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Iceland: More than 500 musicians demand withdrawal of Iceland from Eurovision!

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A number of musicians showed up outside the radio house to present the petition to broadcaster Stefan Eiríksson. Confetti was shot over the broadcaster during the handing over of the list, as can be seen in a video footage taken by protesters that gave mbl.is permission to publish.

Pálmi Gunn­ars­son, Páll Óskar, Gréta Salóme, Bríet, Friðrik Dór, Svala Björg­vins­dótt­ir and Daní­el Ágúst Haraldsson are among more than 500 on a petition of musicians demanding that Iceland withdraw from Eurovision Song Contest, because Israel is participating in the contest.

Israel participates

Playwright Sal­vör Gull­brá Þór­ar­ins­dótt­ir told mbl.is:

“Musicians are encouraging RÚV to take a stand by withdrawing from Eurovision if Israel participates.”

Salvör also points out that Reykja­vík­ur­dæt­ur signed the list, as well as members of the band Celebs. The European Broadcasting Union has now announced that Israel will take part in this year’s contest. Salvör adds citing the results of a survey conducted by Prósent before Christmas:

“There’s really no other option for RÚV than to take a stand with Palestine. Because there is a strong will among the people to do so.”

According to the findings of this poll, about 60% of the population strongly or rather agree that Iceland should withdraw from the contest.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: mbl.is
Photo: Þórdís Reynis

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North Macedonia: The country will NOT participate in Eurovision 2023!

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It seems that yet another Balkan country, North Macedonia, will not take part in Eurovision 2023, that is set to take place in Liverpool, in May 2023.

According to a tweet by North Macedonia’s most popular Eurovision fan site, which was retweeted by ESC Discord, North Macedonia withdraws from the Contest due to financial reasons. This revelation comes as no surprise, given that as it transpired some weeks ago no budget whatsoever was allocated for the Contest by MRT.

However, MRT will broadcast the two nights of the semi-finals and the grand final of this year’s Eurovision on it’s platforms. MRT hopes that the economic situation will improve and the country will return to Eurovision 2024!

As we exclusively revealed yesterday, both Bulgaria and Montenegro will ALSO not take part in the 67th ESC. As of this time, only the following 34 countries have publicly confirmed their intentions to participate in the 2023 ESC:

Semi-finals (28 countries)

Albania
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Georgia
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland

Final (Big Five & Ukraine)

France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Ukraine
United Kingdom

Countries that took part in ESC 2022 but have not expressed any intention about ESC 2023

Armenia
Czech Republic
Moldova

If the above three countries do not enter the Contest, ESC 2023 is set to become the ESC edition with the fewer participants since 2003. Semi-final(s) format was introduced in 2004 with just one semi-final, and was replaced with the two semi-finals’ setting in 2008 and onwards.

Source: MRT

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the details about the upcoming ESC!

EXCLUSIVE | Bulgaria and Montenegro will not participate in Eurovision 2023!

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We can exclusively reveal that both Bulgaria and Montenegro will not take part in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, that is set to take place in Liverpool, in May.

The main reason behind RTCG’s (Radio and Television of Montenegro) decision not to participate seems to be the latter’s financial difficulties. It is not the first time that RTCG has withdrawn from ESC due to financial difficulties. They did so in 2010, 2011, 2020 (RTCG announced that it would not participate before the Contest was cancelled due to Covid-19), and 2021.

The BNT’s (Bulgarian National Television) decision not enter the Contest seems to be the result of both BNT’s financial difficulties and the political uncertainty in the country. Bulgaria did not enter the Contest in 2014 and 2015 for similar reasons.

As of this time, only the following 34 countries have publicly confirmed their intentions to participate in the 2023 ESC:

Semi-finals (28 countries)

Albania
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Georgia
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland

Final (Big Five & Ukraine)

France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Ukraine
United Kingdom

Countries that took part in ESC 2022 but have not expressed any intention about ESC 2023

Armenia
Czech Republic
Moldova
North Macedonia

If the above four countries do not enter the Contest, ESC 2023 is set to become the ESC edition with the fewer participants since 2003. Semi-final(s) format was introduced in 2004 with just one semi-final, and was replaced with the two semi-finals’ setting in 2008 and onwards.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the details about the upcoming ESC!

Israel: Will not attend the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin!

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Breaking news are coming from Israel, as their brodcaster  just announced on Twitter that Israel (at the moment) will not participate at the upcoming edition of 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, in Turin, Italy.

The Israeli public broadcaster IPBC has reported that Israel is currently not planning on competing in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, after security protection for the delegation cannot be guaranteed.

