The European Broadcasting Union has confirmed the decision to transfer the international song contest Eurovision 2023 to another country and will continue to discuss the issue of finding a suitable venue.

"The EBU fully understands the disappointment that greeted the announcement that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) cannot be staged in Ukraine, this year's winning country. The decision was guided by the EBU's responsibility to ensure the conditions are met to guarantee the safety and security of everyone working and participating in the event, the planning of which needs to begin immediately in the host country," the organization said in a statement.

The Broadcasting Union stated that it is essential that decisions made regarding the contest are made by broadcast professionals and do not become politicized, and also stressed that the rules of the contest clearly state that the event can be rescheduled in force majeure situations, such as like an ongoing war.

"The EBU sought third-party expert security advice which clearly stated that the counter measures proposed to mitigate the threats planning the event in Ukraine were insufficient for an international public event and the risk rating of a mass casualty event due to the ongoing conflict is 'high,'" the statement says.

In addition, the EBU says that in addition to security concerns, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine makes delegations and participants reluctant to travel to the country.

"With regards to the possibility of hosting the Contest in a border location close to a neighbouring country, the specifications of suggested venues, and the lack of the necessary surrounding infrastructure, do not meet the requirements of the ESC," the EBU says.

In this connection, the EBU has decided to move the event to another country and will continue to discuss the issue of finding a suitable venue for Eurovision 2023.

As reported, on June 14, the official kick-off meeting of the Eurovision organizers from Ukraine with the Supervisory Board, partners of the International Song Contest and the EBU core team took place, they discussed issues of guarantees and preparation activities, a security questionnaire, and potential locations for the contest.