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Alina Pash (at a performance in 2019): »Artist, not politician«
Photo: Danil Shamkin / IMAGO / Ukrinform
Alina Pash will not represent Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest on May 14 in Turin, Italy.
The singer announced this on her Instagram account early Wednesday afternoon.
In doing so, she was responding to allegations of concealing a trip to the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula and of not having submitted the required papers correctly.
Pash qualified for ESC participation in the Ukrainian preliminary round on Saturday.
At the event, which was held under the name »Widbir 2022«, the musician, who was born in 1993 in the Transcarpathian Oblast, beat seven other titles with her song »Tini Zabutykh Predkiv«, »Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors«.
Alina Pash is known in Ukraine for her original style that combines traditional folk music with hip-hop.
But soon after Pash's nomination as a candidate, rumors arose that the singer had traveled from Moscow to the Crimean peninsula in August 2015 - after the Russian annexation in 2014. On Sunday, Ukraine's public television, which hosts the competition, said , this trip did not violate the rules, there were documents from the state border authority confirming this.
There was an allegation of fraud
The broadcaster Suspilne had apparently made the submission of such documents a condition for participation in the preliminary round.
Traveling from Ukraine to Crimea is not inherently illegal.
Since June 2015, travel to Crimea from the Ukrainian mainland has required a permit from the responsible Ukrainian authority, which is only granted under certain conditions and under no circumstances for tourist purposes, according to the Federal Foreign Office.
Entering Crimea through Russian territory, including by air or sea, is a violation of Ukrainian law.
On Monday afternoon, however, the broadcaster announced that it was now being determined whether the documents submitted by Alina Pash were authentic.
There was an allegation of forgery that Suspilne wanted the border authorities to check.
Until then, the necessary contracts for your ESC participation would not be signed for the time being.
Now Alina Pash has at least publicly anticipated the results of the investigation.
On her Instagram channel, the singer writes that she is a citizen of Ukraine and follows the laws of Ukraine: "I try to bring the traditions and values of Ukraine to the world."
Thanks to all supporters
She is an artist, not a politician, and doesn't have an army of PR people, managers, lawyers to withstand the attacks and pressure, Pash said.
She speaks of threats and "absolutely unacceptable formulations."
And further: "I don't want this virtual war and hate." The more important war is "an external one that came to my country in 2014," she writes, referring to the Russian attacks on Ukraine.
It is with a heavy heart that she withdraws her candidacy to represent Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest.
She thanked those "who support me and help me, who hear my song and my important message and do not gossip about me.
Thank you!"
The public service broadcaster of Ukraine now has the right to nominate another representative for the ESC in Turin.
At »Widbir 2022«, the Kalush Orchestra came in second place with its song »Stefania«.
One of the jurors who helped decide was Jamala, the Crimean Tatar who triumphed in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest with the song »1944«.
When the ESC was held in Kiev the following year, the Russian singer Julia Samoilova was not allowed to enter the country because she had performed in the annexed Crimea in 2015.
In 2019, Ukraine did not take part in the ESC because the qualified singer Naruv did not want to accept having to do without performances in Russia.
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