Jurijus will still compete in the final of the Lithuanian selection process, after disqualification fears earlier this week.
LRT has confirmed that Jurijus will still compete for the right to represent Lithuania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. The singer was under investigation after his song “Run With The Lions” was found to have been available online in a demo format in March 2018. The Head of Delegation for Lithuania explained:
LRT consulted the EBU when it turned out that the demo version of the song by Yuri Veklenko had appeared on the Internet, but the EBU judged and decided only when the song winner was officially presented to the international Eurovision Song Contest, because they did not want to put pressure on National Selection Organizers and participants. This means there is no reason to change the composition of the finalists, and which song would miss the National Selection, each of which would be thoroughly evaluated by the EBU.
LRT states that should the EBU rule at a later date it is in ineligible to compete then they will select another participant. The Head of Delegation added that the version available online was there for potential singers to express their interest in.
The final will take place this Saturday. The winner of the show will get the golden ticket to Tel Aviv, where they will be representing Lithuania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019.
Competing in the final is:
- Jurgis Brūzga – CTRL ALT DELETE
- Justina Budaitė-Junà – Strength of A Woman
- Henry & Tommy Modric – Neverpart
- Monika Marija – Light On
- Jurijus – Run With The Lions
- Antikvariniai Kašpirovskio Dantys – Mažulė
- JurgisDID & Erica Jennings – Sing!
- Allen Chicco – Your Cure
Source: LRT
Lithuania debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, however on their debut they finished in last place with nul points. Lithuania didn’t return to the contest until 1999 when Aiste finished 20th with the song “Strazdas”. Lithuania’s best result came in 2006 when LT United performed “We Are The Winners”; they finished 6th in the final with a total of 162 points. Lithuania’s only other top.10 finish came in 2016 when Donny Montell performed “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” in Stockholm, he received 12 points from the public in Ireland, Norway & United Kingdom.
