In a statement issued last night, UKAM, the organisation of Maltese composers, authors and singers, announced that it has called on its members not to submit their songs for this year's Malta Song for Europe festival before the deadline for submissions which is due today, Wednesday 24th November at 16:00 CET.

During a final meeting held last night, between UKAM and the Maltasong board, chaired by Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, the parties failed to reach a consensus which was acceptable to UKAM.

UKAM said that the Maltasong Board rejected their proposals, to accept that the author and composer of the winning song should be part of the Maltese delegation going to the Eurovision Song Contest, and was refusing to accept a reciprocal approach whereby only composers and authors from countries allowing Maltese to participate in their respective festivals, would be allowed to participate in the Malta Song for Europe festival.

According to our own sources, not more than five songs would have been submitted for the 2005 Malta Song for Europe festival by now.