Singer Aidan Cassar has asked PBS to freeze a decision to disqualify him from this year's Malta Eurovision Song Contest. 

Lawyers representing Cassar have sent PBS a letter asking them to suspend that decision and threatened further legal steps should they refuse to do so.

Cassar was one of the frontrunners in the contest to select Malta's 2023 Eurovision entry, but was kicked out of the event on Monday for what PBS said were unauthorised posts on social media. 

According to competition rules, singers are barred from posting about their entry from the quarter-final stage onwards. 

Public Broadcasting Services, which organises the event, said Cassar was repeatedly warned that he was not allowed to post on social media about his song, but had ignored those warnings and published multiple posts about his song Reġina.

"There are clear rules that say no promotion may be carried out from when the names of the quarter-finals are announced," a PBS spokesperson had said. 

Cassar has yet to comment publicly about the matter. 

Lawyers: Aidan was singled out for punishment

In his legal letter to PBS, the singer argues that he has been singled out for punishment by PBS, as various other contestants also published social media posts about their entries, participation and sponsorships. 

Cassar also says that PBS never gave him an opportunity to defend himself and have, as yet, not given him an explanation about the specific reasons for which he was disqualified from the competition. 

His lawyers are demanding that PBS immediately freeze its decision to disqualify him and set up a meeting between the contest organisers and singer, to allow him to make his case.

Cassar is prepared to take further legal action should PBS fail to do so, the letter adds. 

The singer is being represented by lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Charles Mercieca. 

A popular face in the entertainment industry, Aidan was considered to be this year’s favourite out of the 40 participants battling out to be chosen to represent Malta at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Liverpool, UK in May.

Sources who spoke to Times of Malta said the gossip surrounding Aidan’s disqualification has demotivated some participants and overshadowed their experience of taking part in the national contest.