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The 2002 Bosnian final was again staged in Sarajevo. Initially, the wish was to have the venue in Banja Luka, but because of financial difficulties, RTRS was not able to take on the project, so FTV had to step in and organize the event in the country capital. 16 songs took part. An eight-member jury chose the top 5 songs out of the sixteen that were performed. After the 5 were played again, a three-member jury gave each 1, 3, 5, 7, an 10 points.

16. (42) Priznajem (I Admit) by Edin Pašić
__- lyrics/music: Dino Muharemović
15. (43) Slušaj moju pjesmu (Listen To My Song) by Lada i Lana Olujić
__- lyrics/music: Lada Olujić
14. (47) Sve što imaš ti (All You Have) by Tinka Milinović
__- lyrics/music: Hamdija Salihbegović
12. (49) Primabalerina by Biljana Matić & Romeo Nikolić
__- lyrics: Suzana Vinković, music: Ivica Vinković
12. (49) Budi malo moja (Be Mine For A While) by "Boje noći"
__- lyrics: Dinko Zukanović, music: Hamdija Mešić
11. (50) Ponoćno sunce (Midnight Sun) by Željka Katavić-Pilj
__- lyrics: Miroslav Pilj, music: Alen Mustafić
8. (53) Kapije bola (Gates Of Pain) by Slađana Mandić
__- lyrics/music: Mladen Matović
8. (53) Zlatno, zlatnije (Golden, More Golden) by Dragana & Geronimo
__- lyrics/music: Dragana Kajtazović & Geronimo
8. (53) Trnje i ruže (Roses And Thorns) by Dragana Ilić - Venus
__- lyrics/music: Dražen Vrdoljak
7. (54) Samo zapjevaj (Just Sing) by Selma Muhedinović & Milić Vukašinović
__- lyrics/music: Milić Vukašinović
6. (58) Vjerujem (I Believe) by Ljiljana Galić - Lily
__- lyrics/music: Ljiljana Galić - Lily

5. (60) Nemoj danas (Not Today) by Mija Martina
__- lyrics: Arijana Kunštek, music: Ines Prajo
4. (61) Emina - u la la by Emina Jahović & KC
__- lyrics/music: Dino Merlin
3. (65) Sanjam bolji svijet (I Dream Of A Better World) by Al' Dino
__- lyrics/music: Aldin Kuric - Al' Dino
2. (69) Ti i ja smo mogli sve (We Could Do Anything) by Boris Režak & Kati Karney
__- lyrics/music: Boris Režak
1. (73) Na jastuku za dvoje (On A Pillow For Two) by Maja Tatić
__- lyrics: Ružica Čavić, music: Dragan Mijatović

These five songs were played again and voted on. Those results:

5. (3) Emina - u la la by Emina Jahović & KC
__- lyrics/music: Dino Merlin
4. (15) Ti i ja smo mogli sve (We Could Do Anything) by Boris Režak & Kati Karney
__- lyrics/music: Boris Režak
3. (16) Sanjam bolji svijet (I Dream Of A Better World) by Al' Dino
__- lyrics/music: Aldin Kuric - Al' Dino
2. (19) Nemoj danas (Not Today) by Mija Martina
__- lyrics: Arijana Kunštek, music: Ines Prajo
1. (25) Na jastuku za dvoje (On A Pillow For Two) by Maja Tatić
__- lyrics: Ružica Čavić, music: Dragan Mijatović

Joy In Western New York

The time has come to see what is going on in Bosnia. There will be sixteen songs in has made it the Bosnian final, PBS BiH official. I think this could be a good year to show off, Bosnians. Step up. Let's do this. Or not. Just be good songs. A good looking final, I think. It will take place on February 23rd in FTV studios in Sarajevo. The winner will be decided by televoting and a jury. Here's hoping.

First of all, the titles are exruciating. Half are extremely difficult to translate, the other half are disturbing. I could have taken a shower by the time I was able to finish off the list, feeling like a lost kid. But Florent Pagny's Chatelet les Halles came on at one time and it was all worth it. About the titles I lie though, because there were a couple that were ok.

Ok, so we know who Ružica Čavić is. She's released stuff in Yugoslavia, they've been hits there and in Bosnia. Mesečeva pesma would kind of be a representative thing of her work with Dragan. Kind of. She sang in last year's fina, coming 3rd with Oprosti mi.

Milić Vukašinović is the guy who co-wrote the 1997 entry, Goodbye. I know some of you like it. I think it's alright. He's an experienced man. The singer of his song Selma was in Jerusalem in 1999, playing the violin and happily jumping around on the stage during Putnici.

