ESC organizers: abnormalities in the second semi-final | free press

by time news

Did everything go right when the points were awarded in the second semi-final? According to the European Broadcasting Union, violations of the rules are taken very seriously.

Turin/Geneva.

The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) found irregularities in a vote after the Grand Prix in Turin. The second semi-final is affected, as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced on Friday.

The statements of the organizers indicate that the juries of some participating countries could have awarded each other points.

“Irregular voting patterns” were recognized in the votes cast by the juries of the six participating countries Azerbaijan, Georgia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania and San Marino. The representatives of these six states sang about the finals on Thursday a week ago. Only Romania, Azerbaijan and Poland advanced. The EBU did not say whether the countries were threatened with consequences and which ones. This is currently being discussed with the members and an ESC committee, said a spokesman on Friday when asked by the German Press Agency.

18 nations competed

A national jury at the ESC cannot vote for their own country. According to the EBU, four of the six juries, namely Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and San Marino, rated five of the other countries among the top five. Montenegro placed the five other countries in the top six and Poland placed them in the top seven. The voting is considered irregular because the other jury countries rated five of these six countries worse than seventh place.

A total of 18 nations competed in the second semi-final. The juries of these countries voted on the performances and additionally the jurors from Germany, Great Britain and Spain. “An irregularity in jury voting patterns of this magnitude is unprecedented,” the EBU continued. The votes of the jury in the countries and the viewers are essential for the success of the show, which is why the EBU takes any violation of the rules very seriously, the statement said.

In the night from last Saturday to Sunday, Ukraine won the 66th ESC in Turin with the Kalush Orchestra and “Stefania” with a record number of points in the audience voting (439). Germany with Malik Harris and “Rockstars” ended up in last place 25 with six points. Only viewers from Austria, Switzerland and Estonia gave the 24-year-old two points each. (dpa)

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