Together they are many

In Kyiv the protests known as Euromaidan are continuing against the Ukrainian government's decision to postpone the signing of an Association Agreement with the EU. This is the third week that the capital has seen widespread unrest; the biggest wave of protests since the Orange Revolution in 2004.

The past weeks have been fraught in Kyiv, with allegations of heavy-handed police tactics, pressure from Russia to turn away from European integration and serious divisions emerging in Ukrainian society. The toppling of Lenin's statue at the weekend by Ukrainian nationalists was a hugely symbolic moment and whilst it was lauded as a triumph by some it was labelled a betrayal by others. 

These are interesting times for Ukraine, a country that has been pushed and pulled in all directions since independence in 1991. There are some contradictions though; whilst the involvement of the party Svoboda has served to strengthen the pro-EU campaign in the country, the party itself might be at odds with some of the values promoted by the EU. Svoboda are essentially a nationalist, right-wing party in Ukraine, and some of the members are some seriously unsavoury characters. This has more to do with moving away from the Kremlin's shadow rather than moving towards liberal cosmopolitanism.  Somehow I can't see Svoboda backing EU legislation supporting minority rights...

Those on the streets in Kyiv are brave people though, not only having to face police brutality, but also the harsh Ukrainian winter. Of course it wouldn't be a Ukrainian protest without Ruslana, the Ukrainian winner of Eurovision 2004 who kept the crowds entertained at the weekend.

The anthem from the Orange Revolution and Ukrainian entry into Eurovision 2005, "Together we are many, we cannot be defeated" is perhaps now more pertinent than ever. Watch the performance which begins with the dancers in handcuffs, symbolising Ukraine's subjugation. By the end of the performance the handcuffs are broken, the subtext; Ukraine is free. Except nearly a decade on, Ukraine still isn't free. Torn between Russia and the EU and divided internally, Ukraine remains a battleground, of which the eyes of the world are on once again.

A Song for Scotland?

Today the Scottish Government launched its blueprint for independence. The document, titled "Scotland's Future: Your guide to an independent Scotland" outlines the justification for independence and sets out a series of policy pledges which the Scottish National Party would pursue in the event of a yes vote. The white paper is substantial and covers diverse topics including defence, environmental issues, economics and indeed culture. On page 532 of the report, under the section titled “Culture, Communications and Digital” the document categorically states that Scotland would seek to enter the Eurovision Song Contest.  

 

“The Scottish Broadcasting Service (SBS) would seek membership of the EBU. We would envisage the SBS engaging with some of the EBU competitions, including Scottish entries in the Eurovision Song Contest” – Scottish Government 2013.

 

To critics of the independence movement this might seem unimportant, even stupid. However there’s a serious point here, regardless of one’s views on whether or not Scotland should be independent. Countries use Eurovision as platform for promoting their very existence which is exemplified in the rush of post-communist states which joined the ESC in the 1990s and it seems in the Scottish case, the same is true. Whilst the context is very different, Bosnia Herzegovina’s participation in the contest during the war demonstrated the significance that popular culture events have for newly sovereign nations. In 1992 Estonia participated in the Barcelona Olympics as an independent country, something which was hugely important for the state as it sought global recognition and increasing visibility on the world stage. The Eurovision Song Contest is and remains an important discursive tool in defining nation states and indeed notions of “Europeanness”.

 

Both my parents are Scottish and most of my family still live there and it’ll be interesting to see how the developments in the country unfold. Regardless of the outcome, the fact that the Scottish Government has listed the Eurovision Song Contest in their white paper demonstrates the symbolic value that the contest continues to have nearly 60 years from its inception.

Ukraine: Borderland or battleground?

The name Ukraine has been interpreted as "borderland" over the centuries. Today Ukraine effectively represents a border between the EU and Russia. Since independence in 1991 the country has experienced a turbulent transition from Soviet rule and has effectively been caught between East and West ever since.

 

Last week Ukrainian politicians voted to suspend preparations for the signing of an association agreement paving the way for closer ties with the EU. The deal also stipulated that former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko should be released from prison for medical treatment. Ukraine came under intense pressure from the Kremlin not to sign the agreement. It seems that in this case, they've bowed to Moscow. For now.

 

Protestors have gathered in the capital Kyiv in scenes reminiscent of the 2004 Orange Revolution. However, this situation, as with the Orange Revolution, is not straightforward. This isn't a case of East V West, nor is it a case of Russian speakers identifying solely with Russia, indeed many ethnic Russians in the country are pro-EU, further complicating the issue. Ukraine is a fascinating, complex and contradictory country; the return of Viktor Yanukovych from the ashes of the Orange Revolution exemplifies this.

 

It'll be interesting to watch the developments in the country in the coming days and weeks. At the weekend Kyiv will host the 11th Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Will this impact upon the show? Probably not. Unlike in 2005, where the adult version of the Eurovision Song Contest was used as a political platform by President Yushchenko's government, the junior version has tended to be a more benign affair. That said, Azerbaijan and Armenia are both entering again this year so there's plenty of opportunity for the politics of pop to rear its ugly head during the voting!

 

Instead of borderland, I'd describe Ukraine today as a battleground, caught up in a geopolitical tug of war. It's difficult to envisage how developments will unfold in the country in the future. Ukraine is anything but a united country. The Ukrainian entry for Junior Eurovision this year is called "We Are One", the irony of which is plain to see.

The kids are all right?

