B'Avarija flops before ever taking the stage

The European Broadcasting Union's reference panel in Tallinn has voted to disqualify Lithuania's entry in this year's Eurovision Song Contest because its song was released earlier under another name.

According to Eurovision rules, all songs entered must be original and not released before Jan. 1, 2002.

The Lithuanian entry, "We All," by popular boy band B'Avarija, was released at the end of last year on an album called "Is Visos Sirdies" under the Lithuanian title "Mes Cia."

B'Avarija and Lithuanian National Radio and Television denied the band had broken any rules, arguing that the English text of the song - the one presented to Eurovision - had not been released earlier.

If the winner of a national competition is disqualified, the band that finished second qualifies, according to Eurovision rules.

After talk about the possible disqualification of B'Avarija began, Aivaras Stepukonis, who finished second place at the Lithuanian finals with the song "Happy You," said that he would not participate in Eurovision if asked.

During a press conference on March 22, members of the Vilnius band Saules Kliosas, the third place finishers, said they would gladly take B'Avarija's place.

Band leader Laurynas Sarkinas spoke about the group's financial problems at a press conference at the Lithuanian National Radio and Television studios.

"We'll have to ask our parents for financial support," he said. "We're lucky. But I think the B'Avarija guys were more suitable to take part in this contest."

Saules Kliosas was formed a year-and-a-half ago and consists of eight members.

Klaipeda-based band B'Avarija also attended the press conference. The singers apologized to their fans and called on them to support their replacements.

Juozas Liesis, the band's leader, said he would ask his sponsors to support Saules Kliosas.

The European Broadcasting Union panel asked Lithuania to propose another entrant by March 28.

Composer Deivydas Zvonkus told The Baltic Times that immediately after writing the song last summer he thought of Eurovision.

"I wrote this song in the summer last year and immediately felt that it would make a perfect anthem for the Eurovision contest," he said.

Before the scandal Liesis said in several interviews that he had no doubt about the band's victory in Tallinn.

Since the scandal, B'Avarija's "We All" has become the most popular song on Lithuanian radio.