Turkish broadcaster TRT informed us about the plans for their national Eurovision Song Contest selections. The Turkish representative for Kiev will be chosen during a 3-day lasting final, taking place from 12th until 14th February 2005. Despite all rumours that have been spread lately by several Eurovision Song Contest websites, the rules as announced on 16th August have not changed!

Between 6th and 9th December 2004, all songs submitted to the Turkish selections will be judged at the TRT Music Department. Songs for the Turkish Eurovision Song Contest preselection can be submitted until 29th November 2004. A not yet decided number of songs wil proceed to the national finals. Those will be spread over 3 days and take place on 12th, 13th and 14th February.

8 regional juries and a professional jury will then decide over which song will represent Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kiev. The composition of the 8 regional juries will be decided on 28th January. On 4th February TRT will decide who'll be in the professional jury.

In reaction to the rumours that TRT changed the rules and selected a popular Turkish artist to perform in Kiev, Ümran Sönmezer, Director of Polyphonic Music Department at TRT, told us that “TRT have organized a contest open to all the amateurs and profesionals in order to determine the song and artist(s) which will represent Turkey at the 50th Eurovision Song Contest. The rules that are set up for the contest were made public on 16 August 2004. All the rules stated there are still valid and no changes have been made.”

Turkey is directly qualified for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2005.