Oleh Psiuk, the frontman of this year's Eurovision winner group Kalush Orchestra, the former Eurovision winners Jamala and Ruslana, the Ukrainian Minister of Culture and the television company UA: PBC have previously in an open letter demanded that Eurovision be held in Ukraine.

This after the Eurovision organizer European Broadcasting Union, EBU, announced that the war makes it impossible to hold the competition in the winning country.

The criticism that followed came both from within Ukraine, but also from the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who considered that Ukraine deserved to host the competition.

But the criticism does not affect the decision, the EBU writes in a press release on Thursday.

"The rules, which all participating TV companies have agreed on, clearly state that the event can be moved in a 'force majeure' situation, such as an ongoing war," the organization writes, pointing out that no major international concert numbers are planned in Ukraine. during 2023.

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Boris Johnson: "They deserve it."

Photo: AP