Turkey: EBU official answers back to latest TRT General Director statements
Not many days have gone by, since the General Director of TRT, Ibrahim Eren, while taking part in a University convention, revealed that the Turkish broadcaster has no plans of returning to the Eurovision Song Contest. The voting system , the Big 5 formula and the ongoing support of the LGBT community within the contest, are the reasons he referred to in his statement. He went even further mentioning Conshita as a non acceptable figure on TV at 9 pm when children are watching.
According to Reuters, an EBU official commented on the Turkish General’s directors statements as following:
The Eurovision Song Contest’s values are of universality and inclusivity and our proud tradition of celebrating diversity through music. TRT has made a huge contribution to the contest in the past, including hosting the event in Istanbul in 2004, and we would very much welcome them back should they decide to participate again.
As one can easily see EBU outlines the ideological distance between the two parts and the way Europe is thinking at the moment, leaving though the door open to welcome Turkey back. It seems that as long as the country will be looking to more conservative directions the more difficult will be for a soon comeback.
Turkey’s last participation in the Eurovision Song Contest was in 2012, in Baku with Can Bonomo and his song Love me back which finished 7th in the Grand final.
Please Turkey, indeed stay away from the contest with those statements. A lady with a beard indeed is a dangerous sight.