Dima Bilan in Vilnius - Lithuania - video

Dima Bilan singing Protiv pravil in Vilnius, Lithuania. 12.09.2008



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Eurovision 2009 under threat after Russian invasion of Georgia

Next year's Eurovision Song Contest is under threat after ex-Soviet states called for a boycott after Russia invaded Georgia.

Russia's Dima Bilan won the 2008 contest thanks to ex-pats in former Soviet-bloc states banding together to vote for him.

As a result, the 2009 contest will take place in Moscow.

But Baltic nations Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia may pull out of the annual TV show.

A poll in Estonia has already backed the boycott, while pressure is also rising for a Polish withdrawal.

Estonia's culture minister Laine Janes, said: "Solidarity must exist with Lithuania and Latvia to show consolidated support for Georgia."

The European Broadcasting Union, who run Eurovision, have said the Georgian conflict cannot be allowed to wreck the contest.

Spokesman Svante Stockselius said: "These issues should not be linked. We are organising a non-political event and if the hosting country is able to ensure the safety of participants there is no reason why it should not be allowed to host the finals."

The potential eastern boycott is another problem for Eurovision, who are already struggling to allay the fears of the western countries that they now no longer have a chance in the contest.

Sir Terry Wogan confirmed last month he would be stepping down as the BBC's Eurovision host after 37 years. The 70-year-old presenter has tired of the "political voting" that determined the outcome.

source

Don’t boycott Moscow’s Eurovision song contest said EBU to Estonia

European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is not amused over calls of prominent Estonian politicians to boycott next year’s Eurovision song contest hosted by Russia for Georgian conflict.

Svante Stockselius, executive of EBU that is organising the annual Eurovision Song Contest, told Postimees that Eurovision was an non-political event and that politicians have no right to decide whether to boycott it or not.

Stockselius said that he could not understand the proposal made by the Estonian Minister of Culture Laine Jänes and by chairman of the National Broadcasting Association Margus Allikmaa that Estonia could boycott next year’s Eurovision finals in Moscow over the conflict in Georgia.

"These issues should not be linked. We are organizing a non-political event and if the hosting country is able to ensure the safety of participants, there is no reason why it should not be allowed to host the finals," said Stockselius.

The EBU official added that if Estonia wishes to stay away from the Eurovision song festival in 2009, it is up to the country. "We have many members who don’t participate every year and who return later," added Stockselius. -source-

Estonia itself hosted the Eurovision contest in 2002 after winning the 2001 edition.

Culture Minister of Lithuania, Jonas Jucas says that it is too early to speak about the opportunity to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow with intention to express the protest over the Russian aggression against Georgia.

According to Jucas- "Spontaneous decisions might aggravate the efforts of diplomats to harmonize the conflict. It is not right time to speak about that," the culture minister noted. -source-


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Lithuania rehearsal and press conference

Lithuanian representative Jeronimas Milius perfomed his beautiful ballad Nomads In The Night very convincingly.

Jeronimas performs alone on the stage which is shrouded in dark blue colours and smoke. Moreover a bright-shining moon on the huge LED screen is enhancing the ambience of the song.




Press conference

At the press conference after the rehearsal, Jeronimas seemed satisfied with todays rehearsal. Moreover he talked about what kind of music has inspired him. He emphasized that he always have listened to rock music from early childhood. An example of this is Metallica. Jeronima and the Lithuanian delegation expressed their content with being in Belgrade, and they were looking forward to exploring more of the city.

source: eurovision.tv

Lithuania: Gabrielė Valiukaitė and Gintaras Svistunavičius

Gabrielė Valiukaitė and Gintaras Svistunavičius won on August 23rd the national selection .

TELEVOTING

5.675 votes (12 pts) for Gabrielė Valiukaitė & Gintaras Svistunavičius

2.958 votes (10 pts) for Lina Chatkevičiūtė & Donatas Vėželis

0.895 votes (08 pts) for Iveta Paurytė & Julius Šeniauskas

JURY VOTING

12 points for Lina Chatkevičiūtė & Donatas Vėželis

10 points for Gabrielė Valiukaitė & Gintaras Svistunavičius

08 points for Iveta Paurytė & Julius Šeniauskas

source:oikotimes.com

Lithuanian selection fo JESC in september/october

from esctoday.com

Lithuania will select its representative for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Rotterdam on 8th December during a televised national. Rumours that have occured lately saying that an internal decision has already been made by LRT therefore turn out not to be true. The selection will be held in September/October, but more details concerning the show(s) are yet to be revealed.

The song has to be performed in Lithuanian only and has to last between 2:30 and 2:45. On stage, there may be up to eight performers, among them - as a singer and/or a musician - the writer(s) of the song. As always, every writer has to be a child but the arrangement has not to be her or his. The deadline for submitting songs to LRT is 20th August.

Lithuania will take part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest for the very first time. Their debut in the adult version in 1994 was not a success at all: After Portugal, Lithuania was (and still is) only the second country to achieve nil points during its first attempt with Ovidijus Vyšniauskas' Lopsine mylimai.

Lithuania begins preselection for Eurovision Dance Contest

Starting from July 4th LRT begins preselection for Eurovision Dance Contest.

Show "Sokiu Eurovizijos nacionaline atranka" will be hosted by Audrius Girzadas and Izabele Romanovaite (professional dancer, winner of Sokiu desimtuko, Lithuanian Dancing with Stars version in couple with Mantas).

10 professional couples will compete for the right to represent Lithuania in EDC. Among them: Donatas Vezelis and Lina Chatkeviciute (2nd ranked Amateur couple of the country in Standard, 12th ranked couple in the World), Gintaras Svistunavicius and Gabriele Valiukaite (2nd ranked Professional couple of country in Latin), Valerijus and Olga Osadcenkos, Saulius Skambinas and Sandra Kniazeviciute.

Every Wednesday one couple will be evicted and it will be decided by the mixed jury's and televoting's system (most likely 50/50).

As of now it's known that televotes will be converted into Eurovision style (12, 10, 8-1). Jury will be able to give it's favourite 12 points, but it's yet unknown if 10, 8-1 will follow or not.

In Eurovision Dance Contest, which will be held on September 1st, 16 couples will be competing from: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Greece, Poland and United Kingdom.

sources:oikotimes.com;esckaz.com

Lithuania searching for Eurovision dancers

The Lithuanian Sports Federation opened the submission for the artists interested to participate in the national final for the selection of the Lithuanian representatives in the Eurovision Dance Contest, on 1th September.

It has been confirmed that there will be a national final and those who are interested can submit their applications to the Lithuanian Sports Federation.

source:esctoday.com

Lithuanian participants surprised by winner Serbia

4Fun did not manage to make it to the final this year but that will not stop the band from considering participating again, even as soon as 2008. Julija spoke to us about her unique experience in Helsinki, her feelings on the Hartwaal Arena stage and the reasons that might have led to Love or leave coming 21st.

The Lithuanian artist declared that she was surprised and puzzled by this year's winning song, Molitva by Serbian Marija Serifovic. "For example her clothes... Does it mean something? She looked like a man but why?" Julija wondered before telling us who she would have chosen as a winner herself.

Julija, who is a die-hard Eurovision fan, also spoke about her views on the influence of bloc and diaspora voting on the outcome of the contest and the band's plans.

You can read the entire interview here


from esctoday.com