Copenhagen chosen as 2014 Eurovision Song Contest host city

PanARMENIAN.Net - Copenhagen has been chosen as host city of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, Danish public broadcaster DR announced this morning. The event will be held at the B&W Hallerne at the Refshaleøen, under the slogan 'Join Us', the Eurovision official webpage said.

The former shipyard will undergo all necessary improvements to be able to host three state-of-the-art television shows in May next year.

The choice was approved by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU/EUROVISION) and the Reference Group, the contest's governing body on behalf of the participating public broadcasters. Denmark's Emmelie de Forest won the Eurovision Song Contest in May in Malmo, Sweden, granting Denmark the right to host the next edition. The list of countries represented in the 2014 contest is usually announced in early January.

Following the 2013 contest, Denmark, along with the runner-up Azerbaijan found themselves in the center of a scandal which put their victory in question.

Denmark was accused of plagiarism by journalists who found similarities between the Eurovision entry “Only Teardrops” and “I Surrender” performed by K-Otic band in 2002. Also, as Lithuanian journalists revealed, Azerbaijan was paying people to vote for their contestant. The two countries’ contenders Emmelie de Forest and Farid Mammadov, were facing possible disqualification; however, a recount of votes was never held.

Semi-Finals of the 59th Eurovision Song Contest are set to take place on Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th of May, the Final is scheduled for Saturday, the 10th of May. Some 170 million people from over 40 countries are expected to tune in for the upcoming contest.