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#redirect [[Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest]]
{{Infobox song contest national year
__STATICREDIRECT__
| Year = 2009
__FORCETOC__
| Country = Georgia
| Preselection = National final
| Preselection date = 18 February 2009
| Entrant = [[Stephane & 3G|Stephane and 3G]]
| Song = [[We Don't Wanna Put In]]
| Writer = {{unbulleted list|Stephane Mgebrishvili|Bibi Kvachadze}}
| Final result = ''Withdrawn''
}}
'''Georgia''', and its broadcaster [[Georgian Public Broadcaster]] (GPB), announced in August 2008 that it would be withdrawing from the '''Eurovision Song Contest 2009''' in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]]. The country later returned to the contest in December 2008, and planned for its third entry at the contest.

After a national final was held on 18 February, the third Georgian entry for Eurovision was decided to be [[Stephane & 3G|Stephane and 3G]] with "[[We Don't Wanna Put In]]".<ref name="Georgia2009ref1">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=1930|title=Stephane & 3G to represent Georgia in Moscow|last=Brey|first=Marco|date=2009-02-18|publisher=[[European Broadcasting Union|EBU]]|access-date=2009-02-18}}</ref><ref name="Georgia2009ref2">{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13290|title=Georgia: Stephane & 3G to Eurovision|last=Marcus|first=Klier|date=2009-02-18|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2009-02-18}}</ref><ref name="Georgia2009ref3">{{cite web|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=5157|title=Stephane & 3G wins Georgian national final; listen to the song|last=Fisher|first=Luke|date=2009-02-18|publisher=Oikotimes|access-date=2009-02-18|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221105049/http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=5157|archive-date=2009-02-21}}</ref> The song however was rejected by the [[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU), and could not compete in the contest in its current form due to perceived political connotations in its lyrics.<ref name="lyrics1">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=1993|title=Georgian song lyrics do not comply with Rules|last=Bakker|first=Sietse|date=2009-03-10|publisher=EBU|access-date=2009-03-10}}</ref><ref name="lyrics2">{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13485|title=EBU rejects Georgia Eurovision entry|last=Viniker|first=Barry|date=2009-03-10|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2009-03-10}}</ref> On 11 March, Georgia announced its withdrawal from the contest in response to the EBU's rejection.<ref name="Georgia out 1">{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iV0CS9I_QWMy_YqSCquJq1bimjyg|title=Georgia drops out of Eurovision over Putin song|date=2009-03-11|access-date=2009-03-11}}</ref><ref name="Georgia out 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13491|title=Georgia withdraws from Eurovision Song Contest 2009|last=Shegrikyan|first=Zaven|date=2009-03-11|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2009-03-11}}</ref>

== Before Eurovision ==

=== Withdrawal and return ===
Georgia's broadcaster, [[Georgian Public Broadcaster]] (GPB), originally announced in August 2008 that they would not be participating at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 due to the [[2008 South Ossetia war]], involving Georgia and Eurovision 2009 host Russia, and in protest to Russia's foreign policies. GPB went on to say that they refuse to "participate in a contest organised by a country that violates human rights and international laws".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=3987 |title=GPB officially withdraws from Eurovision 2009 |author=Tongeren, Mario van |date=2008-08-28 |publisher=Oikotimes |access-date=2008-08-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906184008/http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=3987 |archive-date=2008-09-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12233|title=Georgia will not participate in Moscow Eurovision|last=Viniker|first=Barry|date=2008-08-28|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2008-08-28}}</ref> GPB later reversed their decision to boycott the contest in December 2008. This was after talks between GPB and the contest organisers, the [[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU), as well as the victory for Georgia at the [[Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008]], in which Russia gave their top marks to Georgia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=4615 |title=Georgia: GPB proudly changes decision and enters Eurovision 2009 |last=Konstantopoulos |first=Fotis |date=2008-12-19 |publisher=Oikotimes |access-date=2008-12-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221142448/http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=4615 |archive-date=2008-12-21 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12749|title=Georgia returns to the Eurovision Song Contest|last=Floras|first=Stella|date=2008-12-19|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2008-12-19}}</ref> In February 2009, an online campaign "Boycott MoscowVision" emerged calling on the public broadcaster not to participate in the contest.<ref>[http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=20447 Georgia Sends ‘Protest Song’ to Moscow Eurovision]. [[Civil Georgia]]. February 19, 2009</ref>

=== National final ===
The Georgian national final took place on 18 February 2009 at the GPB studios in [[Tbilisi]], hosted by Nika Lomidze. Ten acts competed and a jury and public vote selected the winner. The show was broadcast on [[Georgian Public Broadcaster|1 TV GPB]] as well as online at the broadcaster's website ''1tv.ge''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Klier|first=Marcus|date=18 February 2009|title=Tonight: National final in Georgia|url=http://esctoday.com/13280/tonight_national_final_in_georgia-2/|url-status=live|access-date=20 March 2021|website=Esctoday}}</ref>

