Conchita crowned Queen of Eurovision: “We are unity and we are unstoppable” amid outrage at national jury vote in South Caucasus

Big congrats, Conchita !! Stunning performance. Epic win for the Queen of Eurovision.

Says Conchita: "This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. You know who you are - we are unity and we are unstoppable."

As Eurovision blogger @dreurovision tweeted: “Austrian victory in #Eurovision is a slap in the face for homophobia across Europe!”

*picture by Thomas Hanses (EBU), via eurovision.tv

Despite what official voting results (combined 50% national jury and 50% televote) may suggest, Conchita touched the hearts all over bigger Europe, including the South Caucasus countries Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

If we only count televotes (i.e. people’s vote via calls or sms), Austria’s Conchita ranks 2nd and gets 10 points from both Armenia and Georgia, and ranks 3rd getting 8 points from Azerbaijan. However, combined with jury votes, Austria received 0 (zero !!) point from Armenia (No. 24, above only Azerbaijan) and 1 point from Azerbaijan.

According to Eurovision statement, Georgia’s national jury results for final were declared invalid. Therefore, the televoting results applied. It’s not clear yet the exact reason but I wish Armenia’s national jury was disqualified too. Plus, juries from some other countries.

This effectively means that adding so called “professional juries” votes fuc*ed up the ranking, and national juries (in this case) in the South Caucasus countries simply suck. Big time.

In fact, the highest difference between jury and televote ranking re Conchita was in Armenia (22 points difference), followed by Azerbaijan (21) and Belarus (19). Even in Russia difference was not as prominent (8), and in Russia Conchita was No.3 (8 points) by televote & only adding jury voting put her No.6 (5 points).

I’d say shame on you, Armenia’s national jury. Your voting was a disgrace.

And I’d say well done people in the South Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan) who proved to be more open minded than what regimes and certain ‘elites’ want us to believe.

In general, looking at pattern of people’s and national juries voting indicates that the jury voting is more political and ‘calculating’ than people’s voting. Ironically, the very reason why juries were introduced in the first place. Here are just few observations re Armenia’s national jury voting:

1. Political: Placing Ukraine towards bottom of their rankings so that there is no chance for Armenia to give any points to Ukraine, to avoid upsetting Russia.

2. Calculating (so called ‘strategic voting’): Placing Sweden towards the bottom of their ranking, because they knew Sweden is one of top favourites to win, so that to avoid votes to Sweden from Armenia. And giving the highest points to clear non favourites to win, like Montenegro (No. 2 in jury ranking) or Malta (No. 1 in jury ranking).

3. Homophobic/transphobic: Placing Conchita towards the bottom of their ranking (above Azerbaijan) because they are homophobic/transphobic and/or sh*t scared of being later ‘accused’ as supporting LGBT representative + like in case of Sweden, to ‘neutralise’ votes from Armenia to top favourite Austria.

All this clearly shows that jury’s voting had nothing to do with judging performance. It’s pretty much a manipulation to neutralise people’s votes. A kind of legitimate voting fraud, because formally they did not break any rules.

And finally. Austria giving 12 points to Armenia regardless of all what happened in the run up to the contest, with very close high televote and jury votes. Learn the lesson, Armenia. Love conquers hate.