Eurovision doesn't matter you say? Well...

Nick 0208 Ldn

News 24
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Mar 10, 2004
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Eurovision Song Contest organisers say they may ban countries from the competition if broadcasters disclose information about voters' identities.

It comes after a number of people in Azerbaijan were questioned by police after voting for a song by neighbouring Armenia in this year's contest.

Phone companies had been responsible for protecting voters' details, but now broadcasters will shoulder the burden.

Sanctions against offending countries could be a ban of up to three years.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said the rule change was to ensure the protection of voters' privacy.

Last month, an Azerbaijani man told the BBC he had been accused of being unpatriotic and a "potential security threat", after he sent a text backing Armenia's song, Jan Jan.

'Totally unacceptable'

The country's authorities said people had merely been invited to explain why they voted for Armenia.

The two states fought over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in the 1990s.

The EBU's director general, Jean Reveillon, said violating the privacy of voters "or interrogation of individuals... is totally unacceptable".

As it does not have the ability to penalise telephone companies, the body said it would impose sanctions against broadcasters "for any disclosure of information which could be used to identify voters".

Banning a broadcaster would effectively stop a country from being able to take part.

Norway's Alexander Rybak won the contest this year, smashing the record for the most points awarded during the competition with 387.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Eurovision changes privacy rule



This was their entry in case you were curious >>
 
I've been to Azerbaijan, and to say they and Armenia don't get along is an understatement, despite no action for over a decade they are still at war and have trenches facing each other and sporadic shooting takes place. Armenia occupies part of Azerbaijan proper and has severed part of the country from the rest of it, whilst another part of Azerbaijan has declared itself an independent nation.

Incidentally, over the past few years Azerbaijan has been the fastest growing economy in the World- growing at around 40% in 2005 alone, this being due to half a dozen oil rigs in the Caspian Sea being built and sent through one of the World's longest pipelines through Georgia onto Turkey. Given this huge explosion of wealth Azerbaijan has spent billions on her military in recent years which many in the region fear will lead to all out war again.

So whilst it is absurd people are being questioned over this, you do need to know the context behind it.
 
Team Brian GB said:
I've been to Azerbaijan, and to say they and Armenia don't get along is an understatement, despite no action for over a decade they are still at war and have trenches facing each other and sporadic shooting takes place. Armenia occupies part of Azerbaijan proper and has severed part of the country from the rest of it, whilst another part of Azerbaijan has declared itself an independent nation.

Incidentally, over the past few years Azerbaijan has been the fastest growing economy in the World- growing at around 40% in 2005 alone, this being due to half a dozen oil rigs in the Caspian Sea being built and sent through one of the World's longest pipelines through Georgia onto Turkey. Given this huge explosion of wealth Azerbaijan has spent billions on her military in recent years which many in the region fear will lead to all out war again.

So whilst it is absurd people are being questioned over this, you do need to know the context behind it.
Click to expand...
Makes no difference if they're not at war.
 
It makes no difference anyway, it's a fecking singing competition! Voting for Armenia doesn't mean you're a spy for them.
 
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