Serbia, in its first time competing, has won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, outscoring its Slavic relatives Ukraine and Russia. That means Serbia will host next year’s contest.

The 2007 Eurovision contest’s final was held May 12 in Helsinki, Finland.

Serbia’s entry, the song “Molitva” performed by singer Marija Šerifović, won 268 points. Ukraine’s gender-bending Verka Serduchka, tapped by many oddsmakers as the sure winner, came in second with 235 points. The Russian trio Serebro and their “Song #1,” took third with 207 points.

Latvia’s Bonaparti.lv and the Italian-language song “Questa notte,” which made it through the May 10 semi-final to earn a spot in the final, scored 54 points for 16th place. If Latvia competes next year, it will have to again face other contenders in a semi-final bout.

Latvia earned 10 points each from Estonia, Ireland and Lithuania; 6 points from Slovenia; 4 points each from Malta and the United Kingdom; 3 points each from the Netherlands and Norway; 2 points from Romania, and 1 point each from Croatia and Poland;

Voters in Latvia cast their top points to Ukraine (12), Lithuania (10) and Belarus (8).

Voters in Ireland—which has seen great numbers of Baltic immigrants arrive in recent years—not only gave Latvia 10 points, but also gave Lithuania the top score of 12 points.

Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga is to visit Morocco from May 13-16, leading a delegation of business people and visiting the girls’ high school she attended following World War II, the president’s press office has announced.

The trip will begin May 13 with her arrival in Marrakech, where she will tour UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites and participate in a reception hosted by Latvian business leaders. The following day, before leaving for Casablanca, Vīķe-Freiberga is to visit the Mosque of Koutoubia and the Saadian tombs.

On May 15, the president will visit the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, which is the third largest mosque in the world. She also is to meet with King Mohamed VI, Prime Minister Driss Jettou and parliamentary leaders. The president also will participate in a Latvian and Moroccan business forum before attending a state dinner hosted by the king.

Before returning to Latvia on May 16, Vīķe-Freiberga will visit the Al Khansa lycée in Casablanca. The president attended the high school, formerly known as the Collège Mers-Sultan, from 1953-1954. An addition to the school will be named in her honor.

Besides business leaders, Transport Minister Ainars Šlesers will accompany the president on her trip.

Latvia’s six-man group Bonaparti.lv and the song “Questa notte” have made it through to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, according to telephone voting results following the semi-final competition May 10 in Helsinki, Finland.

Bonaparti.lv performed last in a field of 28 countries. Latvia and nine other nations—Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey—will return to the stage May 12 to compete in the final along with entries from 14 other countries.

Eurovision officials will reveal actual tallies from the semi-final only after the final competition. All that is known is that Latvia will perform 14th, halfway through the final show.

Bonaparti.lv consists of six tenors: Andris Ābelīte, Andris Ērglis, Normunds Jakušonoks, Roberto Meloni, Zigfrīds Muktupāvels and Kaspars Tīmanis.

Latvia first competed in Eurovision in 2000, when BrainStorm (Prāta Vētra) finished third overall. In 2002, Marija Naumova won the contest, which meant that Latvia got to host Eurovision in 2003.

Last year, the a capella group Cosmos represented Latvia, but finished 16th overall. That meant Latvia this year had to compete in the semi-final.