Greek television said the public’s public vote was choosing the country’s entry into Eurovision

ATHENS — With only one win in the kitsch Eurovision Song Contest — in 2005 with Helena Paparizou’s My Number One — Greece is reportedly thinking of letting the public choose the entry instead of public broadcaster ERT.

The Typologies section of the Paron site said the idea was being considered for the 67th event in 2023 in Liverpool, selected because it was to be held in Ukraine before the Russian invasion tore the country apart.

Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, with their performance of Stefania, won the 2022 event in Italy, which was the host after winning in 2021, and then came the war that Russia brought.

“There is a proposal and it is being seriously considered this year by the management of ERT to change the mode of selection of the Greek participation in the Eurovision song contest of spring 2023 in the United Kingdom”, indicates the site.

He added that “the proposal is that the television audience chooses which of the songs that entered the final selection will be the one that will represent the country at Eurovision”.

Although there were concerns that “it was ‘commercial’ for TV viewing, it stumbles in the financial part as additional funds will be needed for production,” the report said about uncertain prospects.

Maria Kozakou, who runs Radio 2 for ERT, said in a television interview on ANT1 that “Little by little it (the public vote) has to come into the process… the five or ten best songs have to be evaluated by people”.