Too expensive, Eurovision? Two Balkan countries, Montenegro and North Macedonia, will not be able to participate in the competition this year due to excessive fees. According to BBC News, the contribution of some countries has been revised upwards, due to the absence of Russia, banned from the event for the second consecutive year, due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
“In addition to the significant costs of entry fees, as well as the costs of living in Britain, we have also been faced with a lack of interest from sponsors, which is why we have decided to direct existing resources towards funding national projects. current and planned,” said the representative of Montenegro. public broadcaster, RTCG.
Failed in the semifinals
MRT, the Macedonian public television channel also mentioned in a press release: “the increase in registration fees to participate”, as well as the energy crisis in North Macedonia, to explain this choice.
Other countries would also consider such an approach, for similar reasons, further advances BBC News.
Montenegro, which did not pass the semi-final stage last May, has participated in Eurovision since 2007. Already in 2010 and 2011, the country withdrew its candidacy for financial reasons.
North Macedonia has a longer history with the competition, having been in it since 1998. The country, which has never won Eurovision, also failed in the semi-finals last year.
Eurovision takes place this year in the United Kingdom, in the city of Liverpool. Ukraine, winner of the 2022 edition, which would logically organize the 2023 edition, was considered too insecure.
Source: BFM TV
