Joost Klein "very happy and relieved" that case against him was dropped

Joost Klein is “very happy and relieved” that the investigation into the alleged violent incident during the Eurovision Song Contest has been dropped, his manager told ANP. The singer was disqualified this year because he allegedly made a threatening movement toward a female employee. On Monday, the Public Prosecutor in Sweden announced that there was insufficient evidence.

“The last few months have been terribly difficult. Although we love performing all over the world, it didn’t feel quite right,” his manager said. “As a team, we are very happy and relieved that this uncertain period has now come to an end. We can finally say it out loud: there was never a reason for this case.”

Klein is looking to the future again and is currently working on a new album. “Love always wins,” he concludes.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said in a response that it still “fully” supports the decision to disqualify Klein. EBU boss Jean Philip De Tender said in the statement that the Swedish Public Prosecutor’s investigation was about whether a criminal offense had been committed and not “whether Mr. Klein behaved inappropriately” and violated the rules of the European Song Contest. “This new development, therefore, has no influence on our decision, which we fully support.”

The Prosecutor said on Monday that it could not prove that Klein’s action led to “serious fear or that the man had such intentions.”

AVROTROS is still “deeply disappointed” about Klein’s disqualification. “The next step is that there will be a meeting with the EBU management about this matter in the short term,” AVROTROS said.

AVROTROS has said “from the start” that the disqualification was “unnecessary and disproportionate” and “that is now also the case.” According to the broadcaster, “this unjustified disqualification” is central to the conversation with the EBU.

In addition, the broadcaster wants to discuss all objections about the way things are done behind the scenes of Eurovision. AVROTROS said it had previously mentioned these objections in a letter to the organizing party EBU, but according to the broadcaster, it never received a response. “AVROTROS’s approach is and remains that the Song Festival is about artists and their musical message. The EBU now has the floor.”

The Broadcaster has not yet said whether the Netherlands will participate in the event next year. The broadcaster previously said that the participation was not certain because the EBU first had to implement a number of changes.