It took the major Eurovision Song Contest websites a while to find out what's going on with Georgia. Flemish broadcaster VRT, host broadcaster of this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest, snow confirmed that Georgia cannot and will not participate in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Hasselt. The European Broadcasting Union said that to VRT.

After Georgia became an active member of the EBU, the country showed serious interest in a participation in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. “We are negotiating with the Ministery of Culture about this”, a spokesperson of the Georgian national public broadcaster said last month. Now it appears that the legal framework – the rules of the contest – causes problems.

Because the Georgian broadcaster became an Active Member of the EBU during the General Assembly in Croatia on 6th and 7th of July, they missed the subscribtion deadline of 30th June. With the difference of a week, GEOTV missed the opportunity to join the third edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

20 countries are expected to take part in this year's junior contest, although a list of 19 participating nations still seems to be an option. With a final 'no' regarding to Georgia's participation, the list might very well contain one or more surprises…

The list of participants of the 2005 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be revealed on 22nd August.