Welcome to Kyiv
"City of Golden Domes"
Welcome to Kyiv, a city of golden domes and resilient spirit, where ancient history and contemporary energy flow together along the wide bends of the Dnipro River. As one of Europe’s oldest capitals, Kyiv greets you with a sense of grandeur and depth that is felt the moment you arrive, a place where stories are etched into hills, streets, and sky.
Wander through the historic heart of the city and discover landmarks that have shaped Eastern Europe for centuries. St. Sophia’s Cathedral glows with Byzantine mosaics and quiet majesty, while the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra reveals a labyrinth of caves, churches, and bell towers shimmering in gold. From the heights of Volodymyrska Hill, the city unfolds below you in sweeping panoramas of river, bridges, and endless rooftops.
Kyiv is also a city of wide boulevards and vibrant urban life. Stroll along Khreshchatyk and into the creative quarter of Podil, where cafés, galleries, and music venues buzz with youthful energy. Here, historic facades meet modern design, and evenings are filled with conversation, live music, and the aroma of Ukrainian cuisine drifting from welcoming restaurants.
Culture thrives in every corner of Kyiv, from grand opera and ballet performances to cutting-edge art spaces and street murals that speak to the city’s soul. Taste traditional dishes like borscht and varenyky, elevated by contemporary chefs, and enjoy them with a view of the river at sunset, when Kyiv’s skyline takes on a warm, unforgettable glow.
Surrounded by green parks and river islands, Kyiv offers moments of calm alongside its vibrant pulse. Walk beneath chestnut trees, relax along the Dnipro’s shores, or take a boat ride to see the city from the water, where its scale and beauty truly reveal themselves.
Kyiv is more than a destination; it is an experience shaped by history, creativity, and an unbreakable sense of identity. Whether you come for its monuments, its culture, or its atmosphere, Kyiv welcomes you with open arms and leaves you with memories that linger long after you depart.
Wander through the historic heart of the city and discover landmarks that have shaped Eastern Europe for centuries. St. Sophia’s Cathedral glows with Byzantine mosaics and quiet majesty, while the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra reveals a labyrinth of caves, churches, and bell towers shimmering in gold. From the heights of Volodymyrska Hill, the city unfolds below you in sweeping panoramas of river, bridges, and endless rooftops.
Kyiv is also a city of wide boulevards and vibrant urban life. Stroll along Khreshchatyk and into the creative quarter of Podil, where cafés, galleries, and music venues buzz with youthful energy. Here, historic facades meet modern design, and evenings are filled with conversation, live music, and the aroma of Ukrainian cuisine drifting from welcoming restaurants.
Culture thrives in every corner of Kyiv, from grand opera and ballet performances to cutting-edge art spaces and street murals that speak to the city’s soul. Taste traditional dishes like borscht and varenyky, elevated by contemporary chefs, and enjoy them with a view of the river at sunset, when Kyiv’s skyline takes on a warm, unforgettable glow.
Surrounded by green parks and river islands, Kyiv offers moments of calm alongside its vibrant pulse. Walk beneath chestnut trees, relax along the Dnipro’s shores, or take a boat ride to see the city from the water, where its scale and beauty truly reveal themselves.
Kyiv is more than a destination; it is an experience shaped by history, creativity, and an unbreakable sense of identity. Whether you come for its monuments, its culture, or its atmosphere, Kyiv welcomes you with open arms and leaves you with memories that linger long after you depart.