Workers at the GSS, the Israeli security service are currently on strike, with the organisation stating that they are unable to provide persons to accompany the delegation in Turin. The Israeli broadcaster has stated:

We can not take responsibility for the security of the delegation without security on behalf of the State of Israel.

The Israeli broadcaster released a tweet this morning saying:

Due to the strike by the Foreign Ministry, the GSS can not handle the Israeli delegation to the Eurovision Song Contest, and as of this moment, the Israeli delegation will not participate in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Turin.

Therefore, Israel will not participate in this year’s Eurovision at Turin, for the present moment.

Michael Ben David is due to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “I.M” in 2nd position in the second semi-final on 12th May.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNFeohWlA20&feature=emb_title

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2022!

Source: IPBC / Mako

Don’t forget to vote for the Grand Final of our poll here!

Hungary: No Comment on Eurovision Withdrawal by the government

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As we told you in our previous article, Hungary will not participate in Eurovision 2020. The A Dal regulations, used since 2012 as Hungary’s national final for Eurovision, did not mention the Eurovision contest, and part of the the regulations were in breach of EBU regulations, which meant that the A Dal 2020 would have nothing to do with the country’s participation in Eurovision. Finally, it was not on the official list of the EBU, with the countries to take part in Rotterdam.

This news has displeased many fans with the demand to learn from MTV, the reasons for its withdrawal from the Music Competition, but Hungary has yet to give an answer.

According to a Hungarian newspaper, Magyar Hang, LMP Green Party MP Péter Ungár has asked the government the reasons of Hungary’s non-participation in this year’s Eurovision.

Foreign Minister Bence Rétvári declined to answer the question, stating:

“No member of the government has the power to review or control the decisions of the public broadcaster – and therefore the production decision referred to in the question”

Magyar Hang notes that the public broadcaster is working hard to achieve Hungarian participation in Eurovision every year. It even assumes that Hungary’s exclusion at Eurovision 2019 is based on that decision.

This is the fourth time Hungary has withdrawn from the Eurovision contest. The first time was in 1999, for six years. It returned in 2005, abstained in 2006 in Athens and returned the following year. Its last absence was in 2010, when for financial reasons the country preferred to stay away.

The best place in the history of the competition is the 4th, when in 1994, it was represented by Friderika Bayer and the song “Kinek mondjam el vétkeimet?”.

Source: wiwibloggs

Montenegro: The second withdrawal from Eurovision 2020|EXCLUSIVE

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After Hungary, another country that participated in this year’s contest will be absent from Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam. Montenegrin public broadcaster has just announced that it will not participate in the next event for financial reasons.

Eurovision 2020 without Montenegro

Montenegro has 11 entries, with two final qualifiers and four consecutive shutouts in recent years. Unfortunately,there will be no representative of the small Balkan country at Eurovision 2020.

This is the second time Montenegro has withdrawn from the event. The first was the years 2010 – 2011, when again due to poor results and the financial crisis that had just made its appearance, they were absent for two years.

41 countries in Rotterdam

After this withdrawment  the number of countries that will participate in the 65th Eurovision Song Contest will be the same as the previous year, 41.We have  two withdrawals  (Hungary, Montenegro) and two returns (Ukraine, Bulgaria).

In Tel Aviv, Montenegro was represented by D Mol with “Heaven”, who finished 16th in the first semifinal.

Hungary: No intention to participate in Eurovision 2020

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Based on what the Hungarian websites report, as well as the country’s public broadcaster (MTV) announcement for “A Dal”, which has been used as the national final for Eurovision since 2012, unfortunately we won’t see it competing in Rotterdam.

This is the fourth time Hungary has withdrawn from the Eurovision contest. The first time was in 1999, for six consecutive years. It returned in 2005, abstained in 2006 in Athens and returned the following year. It last absence was in 2010, when for financial reasons the country preferred to stay away.

As we have reported in our previous article, the A Dal regulations did not mention the Eurovision contest, and some of the regulations were in breach of the EBU regulations, which meant that the A Dal 2020 would have nothing to do with the competition.

This was made official shortly after MTVA made the following announcement, essentially announcing the country’s withdrawal from Eurovision 2020:

The show’s creators preferred instead to organize the national selection for Eurovision, to direct the talent of light Hungarian music to the values they created the festival for. The winner of A Dal will be promoted by MTVA, with many appearances but also participating in the most celebrated domestic festivals. In addition, Petofi Radio will promote the winner, but will also produce its own works.

In Tel Aviv, Hungary was represented for the second time by Joci Papai, but he failed to qualify for the final.