Besides the automatically qualified “Top Four” countries Spain (TVE), Germany (ARD), France (FR3) and Great Britain (ВВС), the following countries are granted a place in the final of the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest due to their results from 2004: Ukraine (NTU), Serbia and Montenegro (YRT/RTS/RTCG), Greece (ERT), Turkey (TRT), Cyprus (CYBC), Sweden (SVT), Albania (ALRTV), Bosnia (RTVBiH), Russia (C1R) and Malta (PBS). The remaining 26 countries will start in the semi final. The countries aiming for a place in the final are: Croatia (HRT), FYR Macedonia (MTV), Poland (TVP), Romania (TVR), Iceland (RUV), Holland (NOS), Austria (ORF), Belgium (VRT), Ireland (RTE), Norway (NRK), Bulgaria (BNT), Moldova (TRM), Hungary (MTV) and Lebanon (TL). The Czech Republic withdrew its preliminary request. At the moment the national pre-selections are taking place in most of the participating countries. As soon as the final list of participants for the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest is known, we will provide further information about them.