Albania will end the second semi-final.

Participants in the first Semi-Final
The draw determined that in the first Semi-Final (12th of May) the following countries will appear: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Sweden, Israel, Belgium, Andorra, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Iceland, Georgia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Switzerland, FYR Macedonia, Finland, Belarus, Turkey, Romania, Malta and Armenia.

The United Kingdom, Germany and Spain will also broadcast this Semi-Final and the audience in these countries can vote as well.

Participants in the second Semi-Final
In the second Semi-Final (14th of May) the following countries will be represented: Slovenia, Denmark, Azerbaijan, the Netherlands, Latvia, Hungary, Serbia, Norway, Ukraine, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Croatia, Estonia, Moldova, Cyprus, Ireland, Slovakia and Albania.

France and Russia will also broadcast this Semi-Final and the audience in these countries can vote as well.

01. Kejsi Tola - Më mërr në ëndërr - 126 points
02. Juliana Pasha & Luiz Ejlli - Nje jetë - 119 points
03. Group West Side Family - Jehonë - 118 points
04. Besa Kokedhima - Ajer - 109 points
05. Marjeta Billo - Era e tokës - 106 points
06. Group Burn - Jam I Pari I Jettes Sime - 96 points
07. Dorina Garuci - Dite 1 jetë - 92 points
08. Adelina Thaci - Oret e fundit - 91 points
09. Endri & Stefi Prifti - Ti bere faj - 91 points
10. Evis Mula - Unë jam dashuria  - 91 points
11. Erga Halilaj - Dikush mungon - 63 points
12. Rovena Dilo & Gent Bushpepa - S’jam balade - 60 points
13. Agim Poshka - Fajtor për ngrohjen globale - 56 points
14. Vedat Ademi - Po me prite - 51 points
15. Era Rusi - Shpirt i humbur - 50 points
16. Soni Malaj - Zona zero - 44 points
17. Emi Bogdo - Kur buzet henen e kafshojn  - 43 points
18. Kujtim Prodani - Nostalgji - 24 points
19. Shpat Kasapi - Aromë mediterane - 22 points
20. Julian Lekocaj - Nuk Je Ti  - 17 points

Olta Boka did well in the final, her performance was even better in the semi-final. She got only one 12 pts and it was from Macedonia. Olta ended in pos. 17 with 55 pts.

The winner was Russia, so the ESC 2009 will be held in Russia.

1. Russia - 272
2. Ukraine - 230
3. Greece - 218
4. Armenia - 199
5. Norway - 182
6. Serbia - 160
7. Turkey - 138
8. Azerbaijan - 132
9. Israel - 124
10. Bosnia & Herzegovina - 110
11. Georgia - 83
12. Latvia - 83
13. Portugal - 69
14. Iceland - 64
15. Denmark - 60
16. Spain - 55
17. Albania - 55
18. Sweden - 47
19. France - 47
20. Romania - 45
21. Croatia - 44
22. Finland - 35
23. Germany - 14
24. Poland - 14
25. United Kingdom - 14

Serbs booed when Albania’s representative in ESC went on stage during the tests on Friday. The protracted conflict between Serbia and Kosovo are the basis for the outbreaks.

“I think probably she would like to see more booing when we go live out to the whole of Europe,” according to Simon Simonovic, who is working as an advisor to the Norwegian Entranse-SINTEF project in Serbia, and follows the rehearsals together with the Norwegian businessmen.

“This shows that Serbs will never accept Kosovo as a state”, he says.

Will lead to sympathy votes
“I think this will give Albania sympathy votes from the other countries,“ according to Per Sundnes.

“She is so confident and good for being only 16 years, that this fall on its own unreasonableness, and I believe it will lead to sympathy votes from the rest of Europe” he says.
75 Cent from Croatia also experienced booing from the audience during the tests on Friday.
He also believes that Romania, Spain, Bosnia and the Russian Federation will get to experience extraordinary amount of applause from the audience because they have not recognized Kosovo as a state. This will also have an impact on the votes from Serbia in the morning. (source: nrk.no)

After the Second Semi-Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest had finished, representatives of the ten qualifying countries gathered for the official winners press conference. At the same time, their starting positions in the Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday were decided by drawing lots.

The third country to answer questions was Albania. Olta Boka was asked if her dream came true, she said “My heart is beating so fast now, it’s a big thing for me to be in the final, and I am so so happy, and I will do my best again in the final, despite certain sections of the crowd booing.”Albania was drawn 3rd in the final. [read more]

16 year old Albanian singer Olta Boka is the youngest participant in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. Eurovision.tv’s Glen Webb caught up with Olta earlier today.
Can we begin Olta by getting a little background information on your career so far, from when you began performing right through to now?

Olta: “I started singing at nine years old, with the Choir of Angels led by National Opera Music Master Suzana Turku. I then took part in a lot of childrens festivals both in Albania, and also countries like Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, FYR Macedonia. I also entered a European Song Contest for children, and I came in second place. At age 10 I was part of a concert in Albania called Little Genius where I took the prize for greatest interpretation. My biggest victory was of course in the Albanian national selection, which I won and it got me the ticket here.” [read more]

After the first rehearsals of Olta, the positive reactions kept coming. The official Eurovision site eurovision.tv writes today right after the first rehearsals of Olta Boka. The Albanian representative Olta Boka, who is only 16 years old, managed to convince everyone with a heartwarming and professional performance in her rehearsal today.

ESC Today: Olta delivers a very simple and pleasant
version of her song…

The Albanian delegation’s first promotional visit was successfully concluded in Turkey, where Olta Boka appeared on TV and radio and had the chance to meet with this year’s Turkish representatives Mor ve otesi. Olta’s promo tour will continue to Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Olta Boka had a very busy day in Istanbul where she got the chance to appear on the Show TV news, the Aynadan yansıyanlar music show on TRT and the Michael show on Radyo Mega. Olta also had the opportunity to meet with Mor ve otesi, during a private dinner at a traditional Turkish restaurant… [read more]