News confirmed! Greek diva Anna Vissi will represent Greece at the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. Her name is already going around since the day after the 2005 contest, where Helena Paparizou brought Greece its first victory ever.

Last month, Star Channel already revealed that the diva was negotiating with ERT, but it was said no agreement could be reached at that time. "I never exclude a Eurovision Song Contest participation as long as everything is organised well", she said. For the third time in a row, our colleagues of Oikotimes.com reported the name of the Greek representative before the official announcements.

Anna Vissi participated in the Eurovision Song Contest twice; in 1980 with Autostop for Greece (backed by the group Epikouri) and in 1982 for Cyprus with the song Mono i agapi, which came fifth with 85 points. At that time, she called herself Anna Vishy.

Anna Vissi has sold 9,5 million albums worldwide. Since 1996 together she has had 18 platinum records. In 2005, she also enjoyed success in the United States, claiming the number 1 position on the Billboard Dance Charts with Call me. According to Room 210 (a Greek Magazine published in 2004) Anna Vissi is considered "a true diva of the Greek musical stage, a role model for all other peformers of similar genres and one who determines all the latest music and fashion trends". More information here at Wikipedia.

It is expected that the song selection will be organised the same way as last year. More news about the Greek representative for the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest will most likely be revealed in the upcoming weeks.

As winning country of the 2005 edition, Greece is automatically qualified for next year's final.