After initial refusal to take part in Eurovision Song Contest set to take place in Moscow in May, Georgia decided to participate and to send a band performing a song dubbed as “protest.”

The song called “We don't Wanna Put In” is a play on words with reference to Russia’s PM Vladimir Putin, said co-author Stefane, who performs the song with three female singers and the band is called Stefane & 3G. The lyric itself makes little direct reference to politics with words “We don't wanna put in / The negative move / It's killin' the groove...”

After the August war with Russia, Georgia said it would boycott the song contest hosted by the Russian capital. In January, the Georgian public broadcaster, however, retracted the decision, which triggered some protest. Some view the selection of the song “We don't Wanna Put In” as an attempt to allay complaints over Georgia’s participation in the contest. 

An online petition under banner “Boycott MoscowVision” has been distributed calling on the public broadcaster not to participate in the song contest, which the petition says has dubious reputation in Europe because of its “politicized” nature. 

“If the Georgian public broadcaster sends participant and by doing so helps the Russian state to hold this contest in Moscow in dignified manner, it will amount to an open support of the occupant Russia’s aggressive actions, which in turn is a classical example of collaboration,” the petition reads.