News - EBU rejects Georgia Eurovision entry | Eurovision Song Contest News - Azerbaijan 2012 

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Written by

Barry Viniker

Published

10/Mar 2009 at 14:36

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EBU

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Change the lyrics or the song

EBU rejects Georgia Eurovision entry

The Eurovision Song Contest reference group has reviewed the Georgian submission for the 2009 competition and, earlier than expected, has issued a decision. The song selected in Georgia's national final, We don't wanna put in by Stephane and 3G will not be allowed to participate at the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.

The song appears to have clear political meaning and is has been widely seen in international and local media as an attack on the Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. The song is in breach of the Eurovision Song Contest rules and will not be allowed to take part in the competition.

The EBU Reference Group has officially offered GPB the opportunity to select another song, or to change the lyrics of the selected song in such a way that it complies with the Rules. The deadline is the 16th of March, when all represented countries will officially hand in their selected entry to the European Broadcasting Union.

The EBU Reference Group of the Eurovision Song Contest has now offered Georgian broadcaster, GPB, the opportunity to either re-write the lyrics of the song, or to select another song for the contest. That must be done before 16th March, or Georgia would be disqualified from the competition. Should no change be made, Georgia may withdraw from the competition.

It seems that the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group have acted ahead of schedule in order to give Georgia time to find alternative lyrics or a new song ahead of the head of delegation meeting in Moscow on 16th March. Back on February 19th The EBU told esctoday.com that "The EBU evaluates all of the participating songs after they are officially presented at the Eurovision Song Contests Head of Delegation meeting on 16 March. Until then, the EBU cannot comment on the songs because they are not officially submitted until that point, all participating broadcasters have the chance to make changes to the songs that have been selected."

Today, the Reference Group of the Eurovision Song Contest deemed that both the title and lyrics of We don't wanna put in do not comply with Section 4 Rule 9 of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest rules and cannot take part in the competition as such. The rule states:

4.9 The lyrics and/or performance of the songs shall not bring the Shows or the Eurovision Song Contest as such into disrepute. No lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political or similar nature shall be permitted during the Eurovision Song Contest. No swearing or other unacceptable language shall be allowed in the lyrics or in the performances of the songs. No commercial messages of any kind shall be allowed. A breach of this rule may result in disqualification.

The entry Stephane and 3G will not sing in Moscow:


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nimu nimuna [54052]
Fri 13 Mar 2009 15:11:13

It is clear Georgia was expelled because Russia put pressure on the EBU.


Fariz G [32973]
Fri 13 Mar 2009 02:15:42

this is one the best things ever happened on Eurovision. i am more than happy!


Just Lee [46105]
Thu 12 Mar 2009 20:52:36

http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=O5faXj-nh0Q Official New Version


enzas [52430]
Thu 12 Mar 2009 18:11:13

Sasha Son (Lithuania) in Ukraine! u should look at it - amazing!!!!!! http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=9E72wBG6kzQ


Annika . [33419]
Thu 12 Mar 2009 17:42:48

HAHA! Is this song offensive?! Touchy... ;)


Ki.var . [54365]
Thu 12 Mar 2009 08:46:19

I think if EBU wants big ratings they should have let Georgia sing... what happens next is not EBU's problem...


Fariz G [32973]
Thu 12 Mar 2009 01:32:06

Fabio and you should then stop your ignorant writings. In Kosovo case, nominally it was NATO, but it is common knowledge that the USA was the decison maker and initiator. and they dared bombing the capital city, very often in the akwardest way. so, it is just USA, which basically control (especially in the late 90s) the NATO who invaded Serbia. Russia has had much more reasons to do it, cause Ossetians and Abkhazians are its citizens. so, your comparisons are irrelavant. Russia was actually too mild in their tactics in summer 2008.




Mario Mir [44111]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 21:09:37

@ Morten

"except to those anti-US racists on here" = manipulation about racism

And I've not said nothing bad, I didn't mention any country in my statement about the mid s.XX, like the Georgian song. It's your mind, my friend!!!


Morten Kjems [12106]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 21:08:00

@Kevin
Thanks for that - it means a lot. I'm actually furious and have asked ESC Today editorial team to remove Mario Mir's comment.
Thanks again.


Reddog Red [40017]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:57:57

Mario

they are all haters . so much hate coming from those "civilized" nordic countries and the uk , i am really in shock




Morten Kjems [12106]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:54:44

@Mario Mir
NOW YOU OVERSTEPPED THE MARK!
Tell me exactly when and where I said a single racist comment on here?
Then withdraw your last comment and apologise.

IF THERE IS A MODERATOR HERE - Please remove that last comment of Mario MIr.


Morten Kjems [12106]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:45:09

@Alex N
I think you'll find the wife of the Georgian president is Dutch, not American. Not that it matters, except to those anti-US racists on here.


