Armenia As A Punished Child

We learnt yesterday that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has imposed a fine on Armenia for pulling out of Eurovision 2012 in Baku. According to the decision of the Union, Armenia will have to pay the participation fee and a fine equal to half of that sum and broadcast the song contest live without interruption.

The EBU stated that Armenia is fined because it withdrew late, only after the deadlines to pull out.

So, Armenia is fined for delay.

For months, the Public TV of Armenia was wondering to go or not to go to Baku when it was more than obvious that we could not participate in a show hosted by a country which keeps Armenian hostages, which kills Armenian conscripts and kidnaps Armenian citizens.

Moreover, Armenia had to urge other European countries not to attend the show because Azerbaijan is far from European values and it cannot host an event of the European family.

This appeal would hardly influence Eurovision 2012 but it would have been more logical than the hesitation to go or not to go to Eurovision at last followed by a decision to boycott and the obligation to pay a fine.

Actually, the Public Television of Armenia will pay the fine so it is the money of taxpayers since this TV is funded by the state budget.

Instead of decent boycott Armenia appears as a punished child.

One of the reasons is that along with attempts to silence liberal expression in Armenia by pseudo-nationalism official Yerevan actually failed to express a really national and state stance on Eurovision. Meanwhile there is no doubt that the decision to attend or not to attend Eurovision was made by the top government.