Esquarivision Song Contest 1997

Template:Infobox Song Contest The Esquarivision Song Contest 1997 was the 28th edition of the Esquarivision Song Contest, held in Kenyen, Nantai following Luziyca's victory in 1996 edition with "Kto ty?" (Who are you?) by Joseph Makenzie. It was the first time a reunified Luziyca hosted the contest, though East Luziyca hosted twice in 1971 and 1986. It would later host again in 2005.

Controversies

Selection process

In 1996, LRT permitted cities to bid for the 28th edition of the Esquarivision Song Contest, as per usual procedures used in the 1971 and 1986 editions of the contest. Semprihevosk submitted the Reunification Hall with room for 7,500 people, while Bethlehem submitted the National Theater with room for 6,858 people to host the contest. Yerevan also submitted a bid with the National Auditorium to host the contest with room for 7,588 people. Kenyen's bid however was at the Kenyen Performance Center with only room for 3,295 people.

When the first round was announced on September 1st, Kenyen was eliminated from consideration, while Semprihevosk placed first, leaving Yerevan, Bethlehem and Semprihevosk in the running, but on September 13th, LRT suddenly and inexplicably announced that Kenyen would host the contest, and cancelling the bidding process. The organizers of the Semprihevosk, Bethlehem and Yerevan bids criticized the decision and claimed LRT annulled the results to benefit Kenyen, resulting in a ₤2.5 billion lawsuit against LRT, which was dismissed in December 1996 without prejudice. LRT claimed that the other bidders agreed to let Kenyen host due to "patriotism as a result of the Third Namo-Luziycan War," and that they voluntarily withdrew their entries.

The three groups refiled the lawsuit in April 1997, with LRT having to pay ₤2.5 billion as compensation according to a ruling from a trial court judge, but after countless appeals, the Supreme Court ruled in January 1998 that it had to pay ₤750 million in fines for manipulating the results of the bidding and annulling the bidding processes when it became clear Kenyen was eliminated in September 1996, with the intent of having Kenyen host. The damages were split 33%-33%-33% and given to the municipal administrations of these cities to fund their cultural and arts programs.

Semprihevosk later hosted the 2005 edition following Luziyca's victory in 2004.

Location in Nantai

Due to its location within Nantai, which is disputed between Namor and Luziyca, it was controversial since the Third Namo-Luziycan War had just occurred, and since some countries saw it as Namorese territory, it was seen as a provocation and an insult to Namor.

In addition, the date of the 1997 edition was controversial since it fell on the first anniversary of the beginning of the war, which many veterans and civilians caught in the conflict view as "insensitive" at the very least, or at worst, offensive to the victims who died in the war, with leader of the official opposition Susan Todorev saying "this is a provocation and provides more fuel to add to their propaganda machine," while William Mishnev stated in response to the Foreign Ministry of Namor's claims "the difference is that Nantai has been under our control for nearly a century, while Jerusalem has never been under Namorese control for even one minute."

Boycott

Namor

The People's Republic of Namor boycotted the 1997 Esquarivision Song Contest due to the Nantai dispute. However, initially the Namorese government was willing to allow PTH to participate on the condition that the name "Kenyen, Nantai, Luziyca" be replaced with a more ambiguous "Kenyen, Nantai." However, due to the Third Namo-Luziycan War having just ended, such a compromise was impossible.

The Foreign Ministry stated that "It is blatantly obvious that the Luziycan authorities are holding the song contest in occupied Nantai to provoke the Namorese people, in disrespect for the victims of the massacre in Vulan and the martyrs who fell trying to defend Nantai from the Luziycan aggressors. Nantai is territory of Namor, and because the government of Namor was not consulted about holding the event there, we are forbidding anyone in this country from participating." It added that Namorese nationals who tried to participate either as contestants or spectators would be prosecuted for treason, although this itself was impossible because travel between Namor and Luziyca (including Nantai) had long been prohibited.

Namorese media accused the Luziycan government of deliberately provoking Namor on the Nantai question by hosting the Esquarivision Song Contest in Kenyen. The Liberator noted that "the fact that LRT made a last-minute decision to host the contest in Kenyen shows that there is a shameless attempt at angering the Namorese nation with the ugly face of imperialism." The Mojing Sibo took a more moderate tone but condemned the contest nonetheless: "Hosting a song contest in disputed territory doesn't bring the host any benefits. The host loses 850 million viewers and one Namorese entry. It doesn't look like the Luziycans are hurt by this, though, because they expected and will get a Namorese boycott."

The Namorese Central Council voted unanimously to condemn Luziyca for holding Esquarivision in Kenyen. Vice President Su Shui explained the CenCo's position: "How would the Luziycans feel if we moved troops into Inleda and held a song contest in Jerusalem to show that Jerusalem is Namorese? Of course, what Luziyca is doing is a violation of our territorial integrity and we must never stand silent."

The song contest raised already high anti-Luziycan sentiment among the Namorese public. Many pointed out that the contest began on the first year anniversary of the outbreak of the Third Namo-Luziycan War, which the Namorese blamed Luziyca for initiating.

Entries

Country	Language	Artist	Song	English translation	Place	Points
Template:Country data Arucania	Luziycan	Violeta Fiorano	"Nostaglia"	Nostalgia	TBA	TBA
Katranjiev	Katranjian	Sarnia Mazurov	"Stradanie"	Suffering	TBA	TBA
Luziyca	Swedish	Jenny Nystrom	"Duvor av fred"	Doves of Peace	TBA	TBA
Pavonistade	English	Servanne Jamisen	"Forward from Backward"	—	TBA	TBA
Template:Country data Peiraclea	English	Sofía Papadopoúlou and Aléxios Stavrídis	"Let the Wind Take You Away"	—	TBA	TBA