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9 Highlights
- Saint Sophia’s Cathedral, crowned with green and gold domes, is Kyiv’s most iconic landmark, renowned for its 11th-century mosaics and frescoes that glow softly inside its ancient walls
- The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves), dramatically set above the Dnipro River, is a sprawling complex of churches, bell towers, and underground catacombs central to Eastern Slavic Christianity
- The Dnipro River and riverfront viewpoints, especially from Volodymyrska Hill and the Left Bank, offer sweeping panoramas that define Kyiv’s vast scale and natural setting
- St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, rebuilt in brilliant blue and gold, stands as a powerful visual symbol of Kyiv’s spiritual resilience and national identity
- Andriyivskyy Descent, the city’s most atmospheric street, winds downhill past colorful buildings, art stalls, cafés, and the distinctive silhouette of St. Andrew’s Church
- St. Andrew’s Church, a baroque masterpiece perched above the old town, commands views over Podil with its elegant green domes and dramatic hilltop position
- Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti), the symbolic heart of modern Ukraine, is both a central gathering place and a powerful site of recent history
- The Podil district, once Kyiv’s merchant quarter, blends historic architecture, river port vibes, and a lively café culture along cobbled streets
- The Motherland Monument, towering over the city with shield and sword, offers stark, unforgettable views from its base and observation deck, overlooking the Dnipro
Host City / Kyiv, Ukraine
Venue / International Exhibition Centre
Hosts / Kateryna Osadcha, Serhiy Prytula and Tina Karol
Participating countries / 40
Returning countries / Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chad and Cyprus
Withdrawing countries / Liberia, Montenegro and Philippines
Debuting players / Andreas for Cyprus
Venue / International Exhibition Centre
Hosts / Kateryna Osadcha, Serhiy Prytula and Tina Karol
Participating countries / 40
Returning countries / Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chad and Cyprus
Withdrawing countries / Liberia, Montenegro and Philippines
Debuting players / Andreas for Cyprus
Returning Artists
10 |
R3HAB / twice for Netherlands and once for Morocco, Denmark, Germany, Jordan, Romania, Russia and South Korea / Silver Medallist
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09 |
Samanta Karavella / for Albania / 13th place
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08 |
Sarit Hadad / 6 times for Israel and once for Azerbaijan / 4th place
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06 |
Dermot Kennedy / for Ireland / Global Music Champion
James Morrison / for United Kingdom / Global Music Champion |
05 |
ADONXS / for Slovakia / Global Music Champion
Manuel Carrasco / twice for Andorra and once for Spain and Venezuela / 11th place |
04 |
Ana Nikolic / for Serbia / 20th place
Rosalía Tobella / twice for Andorra and once for Spain / 18th place |
03 |
Gökce Özgül / for Turkey / Semi Finalist
Molly Sandén / for Sweden / Global Music Champion Patrisha / for Latvia / Semi Finalist Pommelien Thijs / once for Belgium and Luxembourg / 4th place Yianni Terzi / for Greece / 14th place Zlata Ognevich / once for Ukraine and Russia / 6th place |
02 |
77 Bombay Street / for Switzerland / Global Music Champion
Björk / for Iceland / Semi Finalist Hamid Al Shaeri / for Libya / Semi Finalist Honig / for Germany / Semi Finalist Laufey / for China / Semi Finalist Levante / for San Marino / 24th place Lexie Liu / for China / 23rd place Luna / for Poland / Semi Finalist Odeya Azoulay / for Israel / Semi Finalist Sarah Toscano / for San Marino / 15th place Support Lesbiens / for Czech Republic / 21st place Viivi Korhonen / for Finland / Bronze Medallist Yulya Yurina / for Ukraine / 16th place ZAF / for Greece / Semi Finalist |
DEADLINESFebruary 14th:
Vote in the semi finals Nominate an artist for Global Music Royalty February 25th: Vote in the final and for Global Music Royalty February 28th: Submit a song for the next edition |
VotingGive 12, 10, 8...1 point for your top 10
In the final you also have to choose 3 substitutes Voting forms: Semi final Final |
Songs & Videos |
Live Voting |
Scoreboards |
The Result
Countries receiving most 12 points / Greece, 4
Countries giving 12 points to the winner / Netherlands, Denmark and Chad
Countries receiving points from most juries / Poland, 24
Highest placing country not scoring a top mark / Netherlands in 19th with 10 points from Liechtenstein as highest mark
Lowest placing country scoring a top mark / United Kingdom in 26th getting 12 points from Libya
Countries giving 12 points to the winner / Netherlands, Denmark and Chad
Countries receiving points from most juries / Poland, 24
Highest placing country not scoring a top mark / Netherlands in 19th with 10 points from Liechtenstein as highest mark
Lowest placing country scoring a top mark / United Kingdom in 26th getting 12 points from Libya
Kyiv unfolded in two distinct acts.
