The Azeri Press Agency APA reports, quoting Tahir Mammadov, spokesman of the country's public broadcaster Ictimai TV, that the national final will take place by the end of February. Mammadov also revealed that the members of the jury to select both the three finalists and the winner of the competition have already been selected, although their names remain unknown for the moment.

As already reported, the jury will select three candidates out of the six to perform on February 2nd at the Azerbaijani semifinal, to be held at Baku's Buta Palace. They will go through the final, whose exact date is yet unknown, but will take place by late February.

The six candidates in the race to represent Azerbaijan in Oslo are Azad Shabanov, Maryam Shabanova, Safura Alizadeh, Ulviyya Rahimova, Elli Michiyeva and Milk & Kisses. Eurovision winners Alexander Rybak and Ruslana, as well as the 2009 Azerbaijani representative Aysel Teymourzadeh are also expected to perform at the semifinal.