Maltese Eurovision Broadcaster TVM has just released a statement in their official website announcing that Aidan had been disqualified from Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
The official statement from TVM reads as follows:
The singer Aidan Cassar has been disqualified from participating in the next edition of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
Tvmnews.mt can reveal that PBS has been notified by the Malta Eurovision Song Contest production team that Aidan Cassar has been disqualified from continuing to participate in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023 following a breach of the Festival Regulations.
tvmnews.mt is informed that Cassar was disqualified due to a number of posts in social media that were neither authorized. This is to promote the song and participation in the Festival. This was against regulation 5.3 and 5.6 of the festival Regulations.
The regulation reads precisely the following:
5.6 – The engagement of marketing personnel, marketing officials, marketing companies or the engagement into some sort of marketing or promotional campaign or activity by the artists to promote themselves, the song, their participation, or in some way to influence the public vote is strictly prohibited. The publication of any social media post, promotion material, interviews or media presence/exposure from the announcement of the quarter finalist’s onwards is also strictly prohibited. Any breach of this clause will lead to automatic disqualification.
TVM’s Official Statement on Aidan’s Disqualification (Translated from Maltese)
Aidan was among the acts that made it into the Quarter Finals of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2023. He entered the national final with his song, “Regina”, before being disqualified by TVM for violating Regulation 5.3 and 5.6 of the national final regulations, the latter which prevented entrants of MESC 2023 from promoting their entry through a marketing or promotional campaign that is either initiated by themselves or by marketing experts.
In the case of Aidan, TVM accused him of making “unauthorized posts” on social media relating to his MESC 2023 participation. It is not clear which of his posts violated the MESC 2023 rules.
Aidan and/or his management have yet to release an official statement regarding this issue. As soon as the official statement is made available, we will be updating this article.
!!UPDATE!!
Aidan has released a statement regarding his disqualification through his official Facebook page:
Regina…I would like to write a lot, but I don’t know where to start. I am disappointed by what happened but to proceed legally means that I have to stop the festival that I love so much from taking place. This is something that was never in my thoughts, especially with respect to my fellow singers who, like me, worked hard to give a great performance on that stage… and also with respect to the Eurovision fans, like me .. since I was 7 years old I always dreamed of representing Malta in Eurovision. I worked, on what I worked, until I left my full time job a few weeks ago, to give everything to this dream that I have.
Translated from Maltese
Thank you to my team, family, friends, colleagues and supporters who, in this past week, have supported me and were there for me. Thanks to my mother, who in the song I call a Queen. I know you are proud of me, and I am proud to have you. Thank you for reading this message.
I wish all my fellow singers participating in the festival. And I look forward to sharing more music and new songs with you soon.
THANK YOU
Aidan