Act I – The Juries Build the Mountain
One spokesperson at a time, twenty-six sets of jury votes rolled in. The scoreboard didn’t explode, it accumulated. Poland began gathering points early and, more importantly, never stopped. Not an avalanche of 12s, but a steady architecture of support. Behind them, the chase was tight and refined. Slovakia rose high with the juries, drawing repeated strong placements. France hovered close, polished and respected. Finland and Sweden stacked dependable mid-to-high scores, rarely spiking but never fading. Ireland lingered just behind.
When the final jury had spoken, the top looked like this:
Act II – The Televote Twist
Now came the Eurovision-style reveal. No gradual drip. No spokesperson drama. Just one combined televote number per country, announced from the bottom of the jury ranking upwards. The lower half shuffled slightly as modest televote numbers came in. Then the scoreboard began to breathe. Spain, sitting low after the juries with just 22 points, suddenly received 35 from the public. A genuine lift. Ukraine surged with 39 televote points, one of the strongest public scores of the night, climbing sharply from its mid-jury position. Switzerland added 35. Denmark also took 35. Greece secured 34.
France followed with 21 televote points. Solid, but not enough to seriously threaten the lead. Then came one of the evening’s sharpest contrasts. Slovakia: 88 jury points… but only 5 from the televote. A dramatic collapse in public support after such strong jury approval. And finally, the moment. Poland already led after the juries.
The televote number: 56 points. The highest televote score of the night. No reversal. No late ambush. Poland had won the jury vote and the televote.
The Conclusion
This was not a split-vote edition. Not a jury favourite rescued by the public. Not a televote sensation blocked by experts. Poland was strongest in both rooms. The jury built the foundation with broad, consistent support. The public reinforced it with the night’s biggest televote haul. Elsewhere, the scoreboard told richer contrasts: Slovakia as the jury’s darling but the public’s outsider. Spain and Ukraine rising on public energy. France leaning more on professional approval. But at the very top, there was rare alignment. In Kyiv, the crown did not wobble. It simply settled.
Act I – The Juries Build the Mountain
One spokesperson at a time, twenty-six sets of jury votes rolled in. The scoreboard didn’t explode, it accumulated. Poland began gathering points early and, more importantly, never stopped. Not an avalanche of 12s, but a steady architecture of support. Behind them, the chase was tight and refined. Slovakia rose high with the juries, drawing repeated strong placements. France hovered close, polished and respected. Finland and Sweden stacked dependable mid-to-high scores, rarely spiking but never fading. Ireland lingered just behind.
When the final jury had spoken, the top looked like this:
- Poland – 102
- Slovakia – 88
- France – 87
- Finland – 83
- Sweden – 81
- Ireland – 80
Act II – The Televote Twist
Now came the Eurovision-style reveal. No gradual drip. No spokesperson drama. Just one combined televote number per country, announced from the bottom of the jury ranking upwards. The lower half shuffled slightly as modest televote numbers came in. Then the scoreboard began to breathe. Spain, sitting low after the juries with just 22 points, suddenly received 35 from the public. A genuine lift. Ukraine surged with 39 televote points, one of the strongest public scores of the night, climbing sharply from its mid-jury position. Switzerland added 35. Denmark also took 35. Greece secured 34.
France followed with 21 televote points. Solid, but not enough to seriously threaten the lead. Then came one of the evening’s sharpest contrasts. Slovakia: 88 jury points… but only 5 from the televote. A dramatic collapse in public support after such strong jury approval. And finally, the moment. Poland already led after the juries.
The televote number: 56 points. The highest televote score of the night. No reversal. No late ambush. Poland had won the jury vote and the televote.
