2012 Semifinal Allocation Draw

A spectacular show has kicked off the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest season in the Buta Palace in Baku.The hosts, Leyla Aliyeva and Nazim Huseynov, introduced the mayors of Baku and Düsseldorf, last year’s host city, for the traditional key exchange ceremony.Düsseldorf Mayor Dirk Elbers presented a symbolic key to Baku Mayor Hajibala Abutalibov and greeted the Azerbaijani people in Azerbaijani.

He said he was sure that Azerbaijan would hold an outstanding song contest and wished the Azerbaijani people success in hosting the competition.To ensure maximum suspense, the 37 countries taking part in the semi-finals were drawn from six pots, based on voting patterns from previous years, the Eurovision website reported.

The 18 countries drawn in the first semi-final to be held on Tuesday 22 May are:

1. Montenegro
2. Iceland
3. Romania
4. Albania
5. Belgium
6. Latvia
7. Switzerland
8. Finland
9. Greece
10. Moldova
11. Cyprus
12. Austria
13. Denmark
14. Russia
15. San Marino
16. Israel
17. Ireland
18. Hungary

The 19 countries drawn in the second semi-final to be held on Thursday 24 May are

1. Serbia
2. The Netherlands
3. Portugal
4. FYR Macedonia
5. Belarus
6. Malta
7. Ukraine
8. Armenia
9. Bulgaria
10. Sweden
11. Georgia
12. Slovenia
13. Estonia
14. Turkey
15. Slovakia
16. Croatia
17. Norway
18. Lithuania
19. Bosnia & Herzegovina

Six countries – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and hosts Azerbaijan – are guaranteed a place in the final, so do not need to compete in the semi-finals. However, since viewers can vote only in the semi-final in which their own country is competing, the six have been allocated for broadcast and voting purposes to the semi-finals. Italy, Azerbaijan and Spain will watch and vote in the first semi-final, while the UK, France and Germany will watch and vote in the second semi.

The running order in the semi-finals and final will be decided by another draw to be conducted at a Eurovision Heads of Delegation meeting in March.

The Eurovision Song Contest Final will be held on 26 May in the Baku Crystal Hall.

Wednesday’s show at the Buta Palace included classical music from an orchestra and impressive dancing and live performances from Eurovision stars Ruslana, Aysel, Alexander Rybak, Safura, Lena, and Ell/Nikki