Eurovision boss: 'We're watching the voting very carefully'

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Eurovision boss: 'We're watching the voting very carefully'17 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleMark SavageMusic correspondent, Eurovision Song Contest, ViennaGetty ImagesEurovision director Martin Green has already issued a formal warning to Israel over posts made by its contestantThe director of the Eurovision Song Contest says organisers are watching voting patterns "very, very carefully" after concerns were raised about Israel's ability to influence the results at last year's contest. Some broadcasters claimed that social media posts on Israeli government accounts, which encouraged people to vote multiple times, may have influenced the result. Contest director Martin Green told the he agreed that "some of the promotion by some of the broadcasters was a little disproportionate".

The situation prompted an overhaul of voting procedures for this year's event, and Green added that anyone who flouted the rules would come "under further scrutiny". 'Amicable resolutions'The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, has already issued a formal warning to Israeli broadcaster Kan after its contestant released videos instructing fans to "vote 10 times for Israel" last weekend. Eurovision said it believed the posts weren't in "the spirit of the competition", and instructed that they be removed.

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Asked whether the Israeli act could be disqualified for further breaches, Green said: "We're a long way from any of that. "If there is a problem, we start a conversation and we try and resolve it amicably, without reaching for sanctions," he told the 's Nomia Iqbal. "We hope, in a way, that you teach the world that you can solve by being collegiate right now.

"Israel were among the 10 acts who qualified for this year's grand final from Eurovision's first semi-final in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday night. However, voting figures will not be released for the semi-finals until after the main contest has concluded. EPAIsraeli contestant Noam Bettan is among the favourites for this year's contest with his lovestruck ballad MichelleQuestions were raised over last year's results after Israel topped the public vote despite getting only 60 points from the national juries, who award separate scores based on a song's compositional merits.

Israel received 83% of its points from the public, while the winner, Austria, got just 41%. Media reports said an Israeli government advertising agency paid for online adverts and encouraged social media users to back the Israeli song, showing them how to vote up to the maximum 20 times. The EBU said it had found no evidence of irregularities - but in November, it approved new rules that included halving the vote limit to 10, and discouraging "disproportionate promotion campaigns" carried out by third parties, including governments.

It has also made it mandatory for people voting online to provide credit card details to ensure that votes genuinely originate from the country in which they are submitted.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.