Romanian broadcaster TVR has announced the dates of their selection for the upcoming 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. Two semi finals will be held on 27th and 29th January before the grand final on 31st January.

Composers are invited to submit their songsbetween 15th November and 15th December.On 22nd and 23rd December, a jury will select the songs to participate in the semi finals. A new rule states that only composers from Romania are allowed to take part in the competition. In recent years, many composers and singers from outside the country, especially from Sweden,took part in the Romanian selections. Theses acts include Rednex, LaGaylia Frazier andthe group Biondo that finished 2nd in 2008 only a few points behind Nico & Vlad Mirita. Twelve songs will compete in each of the semi finals and six from each will proceed to the final.

Romania had a rough start in the Eurovision Song Contest but went on to become very succesful: the country took part in the competition for the first time in 1994 but it was in 2002 when they reached the top ten for the first time. After four top ten finishes in five years Romania finished 13th in 2007 and 20th in 2008, when Nico & Vlad Mirita performed Pe-o margine de lume in the final.