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EBU FLAG POLICY DITCHED AFTER COMPLAINTS
(source - http://www.aftonbladet.se)
After criticism, the EBU has done an about-turn with the Eurovision flag policy.
Eurovision's highest decision-making bodies on Friday changed the rules for which flags are permitted arena.
- All of the reference group has followed the debate in recent days. This was decided in the last two hours with mejlkonveresationer says Sietse Bakker, Event Manager for the Eurovision song contest.
The Sami flag and the flag of Wales would be prohibited inside the Globe during the broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest.
But the flag policy has attracted a lot of attention and anger over Europe, with the Basque Country flag having also being on the banned list.
Therefore, the Eurovision Song Contest highest decision-making body, the reference group, on Friday decided to change the flag policy.
- Gradually they come to the realization that it needed a more gentle way of looking at things. All of the reference group has followed the debate in recent days. This decision was taken during the last two hours, says Eurovision event manager Sietse Bakker.
Reference Group members discussed the flag of the policy via email and now made the decision to send out a statement about the changes to the flag policy:
An official statement from the EBU will read as follows :
After reflection and constructive talks with several participating delegations, the EBU proposed to the Reference Group (the Eurovision Song Contest’s governing body) to take a more liberal approach to the flag policy, which was introduced last week, and to allow national, regional, and local flags of the participants, e.g. the Welsh flag (as one of the UK singers is from Wales) and the Sami flag (as the Norwegian singer is originally from Sami heritage). This is in addition to the flags of all UN member states, the EU flag and the rainbow flag, as stipulated in the original flag policy.
The EBU also proposed to the Reference group to take a more tolerant approach to other flags, as long as the audience respects the non-political nature of the Eurovision Song Contest, and not deliberately attempts to obstruct the camera views, as requested.
The Reference Group approved the proposal
(source - http://www.aftonbladet.se)
After criticism, the EBU has done an about-turn with the Eurovision flag policy.
Eurovision's highest decision-making bodies on Friday changed the rules for which flags are permitted arena.
- All of the reference group has followed the debate in recent days. This was decided in the last two hours with mejlkonveresationer says Sietse Bakker, Event Manager for the Eurovision song contest.
The Sami flag and the flag of Wales would be prohibited inside the Globe during the broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest.
But the flag policy has attracted a lot of attention and anger over Europe, with the Basque Country flag having also being on the banned list.
Therefore, the Eurovision Song Contest highest decision-making body, the reference group, on Friday decided to change the flag policy.
- Gradually they come to the realization that it needed a more gentle way of looking at things. All of the reference group has followed the debate in recent days. This decision was taken during the last two hours, says Eurovision event manager Sietse Bakker.
Reference Group members discussed the flag of the policy via email and now made the decision to send out a statement about the changes to the flag policy:
An official statement from the EBU will read as follows :
After reflection and constructive talks with several participating delegations, the EBU proposed to the Reference Group (the Eurovision Song Contest’s governing body) to take a more liberal approach to the flag policy, which was introduced last week, and to allow national, regional, and local flags of the participants, e.g. the Welsh flag (as one of the UK singers is from Wales) and the Sami flag (as the Norwegian singer is originally from Sami heritage). This is in addition to the flags of all UN member states, the EU flag and the rainbow flag, as stipulated in the original flag policy.
The EBU also proposed to the Reference group to take a more tolerant approach to other flags, as long as the audience respects the non-political nature of the Eurovision Song Contest, and not deliberately attempts to obstruct the camera views, as requested.
The Reference Group approved the proposal