Eurovision in crisis as entire team quits over “lack of transparency”

As Australia gets set to choose its 2017 entrant, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in May in Ukraine has faced another crisis.

Its entire 21-strong organising team has quit over a shortfall in clarity. A public letter signed by all 21 members of the team complained of “lack of transparency in making decisions regarding key areas of operations.”

Other issues included “unresolved contractual issues with personnel and failure of tenders for subcontracting work related to the contest.

“In our opinion, all this gets in the way of high-quality and timely preparations for the contest in Ukraine.”

Things have been brewing since last December when a new head of the organising committee, Pavel Gritsak, was appointed. Some former team members were stripped of some major responsibilities. They claim that Gritsak has been sluggish in making executive decisions and calling for tenders.

Among those who resigned were Executive Producers Oleksandr Kharebin and Victoria Romanova, Commercial Director Iryna Asman, Event Manager Denys Bloshchynskyi and Head of Security Oleksii Karaban.

Ukraine’s deputy Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kirillenko said plans for the event are are continuing to be scheduled and that the resignation of the team would not have “a big impact”.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which has run Eurovision since 1956, stressed to Ukraine authorities “the importance of a speedy and efficient implementation of plans already agreed, despite staff changes.”

Tickets went on sale for Eurovision on February 14.

The Contest is set to be held on May 9, 11 and 13. Ukraine won the right to host the contest after its entrant, singer Jamala, won the last contest with her anti-Russian song 1944.

At the time, Jamala said it would be a great chance to show the world how modern and progressive Ukraine is. But ever since, there have been dramas. Religious leaders protested the choice of the St. Sophia complex as the venue to hold the opening ceremony. There was controversy over how much funding it was getting, with the head of the country’s national TV/radio company NTU quitting in protest.

Australia has been an official contender in the competition for two years, with both entrants Guy Sebastian and Dami Im – chosen by its local broadcaster SBS – gaining an admirable reception.

SBS has also been asked by the Europeans to set up an Asian-Pacific version, with the first to be held in Sydney.

Australian viewership of Eurovision has always been strong. Viewing figures have exploded in the past two years. In 2015, the semifinals and finals drew a total of 4.1 million Australian viewers.