What if Ukraine wins?
Kalush Orchestra believes that if there is a win, the festival should be in Ukraine next year, preferably in Kiev. And that is also the tradition, the winning country can organize the festival a year later. But is that also possible in a country that is currently at war?
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organization behind the Song Contest, says it has no plan B. However, the producer of the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam, EBU member Sietse Bakker, expects a decision to be made quickly when it is point of no return is: “At what point can you still decide whether or not it is possible in Kiev?”
If the festival cannot be held in Ukraine, there are enough scenarios, according to Bakker. “For example, a country that recently organized the festival can switch quickly.” He is also thinking of Poland, because that country recently organized the Junior Song Contest and did it well. “The third option is to have one of the big-five countries organize it.”
A non-winner has already organized the Eurovision Song Contest before. In 1980 the event was in The Hague, while Israel had won the year before. Israel abandoned the organization because it had already won the year before. The country ended up not even participating in 1980 because the event was held on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
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