Image credits: © Corinne Cumming/EBU Armenia was initially con“firmed as one of the 16 participating countries in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest (JESC) 2023. However, about two months before the event, its participation seems to be in jeopardy.
The issue is related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with Azerbaijan having recently launched a military offensive to regain control of the region, which has been disputed since 1991. According to AFP, Armenian authorities have reported the arrival of more than 68,000 displaced people, accusing Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing (the population of Nagorno-Karabakh is around 120,000).
Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor of JESC, stated in a press conference when asked about Armenia’s participation: “For now, there is no definitive answer to that question”.
The situation is being monitored by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). In 2020, Armenia also withdrew from JESC due to the same conflict.
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