Iveta Mukuchyan displays the Artsakh flag during a Eurovision press conference

STOCKHOLM—Armenia’s representative to the Eurovision Song Contest, Iveta Mukuchyan, who was holding a flag of Artsakh after securing a spot in Saturday’s finale, said all she wanted was “peace on the borders,” after being asked about the flag.

A slight controversy erupted last week, when a “Eurovision Code of Conduct” was published by the stadium hosting the event, by which certain flags were banned from being displayed. The flag of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was among other flags, such as the Palestinian Territory, that was banned.

This created quite an uproar on social media, forcing the venue to rethink its “code” and allowing the said flags to the ceremony.

Muckuchyan during the press conference

“What Armenia wants is just peace,” Mukuchyan told reporters at the Winners’ press conference on Tuesday when a reporter asked about her Artsakh flag.

“My heart, my thoughts, my feelings and my emotions are with my Motherland. I just want peace on the borders. Armenia wants just peace. That’s why I wrote this song. I just want to spread loves,” Mukuchyan continued.

“I put up the flag because I want people to concentrate on that. I just want peace in this world,” she added.

Speaking about the contest, Mukuchyan said: “You always dream of this situation, and then suddenly it’s reality! Everyone told me that I would make it but when you sit there you cannot believe that it is actually happening. But the whole thing was just too short – only three minutes! That was what I thought.”

“I never take anything for granted, and that’s why I feel like this right now. When I get old, I wanna remember everything of this situation, I am really thankful for everyone who made this happen,” added the singer.

Mukuchyan, representing Armenia, will perform during the second half of the Grand Finale on Saturday.