakert as well Armenia should send brochures/DVDs and inform other 42 ESC countries about Nagorno-Karabakh and warn them about the high possibility being used as a propaganda tool against Arstakh Armenia and against Armenian people as whole
Armenians traveling as an EU or Russian citizen should take the flags of Armenia and Artaskh with!
is in eurovision because of those couple drops of oil and that wont be to long.
Excellent decision! If there is so much hate towards Armenians then why sending our artist to Azerbaijan. On the other hand, I’m glad that I’m not going listening to another stupid “so called Armenian” song. Was it last year a lady with big b***s singing something about apricot in English?
I can’t understand how Democratic and Freedom lover countries accept to participate in a contest, that is governed by a dictator and a corrupt politicians.
We never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, are we?
Here was a golden opportunity for Armenian artists to go to our avowed enemy’s capital city to participate in a European song contest and show the world, as well as the local audiences, their unmistakable talents.
What better way to show Azeris and millions of European listeners, that music always trumps hate, than for an Armenian singer or group to get on stage in Baku and fill that auditorium with a beautiful and authentic Armenian melody! Wouldn’t that be a better “in your face” response to Aliyev and other haters of our noble race, than sheepishly withdrawing? Wouldn’t it be more honorable, despite obvious risks, to show Azeris that Armenians are not afraid to come to Baku and take their rightful place in the contest?
I know that there are serious concerns about the well being and safety of Armenian artists if they travel to Baku and I respect the right of every individual Armenian to make their own judgment about those risks.However, if an Armenian delegation went to Baku for Eurovision,where I’m pretty sure hundreds of journalists, as well as European officials will be present, every adversity towards Armenians would be thoroughly and widely reported, thus reflecting negatively on the Azeri hosts.This prospect will ensure that the Azeri authorities work overtime to make sure nothing bad happens to the members of the Armenian delegation. By not showing up, Armenians are not only freeing the Azeri authorities of this burden and allowing them to present Armenians as quitters and whiners, but also to highlight their “superior” culture to Eurovision audiences worldwide, unencumbered with the presence of the real masters of music in that part of the world.
One more thing:The Armenian Public Television cites as some of the reasons for their decision to boycott the Eurovision contest in Baku the anti – Armenian venom emanating from the Azeri authorities, as well as the generally hostile atmosphere in that country. All true! But is there a more venomous anti – Armenian than the P.M of Turkey and his ilk, who don’t miss any opportunity to denigrate and threaten Armenia and Armenians? And is there a more hostile and unwelcome place on earth for Armenians than that God-forsaken genocidal country called Turkey? Yet, Armenia gladly sends its best and brightest athletes and artists to compete in tournaments and perform in that country.Not to mention the thousands of ordinary Armenians who spend their hard earned drams vacationing in “Turkish paradise”.
It would be refreshing if someone,preferably someone in the know, sheds some light on this obvious contradiction.
The reasons for pulling out are understandable but dubious. That the Azeri president should regard Armenia as the country’s number one enemy is no surprise to anyone. (Incidentally, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are considered geographically part of Europe; countries like Uzbekistan are not.) But pulling out misses an opportunity. Azerbaijan got into serious trouble with the European Broadcasting Union in the past over the way they treated people who were thought to have voted for an Armenian song. Now actually hosting the contest, they would have had to treat the Armenian delegation with absolute correctness, ensure there were no audience problems and so on. Could they have done it to the EBU’s satisfaction?
yes, I could see the some vision upgrading among Armenians at home, after Levon Aronian’s brave and patriotic open letter to FIDE boycotting any upcoming world chess championship in Baku, now this, it will be odd and unusual even for Europeans serene and seemingly impartial minds that while Azeri snipers are doing their best to blow our young conscript lads heads, our girls will be singing and dancing and shaking their bottock and tits in front of the same bloodthirsty Azeris boys in Baku, really obnoxious even to think of it!
Eurovision should reschedule the show somewhere else. This is a perfect example why parts of Asia and Africa have not progressed socially enough to participate in European competitions. Any country that does what Azerbaidjian does, should be disqualified.
A few days ago the Azerbaijani President “made an exclusion” for one of those countries, announcing that world-spread Armenians are No.1 enemies of Azerbaijan.
Its the right decision.
Well said. In contrast, I’m wondering, who is No. 2 enemy of Azerbaljan?
Good to see we are not in it. I wouldn’t want to see an embarrassing performance like last year.