Ljiljana Galić - Lily was in the 2001 final. Her bouncy number Ginem za tobom came 15th. I'm guessing this year it's another fast number. But I'm just guessing. Al Dino was there with Lily. He sang the ballad Sve ti opraštam and was second only to Nino's Hano. His won't be a bouncy Mediterranean call for peace.

And here comes the man. Dino Merlin, ladies and gentleman. I hate to be so biased, ahem, ahem, but he's my favorite singer. He wrote the 1993 entry Sva bol svijeta and thesurprise (they say) of 1999, Putnici. Is a major star in Bosnia, man who's sold many upon many albums and at times very many as well. His last was Sredinom featuring gems like Sam, Esma, Godinama, Da je tuga snijeg, Sve je laž. And Putnici as well. Godinama is Bosnia's first entry in the OGAE Song Contest this year. No doubt he will send quality, absolutely no doubt.

Boris Režak was there in 2001 as well with shaky bon-bons. The song was Ja vjerujem. He was 5th there, it was a good song. Željka and Mija Martina were there too.

Željka sang Vrati sjećanja with Nesib Delibegović. Their song was one of my favorites, but they only managed to score 17th. She was there for Bosnia many times at ESC as a backing singer, and she's tried representing Bosnia herself in 1993, 1999, 2001 and now.

Mija Martina on the other hand came 11th with Ništa mi ne može last year.

The jury which choose these 16 songs out of the 115 that were received and followed all the rules (55 did not conform to the rules) consisted of following people: Milorad Kenjalović, Festival Banja Luka director, chairman of the jury; Dragan Džidić, Festival Melodije Mostara director; Elmir Rekić, Festival Bihac director;Ismeta Dervoz, FTV's executive producer for ESC 2002; Miroslav Maraus, chairman of the Bosnia for ESC 2002 board; Sinan Alimanović, director of the Musical program of PBS BiH; Vasilije Pokrajčić, director of the Musical program of RTRS; Dr. Luka Sekara, professor of language and literature; Milkica Grubor, jury secretary

Record Number of Submissions!

FTV's ESC 2002 executive producer, Ismeta Dervoz, recently gave an interview to the Bosnian daily "Dnevni avaz" revealing some things about the upcoming national final.

170 songs were submitted to PBS BiH offices, which is an enormous and a record number, at that. It is not yet decided where the preselection will take place, but the two possibilities are Sarajevo and Banja Luka, the latter being the biggest city in the Serb entity in Bosnia.

The final is scheduled to take place on February 23rd.. The final will feature between 15 and 25 songs, both numbers being extremes.

Also, a big surprise. For the first time in Bosnian ESC history, televoting will be used. Apparently, the Bosnian telecommunications agency, PTT BiH, finally has the means to allow the entire Bosnia to participate in such a process. In previous years, Bosnian TV has said that televoting was not an option because PTT BiH was not able to include whole of Bosnia in the event fairly. Televoting will be used in combination with a jury on May 25th.

Some More Potential Singers

And while Finland prepares for another inevitable relegation (come on, I know it, you know it, they know it), there's some news to be reported from Bosnia. Not any extraordinary kinds of news, but just some info clips for those 3 of you who actually care about what goes on in Bosnian Eurovision preparations.

First off, Henda's back. He was there last year with a nice, but disappointing number Stara vremena (Old Times) which placed 13th, tied with Narcis Vucina's Denmark-produced Freedom. This time, Henda said on OBN, an independent TV station founded by the international community, more effort is being put into the song. Last year he lacked enough time to prepare adequately, he admited and added that he too will sing a duet with some foreign girl.

Croatian daily newspaper "Vecernji list" in its Bosnian edition published an interview with Ljiljana Galic - Lily, who also took part in the 2001 Bosnian national final. She sang the upbeatGinem za tobom (I'm Dying Because Of You) an came tied 15th with it. She confirmed in the interview that she has sent a song to the Bosnian TV headquarters in Sarajevo.

Here We Go

Bosnian daily newspaper "Dnevni avaz" published interviews by Boris Rezak and El'Vana, who both took part in the 2001 Bosnian final coming 5th with Ja vjerujem and 9th with Evo vam sve, respectively. They have both said they have songs for the 2002 preselection.

Rezak said that his song will be recorded in Germany when he comes back from a festival in Prague (where he is representing Bosnia). It being a duet, his partner will be no other than Kathy from "Mekado" (Germany 1994). The song will be produced by Kathy's team.

Also, Mia Martina who came 11th in 2001 has said to have submitted a song to the 2002 preselection. The deadline for submission of songs is December 12th.

- with thanks to Davor