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Songs For Europe
The Sunday Telegraph reports that EU Commission propagandists want to hijack next year's Eurovision Song Contest - making it a celebration of the European Union's 50th anniversary.
The scheme apparently emanates from the desk of Margot Wallstrom, chief of the commission's communications strategy. The newspaper quotes Ms Wallstrom's memo enthusing that a song contest - birthday celebration would highlight "the need of close co-operation in our common project", "solidarity" and "the benefits that European integration has brought to its citizens".
Eursoc reported in June that plans were afoot to make next year's anniversary a memorable one: A Eurovision-style contest "to show Europe can dance" was one of the proposals, along with cake-baking competitions and a special "commissioner's day" celebration.
It was noted that the EU's central European members were suspicious of state-sponsored celebrations, having been subjected to enforced Soviet merrymaking for several decades. The Telegraph says that they feel the same way about the Eurovision link-up.
"For most of the new members, this plan brought back memories of Communist times," the newspaper quotes a Czech source as saying, "There were all kinds of events celebrating everything, and there was one called the Spartakiada, which essentially consisted of dancing, singing and training for the masses. It was always obligatory."
The Finns, too, are suspicious of the plans. Finland hosts 2007's contest - its first time ever, following death-and-hobgoblin band Lordi's triumph this Spring. Nations like to stamp their events with something of their character, and Finland wouldn't appreciate the EU's attempts to interfere with its celebrations, according to the competition's co-ordinator: "half the Finnish people don't actually like the EU", he said.
There may also be protests from non-EU members who traditionally compete in Eurovision: Turkey and Israel, but also Norway, Switzerland, Armenia and Iceland. Turkey generally has a strong showing in these competitions, helped by a large Turkish vote in Germany and elsewhere: Imagine the embarrassment for the EU if a non-EU country won its birthday celebration!
