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MOSCOW – Organizers of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest have disqualified Belarus, ruling that its entry song, by a band whose lyrics have in the past been seen to poke fun at anti-government protests, violates competition guidelines.
Earlier this month, organizers rejected an entry from Belarus, which has been plagued by a political crisis since August last year, as the submitted song mocked protests against President Alexander Lukashenko.
The song, by the band Galasy ZMesta, sparked a backlash from opposition figures in Belarus, who have faced violent repression during the protests.
After the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rejected the song, Belarus presented another option, from the same band. But late on Friday, the EBU also rejected it.
It said in a statement that it had “carefully examined the new entry to assess its eligibility to compete,” but found that it “violates competition rules that ensure that competition is not exploited or discredited.”
This means that Belarus will not participate at all in the Eurovision Song Contest, EBU said. The contest takes place from May 18 to 22 in Rotterdam.
Opposition has grown in Belarus to Lukashenko’s government following the August elections that protesters say were rigged to extend his 27-year rule, sparking massive unrest and violent repression.
Human rights groups say more than 34,000 people have been detained. The government says it is being unfairly defamed. The president denies electoral fraud and has accused the West of sponsoring the protests. – Reuters
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