The Conclusion
This was not a split-vote edition. Not a jury favourite rescued by the public. Not a televote sensation blocked by experts. Poland was strongest in both rooms. The jury built the foundation with broad, consistent support. The public reinforced it with the night’s biggest televote haul. Elsewhere, the scoreboard told richer contrasts: Slovakia as the jury’s darling but the public’s outsider. Spain and Ukraine rising on public energy. France leaning more on professional approval. But at the very top, there was rare alignment. In Kyiv, the crown did not wobble. It simply settled.
The Champion
This was Poland's 8th medal and the 3rd of gold. Poland also triumphed in GM58 and more recently in GM220.
Poland debuted in GM11 and has now competed 182 times, reaching 106 finals and finishing 44 times in the top 10.
Luna's score of 158 points is the highest for a Polish entry ever.
Well done Poland, Luna and HoD Michal who wins for the second time.
This was Poland's 8th medal and the 3rd of gold. Poland also triumphed in GM58 and more recently in GM220.
Poland debuted in GM11 and has now competed 182 times, reaching 106 finals and finishing 44 times in the top 10.
Luna's score of 158 points is the highest for a Polish entry ever.
Well done Poland, Luna and HoD Michal who wins for the second time.
The Winner
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“Away with the Fairies” by LUNA is a shimmering, dream-laced pop track that drifts between reality and reverie with quiet confidence. The title evokes escapism and enchantment, hinting at a state of being slightly untethered from the ordinary world. At its core, the song explores the desire to retreat from noise and expectation, to protect one’s inner softness in a culture that rewards sharp edges. LUNA captures that tension between fantasy and self-preservation, turning it into something both delicate and defiant.
Musically, the track unfolds like a slow exhale. Ethereal synth layers float above a steady, understated beat, creating a soundscape that feels suspended in twilight. The verses are intimate and hushed, as if shared in confidence, while the chorus expands with airy harmonies that give the melody a weightless lift. Subtle production details shimmer in the background, enhancing the song’s dreamlike quality without overpowering its emotional core. LUNA’s vocal delivery is tender yet assured, balancing vulnerability with a quiet sense of control. In terms of reception, “Away with the Fairies” has resonated with listeners drawn to introspective, atmospheric pop. Its streaming presence and online engagement reflect a growing appreciation for LUNA’s ability to blend poetic storytelling with contemporary production. The track stands as a testament to her evolving artistry, embracing fantasy not as an escape from reality, but as a way of reclaiming it. |
The Final
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Semi Final One
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01.
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Denmark
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Theresa Rex
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Run boy run
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110 points
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02.
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Switzerland
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77 Bombay Street
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Drifters in the wind
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106 points
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03.
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Ireland
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Dermot Kennedy
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Power over me
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103 points
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04.
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Sweden
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Molly Sandén & Victor Leksell
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Lost and found
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94 points
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05.
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Monaco
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Joseph Kamel
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Celui qui part
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85 points
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06.
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Spain
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Manuel Carrasco
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Tengo el poder
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81 points
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07.
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Andorra
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Rosalía, Björk & Yves Tumor
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Berghain
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72 points
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08.
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Bosnia-Herzegovina
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Matea Bosnjak
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Belladona
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66 points
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09.
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Turkey
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Gökce Özgül
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Bozuk plak
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64 points
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10.
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Australia
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Tame Impala
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Dracula
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63 points
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Semi Final Two
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01.
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Poland
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LUNA
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Away with the fairies
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126 points
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02.
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Slovakia
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ADONXS
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Perfume
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119 points
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03.
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France
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Angelo St-Ange
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Si j'y arrive pas
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117 points
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04.
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Czech Republic
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Support Lesbiens
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Ocean
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95 points
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05.
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Finland
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VIIVI
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Kävi mitä kävi sul on mut
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75 points
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06.
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Portugal
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Mimicat
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Santa
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74 points
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07.
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Italy
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Levante
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Sono blu
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70 points
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08.
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San Marino
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Sarah Toscano
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Maledetto ti amo
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70 points
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09.
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Cyprus
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Yianna Terzi
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Horis anasa
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65 points
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10.
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Albania
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Samanta
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E jotja
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56 points
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11.
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Liechtenstein
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TJARK
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Lauf
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56 points
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