ANDRE: ARMENIA’S FIRST PARTICIPATION IN EUROVISION REGISTERS GREAT SUCCESS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 31 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenia’s first
participation in the Eurovision-2006 song contest registered great
success, whereas there were countries that have participated in this
contest for several dozens of times but have no success. Singer Andre
who represented Armenia at the contest declared this at the May 31
press conference. Armenia took the 8th place as a result of voting
of viewers of 38 countries and this means that a representative of
Armenia receives an opportunity to perform in the final without taking
part in the semi-final in the next, Eurovision-2007 festival. Andre
is sure that not only the Armenian Diaspora, but also foreigners
have voted for Armenia as they liked the song. According to Andre,
his performance in semi-final had some shortcomings that were caused
by sound directors. The singer said that almost participants of all
countries had technical problems, which was normally accepted by
them. “We treated this contest very seriously, whereas for other
countries this was a common TV show,” he emphasized. According
to Andre, even the videoing was not done in accordance with the
requirements of the producers of country-participants. Andre also
mentioned that singers with strong voices, such as representatives
of Cyprus and Belgium, took part in the Eurovision-2006, but they
did not pass even to the final: “As a result, Finland won, which,
as the organizers estimated, had come to Athens for mocking the
Eurovision.” Diana Mnatsakanian, Foreign Relations Executive of the
Public Television of Armenia, informed that H1 is already working out
the rules of participation in the preliminary stage of the Eurovision
contest, which should be brought in correspondence with the general
regulations of the European Union of Broadcasters. According to
D.Mnatsakanian, they will be placed on the site of H1 by September
and everybody who wants can present his/her songs by November.