Greece: National Final in Doubt? - Eurovoix
- ️@Eurovoix
- ️Thu Feb 15 2018
Greek media is reporting that the Greek national final may not happen at all, due to complications with the participating record companies.
According to an agreement between ERT and the three record companies:
“It is agreed that the Company, in order to participate in the national final, undertakes to issue by 15 February 2018 a letter of guarantee for the good execution of all the obligations which is currently assumed by a recognized bank in Greece, amounting to €20,000.00. Non-submission to ERT of the above letter of guarantee by the above date will automatically result in the exclusion of the Company from the national final. “
Panik Records have successfully paid the money, while Spicy and Spider Records have called for an extension of the deadline. However, some in the Agia Paraskevi radio studio have called for the two record companies who failed to pay by the deadline to be disqualified. ERT have not commented on the situation but it is expected that if there is no change to the situation in the morning, both Areti Ketime and Chorostalites will be disqualified. This would leave Gianna Terzi as the sole candidate eligible to represent Greece in Lisbon.
The national final is due to take place on February 22. The three competing songs were supposed to be released to the public on February 12 on the official ERT website. All songs will be performed live, rather than being presented in videoclips during the national final. The result will be decided by 100% public voting.
The three finalists due to take part are:
- Areti Ketime – Min ksehnas ton ilio (Don’t Forget the Sun)
- Chorostalites – Apo tin Thraki os tin Kriti (From Thrace to Crete)
- Gianna Terzi – To oniro mou (My Dream)
Greece was represented by Demy at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, Ukraine. With her song “This Is Love”, she placed 19th in the Grand Final with 77 points.
Source: Newsit.gr
Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest
Greece debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, when they were represented by Marinella and the song “Krasi, thalassa kai t’agori mou” which finished in 11th place with 7 points. Three years later Greece earned their first top 5 finish with Paschalis, Marianna, Robert and Bessy who finished in 5th place with “Mathima solfege”. In 2001 Greece achieved their first top 3 result with Antique and the song “I Would Die For You”. The song became a European hit, and charted across the continent. In 2005 Helena Paparizou returned to the Eurovision stage as a solo artist and brought Greece their first, and to date only, victory. Her song “My Number One” won with 230 points, beating runners-up Malta by 38 points.
Neil is from Ireland but currently lives in Belgium. He has has been an editor for Eurovoix since May 2017. He has been following the Eurovision Song Contest since 2005 and attended every contest as press since 2019. He also follows other Eurovision contests, such as the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which he has watched since the very first edition in 2003.