Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 After discussions on whether Estonia should withdraw due to the Russian participation in the 2008 South Ossetia war in Georgia, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) announced that, due to public demand, they would participate at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, to be held in Moscow. In August 2008 Estonian Minister of Culture Laine Jänes announced a possible boycott could be held between the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Latvia later rebuked the boycott and announced that they would be present at the 2009 contest. In September 2008 a public poll was held on
Latvia states of Northern and Eastern Europe were divided into German and Soviet "spheres of influence". In the north, Latvia, Finland and Estonia were assigned to the Soviet sphere. A week later, on 1 September 1939, Germany and on 17 September, the Soviet Union invaded Poland. After the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, most of the Baltic Germans left Latvia by agreement between Ulmanis' government and Nazi Germany under the Heim ins Reich programme. In total 50,000 Baltic Germans left by the deadline of December 1939, with 1,600 remaining to conclude business and 13,000 choosing to remain in Latvia. Most of