Oltra Boka to represent Albania in Eurovision 2008, maybe

Game over, boys and girls. My infamous Sinan Hoxha Facebook group has become obsolete and will be shortly deleted.

It never grew stronger than 190 members at its peak, and was launched hopelessly late too. It was meant to bring me back to the Albanian national television (in case you ever wondered my motives), the only form of show business I have ever tasted, but never gained enough momentum to take off, let alone flying. Perhaps the eagles didn't find my piece of carcass tasty enough, perhaps the Tirana women and Gjirokastra girls were turned off by my seatbelt, or perhaps not. We shall never find out, since the social graph just shrugged when I tried to surf down it. Drugs, British sinks and Ponzi schemes don't work. May that be our bottom line.

The Albanian Eurovision primary was held on December 16, and the results are as follows:

1. Olta Boka - Zemrën lamë peng, 67 points
2. F. Kralani & D. Disha - Jeta kerkon dashuri, 57 points
3. Juliana Pasha - Nje qiell te ri, 54 points
4. Jonida Maliqi - S’ka fajtor ne dashuri, 36 points
5. Mira Konci & Redon Makashi - Nen nje qiell, 35 points

The title of the winning song roughly means "We gambled the heart" (whether it tells about love, poker or organ trade, I don't know) and it was chosen to represent Land of the Eagle in this year's final. Oltra Boka is a pretty girl, and may well have musical talent too, but I'd urge you not to place your Belgrade bets yet - for most reactions were rather mixed:

Several Albanian newspapers have come with different articles and comments for the Albanian festival that took place last night at the Congress Palace of Tirana. In general, the Albanian press seemed not to be very happy with the outcome of the competition.

Newspaper Koha Jone published an article with the title “Accusations to the festival, the organizers 'hush'” on Sunday. In this article, special mention is made for Blero and his sudden withdrawal from the festival accusing the organizers of “selling” the festival’s first prize. The article continues to say that this kinds of accusations is new to the organisers of this event who chose to make no comment.

Rumours of dead threats and corruption prompted those comments pretty soon afterwards, though:

The result of the first Eurovision Song Contest national final of 2008, the Festivali I Kenges in Albania is to be investigated by the national broadcaster, RTSH. The investigation follows unusual voting by two jury members, that changed the result of the competition. Olta Boka won the competition with 67 points, beating F. Kralani & D. Disha into second place with 57 points. Juliana Pasha finished in third place with Nje qiell te ri on 54 points.

RTSH are investigating the disparity in jury voting between three of the jury members and the last two. Their voting changed the result of the competition. The song writing teams behind the top two songs have so far between them won every Festivali I Kenges competition since Albania began particiapating at the Eurovision Song Contest with the winning song from the festival becoming the country's entry.

O tempora, o mores. The case obviously isn't closed yet, but for me and my compassionate minions it doesn't make any difference, anymore. Whoever will represent Albania in Eurovision 2008 will not be Sinan Hoxha, who wasn't even amongst the candidates. But then again, he is a serious artist.