The Eurovision contest starts on Tuesday in Malmo, Sweden – Romania is not participating

The Eurovision contest starts tomorrow in Malmo, Sweden, an edition marked by the war in Gaza. At the center of the discussions is Israel’s participation in the competition. A demonstration is expected on Thursday, May 9, the day Israel will enter the competition, and Israeli authorities have advised their citizens not to travel to the Swedish city during this period, citing possible attacks on them. There were numerous petitions calling for the exclusion of Israel and many contestants calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Inside the arena in Malmo, where the Eurovision will be held, the organizers have banned all flags, other than those of the participating countries, as well as any banner with political messages – notes Agence France Presse. This year, the Eurovision contest brings together 37 countries. Romania will not be present due to financial constraints – the Board of Directors of Romanian Television announced in January, when it approved the institution’s budget for this year./lalexandrescu/gpodea

RADOR RADIO ROMANIA – May 6