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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced amendments to Eurovision Song Contest flag policy. According to the official statement, posted on the organization Facebook page, after reflection and constructive talks with several participating delegations, Eurovision Song Contest organizers have agreed to relax the flag policy.

According to the statement, the new policy will allow national, regional and local flags of the participants e.g. the Welsh flag (as one of the UK singers is from Wales) and the Sami flag (as the Norwegian singer is originally of Sami heritage). This is in addition to the flags of all UN member states, the EU flag and the rainbow flag, as stipulated in the original guidelines, reads the statement.

“The EBU also proposed a more tolerant approach to other flags as long as the audience respects the non-political nature of the Eurovision Song Contest and do not deliberately attempt to obstruct the camera views. This proposal was approved by the Eurovision Song Contest's governing body, the Reference Group,” says the statement.

To remind, earlier the organizers of the song contest presented a policy list of banned flags, including the Kosovo, Crimea, Palestine, Nagorno Karabakh Republic, and Basque flags.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2016 will be the 61st edition. It will take place in the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden Forty-two countries will participate. Iveta Mukuchyan will represent Armenia at the contest.