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Zurab Alasania, the Director-General of the Ukrainian State broadcaster NTU, has resigned. ESCKaz know that. Alasania denounces the large slice of “to be” broadcasting in the budget for next year and finds that the Government wants to put too much profit in his own pocket. (Photo: mip.gov.ua)

It’s been at each other’s throats in Ukraine. Shortly after the debacle of the host city of next year, whose publication has been repeatedly delayed, hit today announced that the boss of the NTU has given his resignation.

The drop

Zurab Alasania did that in the wake of a controversial decision by the Minister of Finance of Ukraine. The annual budget for the public broadcaster NTU is curtailed significantly next year. Of about 43 million will only seven million left over to radio and television to it. As we previously reported is improved to EUR 16 million of the NTU Eurovision 2017, but the financial crater strikes harder in at the broadcaster than originally was adopted. For example, more than five million euros according to Alasania so will taxes be withheld, and nine million as payment for the global coverage of the next ESF.

Except that the NTU would also see a cent of any profits that the edition of 2017 would generate. All income from ticket sales and the registration fees of participating broadcasters from other countries would have to be integral to the teruggestoord Government. Finally denounces Alasania that the State broadcaster no new people may take to the Eurovision song contest to organize, and he can now barely sufficient reward of its own staff. The song contest was the straw that broke the camel’s back: “there were always problems between the NTU and the Government. Who were always resolved with great difficulty. But the contest has everything made things worse. ”

Blackmail

He sticks the not aware that he resigns to extra attention for the budget problems and the future of public service broadcasting in Ukraine, although he speaks not of blackmail: “it is rather an assumption that the transitional period of the company should be supervised by a person who better compromises, that is flexible and savvy is , and who better can negotiate between other interests and interested parties, “said Alasania in a press release.

It is not yet known if his resignation was accepted by the Board of Directors of the NTU. According to the rules he would have to continue to work two weeks before a successor can take the helm.