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HOW MUCH EUROVISION CAN BAKU HANDLE?
Giorgi Lomsadze
EurasiaNet.org
July 1 2011
NY
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.
Giorgi Lomsadze
EurasiaNet.org
July 1 2011
NY
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.