State television has accused former Maltasong chairman Grace Borg of trying to stop singer Thea Garrett from taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest by putting pressure on the European Broadcasting Union, which runs the contest.

Public Broadcasting Services made the claim in a judicial protest calling on Ms Borg and Andrea Milana, co-owners of Exotique Record Label, to stop "endangering" Malta's participation in the Eurovision through "irresponsible" demands.

The protest followed a series of legal actions instituted by Ms Borg and Mr Milana against PBS and Eurovision contestant Ms Garrett.

Last Thursday, Ms Borg and Mr Milana filed a lawsuit claiming they had signed a contract for the exclusive management of Ms Garrett and that PBS had breached those rights.

That day the court also upheld a request by Ms Borg and Mr Milana and issued a garnishee order for €18,000 against Ms Garrett over the alleged breach of contract.

Ms Garrett, who left for Oslo on Saturday to compete with her song My Dream, will effectively have any money in the bank up to €18,000 deposited in a special account until the courts decide on the case.

In its judicial protest filed in the First Hall of the Civil Court against Ms Borg and Mr Milana, PBS explained it was investing €400,000 in the Eurovision contest and wanted to ensure Malta competed successfully.

Ms Borg and Mr Milana were endangering Malta's participation in the Eurovision through their irresponsible actions to the detriment of PBS and Malta's reputation within the competition, the state broadcasting station argued.

PBS explained that, in November 2009, Ms Garrett had signed an agreement appointing Ms Borg as her manager for a year. Back then, Ms Garrett had not yet turned 18. Ms Garrett's parents sent a letter to Ms Borg last January requesting the termination of the managerial agreement. Sometime later, Ms Garrett won the Malta Song Festival and was chosen to represent Malta during the Eurovision finals. This meant that PBS, as the local organiser, was obliged to enter into a contract with Ms Garrett as Malta's representative. If she got through the semi-final on May 25, she would compete in the final night, two days later.

PBS stressed that it was not representing Ms Garrett as a manager. However, Ms Borg and Mr Milana were now claiming they still had a valid agreement with Ms Garrett and that Ms Garrett and PBS were to be held liable for losses resulting from the breach of contract. They insisted that they were to be present at the Eurovision.

PBS said it also resulted that they tried to put pressure on the European Broadcasting Union to stop Ms Garrett from taking part in the Eurovision.

PBS asked Ms Borg and Mr Milana to stop any action that could hamper Malta's participation at the Eurovision and held them liable in damages.

Lawyers John Refalo and Joseph Refalo signed the protest.

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