Keith Timmons [44873]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:34:57

I doubt Svante would write anything else

Oh absolutely! The email isn't actually a very good argument at all. Stockselius is a man with a tremendous responsibility on his hands, not just to make a spectacular and prestigious show but also to try to keep every nation and all the fans happy. There's a whole lot of diplomacy in what he does. Even if it were true, why on earth would he write in an email to a fan that "Oh yes, we were pressured, but don't tell anyone"? Nah, doesn't make sense. :)

Anyway, have a good night over there, I'm off to bed now!


Mario Mir [44111]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:30:55

The sad fact of all this soap is that who really loses here...is the Eurovision Song Contest.
I think there are many people (even in this forum) that doesn't love it and try, year after year, to use it for bad. I almost don't remember an ESC without scandals of diverse nature.
EBU must stop it. I'm sure that EBU (apart from possible Russian pressure) doesn't want more scandals in ESC, because they will finally kill it!!


Fabio Deluca [37739]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:30:52

@ Morten:

Do you remember when the St. Petersburg deputies refused to organize the ESC in their city because:

"Foreign guests who come to the contest are often reputed as drug addicts and have police records"

That shows how open-minded this people is :)


ryan walsh [36624]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:29:19

no loss, terrible song, pity russian song couldnt be banned :( or belarussian or armenian :( terrible rubbish all of them


★ Night Elf ★ [43921]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:29:03

true fantasy

I don't see that can work...

So if Ukraine enters final there will be missing 19 countries for finals. Then how would they chose 9 from one semi and 10 from another... that is not fair...


true fantasy [43498]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:24:51

i think the EBU will be creative and they will take out Ukraine from 2nd semi-final to compit automaticly in the final ( becose they were 2nd place last year). or they will make a poll from the contries participating the 2nd semi final and 1 lucky will enter automaticly the final. then each semi-final will have 18 contries. and no one will complain that its not fair.


Morten Kjems [12106]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:21:53

@Reddog Red
"don't look at the world through the eyes of a homosexual man"

How else are g-a-y men supposed to look at anything?
Of course it affects how we view things. I don't suppose for one moment that either Russia or Georgia is a g-a-y paradise.
I decided long ago not to go to Moscow for the contest, because politicians there (the mayor for example) have made clear their intolerance of g-a-y rights events.
Sorry to have to write g-a-y- ESC today suddenly won't let me write it joined-up!


Candyman 12 points [14078]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:21:38

Georgia finally is OUT ! They knew that Russia and Putin wouldn't let them participate with that song. Stubborns!


Keith Timmons [44873]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:21:03

I'm sorry Keith, I never meant as being disrespectful to you, it was just sarcasm.

Accepted. I'm not trying to start a fight with you. I'm trying to give everyone a fair chance - even Russia (but maybe in this case it's more important I give you a fair chance) - while still taking a stand. I certainly don't think the Russian political system is perfect or admirable, and I try to keep my personal view on the war out of it. But I think today's decision would have been reached even without political pressure from Russia, and Kivar's email reply from Stockselius also indicates that.


Reddog Red [40017]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:19:37

@ Fabio De Luca

u are listening too much to bushe's propaganda my friend . kosovo was invaded and occupied by usa and uk . the same they did in iraq . it's only a cover story that nato as organization did it . americans occupied kosovo and opened its military base over there .


Reddog Red [40017]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:16:17

@ Mario Mir

bravo ! for the comment . georgia is nothing else but a puppet state of usa who are just using it for its own intereses and once they don't need it anymore they will throw it away like a piece of garbage . it's all political games . georgia has always been in the russian spehere of influence . and it will continue to do so . u will se what will happen in the next 1-2 years . just wait and see


★ Night Elf ★ [43921]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:14:56

But even if Georgia withdraw there will be equal countries to vote in both semis:

1st semi 18 countries that participate + Germany, Spain and UK
2nd semi 19 countries that participate + France and Russia !!!


Fabio Deluca [37739]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:13:44

In cases like Kosovo or Ossetia, it's the international organizations (NATO, UN) who usually take action. Russia invaded Georgia unilaterally... It may look the same way to your eyes, but it is not. When one country invades another, that's equal to a declaration of war. Like when Germany invaded Poland in 1939...

You should stop your pro-Russian propaganda instead.


★ Night Elf ★ [43921]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:12:51

Galandar Baghirov

Actually in final there must be 25 songs !!

Yes, 1st semi is easier now because there 18 countries competing while in 2nd semi there are 19.


w s [29210]
Wed 11 Mar 2009 20:12:17

I am pretty sure this is exactly what Georgia wanted. Mission accomplished. They knew it would end like this.
Also I doubt if Russia has really pressured EBU on this matter. EBU is so politically correct in recent years, it was obvious this wouldn't be allowed.


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