==== Competing entries ====
GPB announced that a public submission would be opened from 22 January 2009 until 5 February 2009. Both artists and composers could be of any nationality.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brey|first=Marco|date=2009-01-22|title=Georgia: National final on February 18th|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=1836|access-date=2009-01-22|publisher=Eurovision.tv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Klier|first=Marcus|date=2009-01-22|title=Georgia: national final on 18th February|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13002|access-date=2009-01-22|publisher=ESCToday}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2009-01-22|title=Georgia: National final on February 18|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=4882|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130035251/http://oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=4882|archive-date=2009-01-30|access-date=2009-01-22|publisher=Oikotimes}}</ref> 25 entries were received by the submission deadline and an expert commission selected the top ten entries from the received submissions. The competing entries were announced on 13 February 2009.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hondal|first=Victor|date=2009-02-06|title=Georgia: List of ten finalists announced|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13172|access-date=2009-02-06|publisher=ESCToday}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Konstantopoulos|first=Fotis|date=2009-02-06|title=Georgia: GPB announce participants for national final|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=5031|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519063302/http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=5031|archive-date=2009-05-19|access-date=2009-02-06|publisher=Oikotimes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Laufer|first=Gil|date=2009-02-13|title=Georgia: Listen to the Eurovision hopefuls|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13229|access-date=2009-02-13|publisher=ESCToday}}</ref>

==== Final ====
The final took place on 18 February 2009. Ten entries competed and the winner, "[[We Don't Wanna Put In]]" performed by [[Stephane & 3G|Stephane and 3G]], was determined upon by the combination of the votes of an expert jury headed by British producer [[Stephen Budd]] (70%) and a public SMS vote (30%). In addition to the performances of the competing entries, [[Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2008|2008 Georgian Junior Eurovision winners]] [[Bzikebi]] performed as a guest.<ref name="Georgia2009ref1" /><ref name="Georgia2009ref2" /><ref name="Georgia2009ref3" />
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Final – 18 February 2009
|-
! Draw
! Artist
! Song
! Songwriter(s)
! Place
|-
| 1
| align="left" | Bachi Kitiashvili and Bermukha
| align="left" | "Khvalindeli dghe"
| align="left" | Bachi Kitiashvili
| data-sort-value="4" | —
|-
| 2
| align="left" | November
| align="left" | "Over"
| align="left" | Davit Mchedlishvili, Giorgi Mukhigulashvili
| data-sort-value="4" | —
|-
| 3
| align="left" | Giorgi Maisuradze
| align="left" | "Peace in the World"
| align="left" | Giorgi Maisuradze, Dato Ugrekhelidze, Lika Kakiashvili
| data-sort-value="4" | —
|-
| 4
| align="left" | [[Tika Patsatsia]]
| align="left" | "Miracle"
| align="left" | [[Georgios Kalpakidis|Gorgi]]
| data-sort-value="4" | —
|-
| 5
| align="left" | Tony and Friends
| align="left" | "Hear My Plea"
| align="left" | Tony O'Malley
| data-sort-value="4" | —
|-
| 6
| align="left" | [[Nodiko Tatishvili]]
| align="left" | "No Sun When You Are Near"
| align="left" | Levan Jibladze, Bibi Kvachadze
| data-sort-value="4" | —
|-
| 7
| align="left" | Boris Bedia
| align="left" | "Dagvipharavs ghmerti"
| align="left" | Merab Mamulashvili, Manana Gurgenidze
| 3
|- style="font-weight:bold; background:gold;"
| 8
| align="left" | [[Stephane & 3G|Stephane and 3G]]
| align="left" | "[[We Don't Wanna Put In]]"
| align="left" | Stephane Mgebrishvili, Bibi Kvachadze
| 1
|-
| 9
| align="left" | [[Anri Jokhadze]]
| align="left" | "I"
| align="left" | [[Anri Jokhadze]], Bibi Kvachadze
| data-sort-value="4" | —
|-
| 10
| align="left" | Keti Orjonikidze
| align="left" | "Hang Out"
| align="left" | Bachi Kitiashvili
| 2
|}

==Song controversy and withdrawal==
Shortly after "We Don't Wanna Put In" was selected, the song received widespread coverage due to political connotations in its lyrics. The song, a jab at Russian Prime Minister [[Vladimir Putin]], gained news coverage in countries around Europe, however the song was rumoured to be ineligible to compete, due to rules forbidding "lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political or similar nature".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13296|title=Georgian Eurovision entry sparks news frenzy|last=Lewis|first=Daniel|date=2009-03-10|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2009-03-10}}</ref> A spokesperson for GPB denied that the song was of a political nature, and the [[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU), the organisers of the contest, refused to make a statement until the song was officially submitted to them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7899014.stm|title=Putin jibe picked for Eurovision |date=2009-02-19|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=2009-03-10}}</ref> A protest was held in Moscow over the song on 2 March 2009, organised by the Young Russia political group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13420|title=Russian political rally against Georgian song|last=Gudim|first=Laura|date=2009-03-02|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=2009-03-10}}</ref>

On 10 March, the EBU told GPB that the song's lyrics did not comply with the rules of the contest, and asked them to either re-write the lyrics of the song, or select another to compete.<ref name="lyrics1" /><ref name="lyrics2" />
On 11 March, GPB announced that it would not change the lyrics of the song, or the song itself, saying that it does not have political connotations within its lyrics, and perceiving the EBU's rejection of the song as political pressure from Russia. The country therefore withdrew from the contest.<ref name="Georgia out 1" /><ref name="Georgia out 2" /> Confirmation of the withdrawal given, when the running order was announced on 16 March, and Georgia was not included.

Georgia was to compete in the first semi-final on 12 May 2009.

Following that dispute, GPB did not even broadcast the 2009 contest, but Georgia returned to the 2010 contest, which was held in the Norwegian capital [[Oslo]] and won by Germany.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2009}}

[[Category:Georgia (country) in the Eurovision Song Contest|2009]]
[[Category:Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009]]
[[Category:2009 in Georgia (country) television|Eurovision]]

Revision as of 14:39, 12 February 2022