The most absurd decision in the history of EBU

Today was published European Broadcasting Union’s decision on scandal around interrogations at Azerbaijan’s National Security Ministry of those who voted in "Eurovision-2009" for Armenia.

In particular, the published decision says:

“The EBU committee responsible for running the Eurovision Song Contest, the so-called Reference Group, examined the matter at a meeting in Oslo on 11 September 2009 and decided to amend the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest to hold the participating broadcaster strictly liable for any disclosure of information which could be used to identify voters.

The new rule aims to ensure that voters’ privacy is respected, and if it is not the EBU will be in a position to impose appropriate sanctions on the offending broadcaster.

The regulations governing the previous editions of the Eurovision Song Contest imposed an obligation on the telecom companies involved in the televoting to respect the privacy of the voters. However, the EBU does not have an ability to impose sanctions on them, therefore the new rule was developed.”

At the first onset some logical questions arise.

1. If EBU has to adopt new rules which will provide voters’ privacy it just confirms that Azerbaijan’s voters’ privacy was strongly violated. Nonetheless, the country-organizer of Eurovision Dance Contest 2010 and large petrodollars owner has not been penalized. Why?

2. Why broadcaster must be responsible for breach of privacy and be sanctioned?

3. Why EBU which guarantees fair, open voting for television audiences hasn’t yet taken care of appropriate sanctions regarding breach rules?

4. On what basis EBU cooperate with private Digame mobile company which carries out the counting of votes not being able to prevent the arbitrary and illegality of voting?

It seems all these questions will remain unanswered.

Nonetheless, such absurd decisions will give a start to a new round of proceedings and perturbations all around Europe.