RUSSIA – It was revealed today that aside Ukrainian penalty with 200,000 Euros (as local media reported and never confirmed by the EBU) by the European Broadcasting Union, Russia got a penalty as well for withdrawing from the Eurovision Song Contest 2017.
Dr. Frank-Dieter Freiling — the chairman of the EBU Reference Group spoke to Billboard and explained the situation with the penalties and the new rules.
Ukraine was fined by the EBU for all the delays of the show and the banning of the Russian participant in the June Reference Group meeting. Back then we head nothing about Russia and we all supposed there was no fine to them.
Today it was revealed that the Russian national broadcaster “has been called to order in a different way, but without making that public. Both parties involved have been commented on.” for withdrawing from Eurovision 2017 and also for not attending a series HoD meetings earlier this year.
Dr. Frank-Dieter Freiling also explained that the new rules is not a new addition to the general rules as it has happened to the past but this time the EBU wanted to send a clear message to everyone. Though the term political can easily be misinterpreted and will never be clear.
source: Billboard
