St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv has been dropped as the location for the Opening Ceremony of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017.
The Authorities in Kyiv have refused permission to use St. Sophia Cathedral as the location for the Opening Ceremony of Eurovision 2017. The selection of the Cathedral as the location of the Opening Ceremony in September had caused a large conflict between the contests organisers and the religious community in Kyiv. Despite St. Sophia Cathedral not being used as an active religious site, many parishioners felt it was inappropriate that the contest should be holding such an event on religious land.
The Deputy Head of the Kyiv Administration stated at a press conference that the Opening Ceremony would now likely be held near the Mariyinsky Palace. The Palace is the currently official residence of the President of Ukraine, but was commissioned in 1744 as a palace for the Russian Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
Last week the Reference Group for the Eurovision Song Contest visited Kyiv to get an updated regarding the preparations for next years contest. In recent weeks there had been a number of reports that the preparations for next years contest are running significantly behind schedule. This matter was highlight by the resignation of the former Head of NTU, Zurab Alasania in protest to the Ukrainian Government’s inaction regarding the broadcaster.
Mr Jon Ola Sand the Exectuive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest told Eurovision.tv that:
NTU are developing really good ideas, there is good progression. They have presented a good draft of the event design, they have presented ideas for the stage and ideas for the concept. I have to say though, there is still a lot to do.
A total of 43 countries have confirmed that they will be participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The 2017 contest will see both Portugal and Romania return to the Eurovision stage after one year away. However Bosnia & Herzegovina has been forced to withdraw due to significant financial issues at the national broadcaster BHRT. The final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 will take place on May 13.
Source: Interfax
