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EuroVision Song Contest: International Press Worries Over Baku 2012

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  • EuroVision Song Contest: International Press Worries Over Baku 2012

    OikoTimes.com
    July 1 2011


    International Press Worries Over Baku 2012

    EUROSIANET.ORG REPORTS

    Eurovision, the Super Bowl of European pop music, is headed next year
    to Azerbaijan, but questions linger about whether Baku has what it
    takes to host the annual celebration of glitz and electric tunes.
    Funds for infrastructure updates and pageantry are not at issue here.
    Rather, the biggest question is quickly becoming whether Azerbaijan
    can ensure the security of journalists, performers and fans from its
    neighbor-cum-foe, Armenia.

    The song contest's official website reported on June 29 that the
    European Broadcasting Union (EBU) held talks with Azerbaijan's public
    broadcaster, Ictimai TV, about the 2012 event. `EBU presented a
    detailed planning, venue requirements, information about security and
    accreditation...' to the Azerbaijani side, stated a release on the
    Eurovision website.

    Azerbaijan has yet to name the venue for the contest. Options include
    building a new arena.

    The EBU requested that the government provide security guarantees for
    everyone during the event, and freedom of expression in line with the
    European standard; something that is not Azerbaijan's strongest point,
    rights groups say.

    On June 27, the Azerbaijani government was described as a
    `Consolidated Authoritarian Regime' by Freedom House, an influential
    American civil rights advocacy group.

    Critics argue that two recent incidents similarly detract from
    Azerbaijan's Eurovision image.

    Bloomberg photo correspondent Diana Markosian, a dual Russian/American
    citizen, was deported from Azerbaijan this week, allegedly because she
    lacked accreditation. Markosian, however, maintains she was told it
    was because of her Armenian last name.

    Earlier on, a handful of men assaulted and beat American journalist
    Amanda Erickson and British human rights activist Celia Davis in Baku.
    Four male suspects have been arrested.

    For its part, the Azerbaijani government argues that its got tolerance
    down cold. Unidentified sources within the Ministry of Culture and
    Tourism told the pro-government-inclined News.az website on June 30
    that `Armenian representatives have equal rights with contestants from
    other countries in the contest and there are no special problems
    here.' Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Elkhan Polukhov gave
    similar assurances to Interfax-Azerbaijan.

    Armenia, in the meantime, has been on the fence about whether or not
    to send singers to Baku for Eurovision; a decision is expected `soon,'
    PanArmenian.Net reported the head of Armenia's Eurovision delegation
    as saying earlier this week.

    http://www.oikotimes.com/eurovision/2011/07/01/intl-press-worries-over-baku-2012/




    From: A. Papazian
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