On Eurovision night, the best and most heartfelt performances always come from the countries imprisoned behind an Iron Curtain not so long ago. Since Romania joined the comity of Eurovision in 1994, its entries have always impressed. It has always known that Eurovision is a rare chance for the peoples of Europe – and its environs – to come together, drink vodka and laugh with (and sometimes at) each other’s entries. The sheer effort that these tiny countries go to, as they show themselves to the world’s largest television audience for a non-sporting event, is testimony to the awesome soft power of Eurovision.
Which is why it is scandalous that the European Broadcasting Union has today ejected Romania, complaining that its government has not paid £11 million of debts. Money is the curse of Eurovision: Britain’s (awful) songs always make the final, without having to go through the qualifiers, because the BBC gives so much to the EBU.
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