Ukraine protests Dutch ad warning against Euro 2012

[April 26, 2012]  KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is protesting a Dutch television ad that advises women to keep their husbands from attending the Euro 2012 football championship in June because they are likely to be seduced by Ukraine's beautiful women.

In the clip titled "Keep Him Home," the Netherlands Energy Company offers a free beer tap to customers who sign up for its services. If Dutch men were able to tap their own beer, the ad implies, they would be more likely to watch the games at home instead of traveling to Ukraine.

An Internet search of "Ukrainian woman" shown in the clip yields dozens of photos of women in erotic outfits and poses.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Voloshin said Wednesday the ad was "humiliating and discriminatory."

The Dutch Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

[Associated Press]

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