Ukraine quarrels about Eurovision Song Contest venue

The Ukrainian singer Jamala won the ESC 2016 in Stockholm with the song "1944." The victory offered positive headlines in Ukraine; the crisis-ridden country rejoiced. However, the celebrations were quickly followed by disillusionment. Almost immediately after, disputes over the venue of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest broke out.

The capital, Kiev, sees itself as a favorite; Mayor Vitali Klitschko, former boxing champion, is literally fighting for "his" city. After all, there is much in its favor. Kiev has already been the host of the music show in 2005, the infrastructure is good and thousands of international guests can be accommodated in hotels. A large concert hall is also available.

Attractive Black Sea coast

The second candidate is the port city of Odessa on the Black Sea. The city is certainly more attractive than the capital, due to its location and climate. The only problem is the infrastructure - among other things, the new airport terminal is not ready yet.

The governor of the district of Odessa, the Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, has allied with the mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov, to fight against Klitschko and win the battle. The rivalry has been unfolding in the Ukrainian media for weeks now.

When two cities fight…

…the winner might be a third party: Dnipro, the fourth largest city of Ukraine. The mayor of the former Dnipropetrovsk, Borys Filatov, has been observing the bickering for a long time, but now he is fed up. With his Facebook post, "The whole country has lost nearly two precious months! What a disgrace!," he is now entering the ring. He is promoting his city, which is among the most important economic and industrial centers of Ukraine.

Now everyone is waiting for a decision from the organizing committee, which also includes the Ukrainian Minister of Culture. But they are remaining silent for now. Asked when they will share their decision, they only reply "soon."

Perhaps things are going to start moving now. The government has shown interest in a quick decision. Despite the war in the east of the country, the event is an opportunity for Ukraine to demonstrate how attractive it is for investors and visitors.

"The Grand Prix is not only music, but also a political event that can show that Ukraine is alive and that it can guarantee the security of people from other countries," said Deputy Prime Minister Vyacheslav Kyrylenko.

sw/rb/eg (with dpa)