The producer of Intervision, Mr. Victor Dobrysh, informed RusNovosti.ru that the planned Intervision Song Contest 2014 will be re-scheduled for Spring 2015. The 6th edition of the contest was supposed to be held this October in Sochi, Russia, however, due to the current political situation, the organisers decided to hold it at a later time. The new date remains unknown.
So far only 6 countries confirmed their participation for Intervision – Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and China. According to Dobrysh, more countries are negotiating their participation, i.e. Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, but because of the presently tight situation between Russia and the European Union, it is rather unimaginable for the Baltic states to join the contest. The only country which already selected an entry for Intervision is Russia. Alexander Ivanov won the national final in June this year. It is not confirmed if he will remain the Russian entrant until Spring though.
The first Intervision Song Contest was organised by International Radio and Television Organisation, and took place in 1977 in Sopot, Poland, as an Eastern alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest organised by the European Broadcasting Union. Czechoslovakia won the very first contest with Helena Vondrackova and her song “Malovany dzbanku”. Except Czechoslovakia and Russia, Bulgaria, Cuba, Hungary and Spain participated in Intervision 1977 as well. The last Intervision hosted in Sopot was organised in 1980, after which a long break occured. After 28 years, this competition was held again, and Tahmina Niyazova from Tajikistan won it with the song “Hero”, which was sung in English.
The revival of Intervision in 2014 was supposed to be the moral response to Eurovision, especially after Conchita Wurst won in Copenhagen. Victor Dobrysh said that the new contest should be a great and safe entertainment for entire families, and it would contain no homosexual propaganda or immoral performances.
Russia already decided to participate in Eurovision 2015. The biggest country in the world will also take part in Junior Eurovision this November. It is rumoured that Russia will also debut in Turkvizyon this year, even though many Russian autonomies already participated in the contest last year. The next host for the 2nd edition which will be held this November is Tatarstan.
