Vissi chooses Greece over Cyprus

INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed Cypriot singer Anna Vissi has decided to represent Greece in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest.

The Greek media has since hinted that the Cypriot public is not happy with this development, with one newspaper saying Cyprus is furious with Vissi for choosing Greece over Cyprus for the Contest. In particular, newspapers pointed to the CyBC, saying that the Cypriot broadcasting channel was furious that Vissi had said “no” to Cyprus.

But CyBC general director Andros Pavlides said yesterday there were no hard feelings. “Yes, we would like to see Anna Vissi represent Cyprus, but there is no crisis between Greece and Cyprus, as we consider our efforts in Eurovision as common. Whether Greece wins or Cyprus, it is the same for us. We are happy to see this time a Greek Cypriot representing Greece. This participation also represents Cypriots who are also proud. It is the right of Ms Vissi to choose for which country to sing. We will choose our own song and we are sure we will complete equally with Greece,” he said.

In a recent interview for Down Town magazine, Vissi said she was going to do her best to make Greece proud.

“I’m just doing this for one reason really: to give a powerful image of Greece to the rest of the world. It’s statistically difficult to talk about coming first again, but the sure thing is that we will aim high and exhibit a very high standard in all areas. The only reason that pushes me to be part of the Eurovision contest is to empower the Greek presence in this event and I’m honestly doing this with great eagerness and pleasure.”

Vissi has entered the Eurovision Contest twice, once representing Greece in 1980 with the song “Autostop” (ranked 13th) and then representing Cyprus in 1982 with “Mono I agapi – only love” (ranked 5th).

Vissi will sing five songs and the public will vote for its favourite.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.