Comings And Goings

Mainly goings, actually: Serbia-Montenegro is said to have from Eurovision, following the breakdown of Evropesma on Saturday, after a representative could not be agreed at a meeting between Serbian and Montenegrin television today.

The official statement from the joint Serbia-Montenegro broadcasting body makes no mention of withdrawal, only that 'the SCG representative for the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest in Athens was not determined', and several days still remain before the deadline for all national entries to be chosen.

If Serbia-Montenegro isn't represented at Eurovision, the Croatian entry may now avoid the qualifying phase on 18 May and be placed straight into the final (as the country which missed out on automatic qualification by one place in 2005), although at the expense of an almost-guaranteed set of maximum points from Serbia-Montenegro.

The Gazette, meanwhile, will shortly be off to Sweden for several days - normal service will probably be resumed early next week.