Last weekend I was in London and got chatting to the waitress who was serving my table. Always wanting to strike up a chat (which usually leads to a discussion concerning Eurovision!) I asked her where she was from. "Estonia". Given my love of all things Estonian, this was music to my ears. The girl in question was from Narva, a majority Russian speaking city in the north east of the country, a city which has faced some serious challenges over the years. Estonia, like so many post-communist countries, has undergone rapid economic and social change in the two decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Estonia is now a full and equal EU member and doing pretty well. On the surface, everything looks plain sailing, right? Wrong.

The tensions between Russian speakers and ethnic Estonians have been well-documented, and something that I discussed in my own research. However, the conversation with the waitress was actually rather alarming and highlighted a fundamental incongruence between building a nation with common national identity and coming to terms with recent history. The girl who would have barely remembered Soviet times claimed "everyone was happy in Estonia, there were no problems". Deportations anyone? Forced Russification? She also claimed that Estonians would rather the Nazis had won WWII since "that's what they believe". I tried to point out that the end of the war also marked a period of Soviet occupation in Estonia which is perhaps why Estonians don't mark May 9th like the Russians do. She was having none of it.

In fairness, on the flip side, ethnic Estonians have made some pretty alarming claims too. It wasn't necessarily what was said though, but what it represents. Estonia is effectively a divided country. Narva, is an almost forgotten city, alien to most ethnic Estonians. Tallinn is of course vibrant, multicultural and a rather lovely place to be. However, under the surface old tensions, mistrust and suspicion are still there. Despite massive advances towards building a more inclusive sense of national identity in Estonia, the truth is that many Russian speakers and Estonians live very separate lives. Many younger Russian speakers do speak Estonian, which is obviously a good thing, however tensions still remain. The 2007 riots which took place following the removal of a Soviet era statue exemplify the fundamentally different understandings that the two sides have to their past. The elements were there for an all-out civil war in Estonia. Thankfully this hasn't happened. 

Estonia is now free from occupation, Russian speakers living in Estonia are free too and have many opportunities today. Arguably life is easier in Estonia than in neighbouring Russia and other parts of the former USSR. I could almost understand a person who was from the older generation having such dogmatic views, however, given that this was a young, educated person, I found it surprising. The reality is that it's not been all that long since the Soviet Union collapsed, and I dare say it'll be a while before old attitudes die along with it. 

Who says it always has to be serious?

Well two days after the event finished, I'm just about recovered! I'm talking about the UK Eurovision fan club's annual Eurobash. It's a weekend of music, mayhem and judging from the photographs, madness! Always great fun and more importantly, a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones. This year was of course no exception. Eurovision fans really have an amazing capacity to turn a television show which is broadcast once a year into a year-long social event. A huge congratulations and thank you to the organisers of the event, which was held in Manchester, without their hard work and dedication we wouldn't have had the wonderful time that we all did! 

Of course a Eurovision event wouldn't be a Eurovision event without some star guests! This year we were joined by Maja Keuc who represented Slovenia in the ESC in 2011 as well as Josh James who represented the UK in 2010. The head of the Latvian delegation was also in attendance, Zita, who provided a unique, behind-the-scenes insight into the whacky world of Eurovision! In particular I'd like to pay tribute to Josh who was, and still is, a fantastic ambassador for the UK. He's not only talented, he's an all-round good guy. His parents Kim and Richard accompanied him and it was fantastic to see them again - they are rightly proud of their son and it was a pleasure to be in the company of the Dubovies again! 

Before the disco starts it's the annual Eurostars show where we strut our stuff on the main stage. The talent this year was quite astounding really, considering that none of us are professional singers. It was also truly hilarious in some parts and of course downright scary! Speaking of scary, check out the photo of me with my friends, before we went on to perform as Bucks Fizz. My parents would be so proud...

A very special mention goes to a student of my friend who I hear is a bit of a Eurovision fan. Hello Adam Dickson! Thanks for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy the show! 

Openness and accountability?

After the rumours of alleged vote-rigging which emerged after the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, the EBU launched an investigation. Today it was reported that changes to the voting procedure would take place in 2014. In a bid to make the contest more transparent, the names of each juror will be revealed as well as specific details of which countries they voted for. It appears that the EBU are taking the allegations concerning fraudulent voting seriously. Does this mean that they've uncovered something in their investigations?

Maybe, maybe not.

This isn't the first time that rumours have circulated that Eurovision has been rigged. It was alleged that the contest was fixed for Spain to win in 1968 and in the 1990s Malta faced accusations of corruption after a member of the delegation was said to have been overheard apparently offering votes in 1993. It's certainly interesting to look back at the Maltese votes in that year and indeed in 1994 and 1995; they appeared to award countries that were at the bottom of the scoreboard. Hoping that those countries might return the favour the following year, perhaps?

I welcome these changes to the voting procedure for 2014 and hope that it leads to a fairer contest in the spirit which it was intended. I do however, think that much of the hype concerning Eurovision voting is pedaled by people with an axe to grind. Take the lovely Bonnie Tyler for example, who claimed after the show that she heard Russians talking about buying votes (does she even understand Russian??) and that corruption means that artists like her have no chance. Such rumours suited Bonnie though, it's much easier to blame others than to admit that you simply weren't good enough.

One thing worth thinking about it the fact that the voting has become dull and monotonous, to the point where the semi final results are more exciting. We've not had a close contest since 2003. With nearly 40 countries voting, I think it's unlikely that we'll see a tense voting procedure in the near future.

As Stalin was rumoured to have said, it's not the voting that counts, it's who counts the votes...

From Russia with love?

Where has the summer gone?!

I've been busy finishing my book amongst other things, more on that next week. In the meantime here's an article which I wrote for ESC Insight

The situation in Russia is dire and it's not an attempt to excuse it, more of an opportunity to try and provoke a wider debate. Comments welcome, as always!