Russia’s foreign minister fights for “stolen points” in Eurovision mishap
Russia’s Dina Garipova performs during the final of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, on May 18, 2013.
Russia's foreign minister has a lot on his plate these days, what with the escalating situation in Syria, continuing tensions with the US, and…the latest Eurovision drama, naturally.
Sergei Lavrov has taken up the cause of the singing competition's Russian contestant Dina Garipova, who was awarded 0 points from Azerbeijan (formerly an ally of the Soviet Union) instead of the intended 10.
"The outrageous action at Eurovision regarding the Russian contestant will not go unanswered," Lavrov said during a joint press conference with his Azerbaijan's foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov on Tuesday, calling the points "stolen."
Those are some fighting words, especially considering that the 10 points would not have changed Garipova's standing in the contest — she was 17 points behind Margaret Berger of Norway, who got fourth place. Garipova's ballad "What If" scored 174 points.
However, Mammadyarov vowed a swift investigation into the matter, calling the voting mishap a "detective story."
"Where did the votes go? How did they disappear? This is an issue that our state television should resolve," he said.
Yep, this is serious stuff, guys. We're so glad it's been bumped up the priority list.
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