The public TV channel “Moldova 1” invited Romania’s representative to Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Ovidiu Anton to perform alongside Moldova’s representative Lidia Isac on the stage in Stockholm. The invitation was issued after Romania was excluded from the contest owing to the debts of the Romanian public channel TVR to the contest organizers, IPN reports.

“We consider this is an unpleasant precedent in relation to a public TV channel. We show solidarity with the whole team of TVR and express our regret at the fact that our teams will not be in the same hall to support each other, given the common cultural and values area,” says the statement signed by the director of Moldova 1 Mircea Surdu.

Together with this message of solidarity, the director of Moldova 1 suggested a project of cooperation between the representatives of the two countries. “We are convinced that the two can form an exceptional duo with the song “Falling Stars” in the first semifinal of May 10,” he wrote. The representatives of the public TV channel also said that the changes in the conception of the show at this advanced stage necessitate the consent of the contest organizer, but expressed confidence that the moments of crisis can be overcome by joint effort.

Romania’s representative was also invited to come to Chisinau on May 14 to take part in an open-air Eurovision performance that will be followed by the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 final.