withdrawal

🇲🇪 Montenegro: NeonoeN withdraws

Withdrawal One week after winning Montesong 2024, the band NeonoeN decided to leave the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. A video showed part of their song “Clickbait” being performed at the Festival Kulture Zabjelo in 2023. The Eurovision rules say that songs must be new and original. Any song performed or released before 1 September 2024 cannot be in the contest. That is the reason EBU was investigating. No decision has been made yet, until now: not from EBU but from NeonoeN itself. statement Montenegrin broadcaster RTCG made a statement: Dear, In the best public interest, with the desire to end the uncertainty and once again contribute to the music that we are here for, we inform you that we are voluntarily withdrawing from participating in Eurovision. RTCG, in accordance with the regulations, will choose another representative, and we will be the first to wish him luck and provide full support. The victory at Montesong brought us publicity whose type and scope we did not choose, nor could we control. We would like to point out, and the facts confirm this, that performing the working version of the song live neither jeopardized the process of the Montesong festival itself, nor could it have influenced its final outcome and our placement. The fact is that there have been many similar examples and that the EBU has always decided that these songs can participate (one even won at Eurovision), because they did not have a competitive advantage over the others, which is clear to everyone. However, we simply do not want to be part of any stories outside of music, nor to promote our author’s work in this way. Eurovision has never been a goal in itself for us. Expanding the field of our musical activity – it certainly is! The Montesong Festival organized by the Association of Entertainers brought 16 new songs and that is its greatest value. We would like to thank the management of RTCG for their good will and intention to give us space for other options. We believe that they will understand our decision to give up on Eurovision and we also thank them for that. Special and immense gratitude for the support of fellow musicians, lovers of good music, friends, acquaintances, journalists and the general public from Montenegro and abroad, which gave us strength in the last days. Our families, together with us, have experienced all the splendor and despair of this process and now it is time to repay them and dedicate ourselves to them in the right way. CLICKBAIT continues to live as a musical single, but we are also afraid of it as a contemporary social phenomenon. Once again, thank you all. Now let’s all support Montenegro at Eurovision!

🇮🇱 Israel: Kan makes a statement about withdrawal

Today, Israeli broadcaster Kan made a statement about withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest. While Eden Golan was chosen to represent the country, it might be the song that causes a withdrawal. The song, “October rain”, is on investigation by the EBU; one of the rules of the contest is that no politics are allowed in the lyrics. To the Huffington post, an EBU spokesperson said: The EBU is currently in the process of scrutinising the lyrics, a process which is confidential between the EBU and the broadcaster until a final decision has been taken. All broadcasters have until 11 March to formally submit their entries.If a song is deemed unacceptable for any reason, broadcasters are then given the opportunity to submit a new song or new lyrics, as per the rules of the Contest. This is the statement Kan published in response to “October rain” being investigated: It should be noted that as far as the Israel Broadcasting Corporation is concerned, there is no intention to replace the song. Meaning, if it is not approved by the European Broadcasting Union – Israel will not be able to participate in the competition that will be held in Sweden this coming May.

Participation of Iceland unsure

Participation of Iceland in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest remains unsure. Due to the Israel-Hamas war, Icelandic broadcaster RÚV will let the possibility of withdrawal open. In an earlier stage, the Icelandic Association of Composers and Lyricists (FTT) has asked RÚV to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest. Stefán Eiriksson, director-general of RÚV, made a statement today. The Icelandic national final, Söngvakeppnin, will be held as planned. After the winner is known, RÚV and the winning artist will make the decision together. “They apply with the goal of becoming Iceland’s representative at Eurovision. They are concerned about the situation just like we are. This has been our preparation for Eurovision and we have announced that we intend to participate in Eurovision without any changes, but we do not know what the future holds”, says Eiriksson.

3 withdrawals in one day: what’s happening!?

Two more countries announced that they would not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest: North Macedonia and Bulgaria. The news came after the Eurovision community woke up this morning with the withdrawal of Montenegro. North Macedonia North Macedonia issued a statement this afternoon: “Such a decision is in the best interest of the citizens, taking into account the increased costs due to the energy crisis, which occupy a large part of the budget of the Public Service, as well as the increased registration fee for the participation in Eurovision 2023. This decision will enable the saving of funds that would have been set aside for the Macedonian delegation’s stay in Liverpool, where Eurovision 2023 is being held.” The North Macedonian broadcaster MRT has announced that they will broadcast the festival. North Macedonia has not been very successful in the past two years. They did not make the final. There was a riot around a flag in both 2021 and 2022. However, in 2019 North Macedonia still won the jury vote. “Proud”, the entry sung by Tamara Todevska, was the country’s most successful ever. Bulgaria The Bulgarian withdrawal was different. In a personal message from the Instagram account @bg_eurovision to OGAE Greece, it was announced that Bulgaria was no longer interested in the Eurovision Song Contest. BG Eurovision announces that no Bulgarian entry should be expected in the coming years. Bulgaria has been very successful in the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years. The country was almost the winner in 2017 with Kristian Kostov and his “Beautiful mess”. Conclusion? Twice (Montenegro and North Macedonia) it is a financial reason that is indicated. It is not clear what is really behind the Bulgarian withdrawal. We can only guess. Both Montenegro (2021) and Bulgaria (2019) have recently skipped a year. Immediately after the most recent Eurovision song contest, North Macedonia already expressed its doubts about participation.

No Montenegro in Liverpool

Montenegro will not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool next year. That is what Montenegrin broadcaster RTCG announced. Financial problems are said to underlie this decision. The Montenegrin broadcaster has tried to find sponsors for the contest, but has not been successful. Montenegro took part in the Eurovision Song Contest twelve times. The country reached the final only twice. The best score so far for Montenegro was a 13th place for Knez, who sang the song “Adio” in 2015. This year, the country failed to reach the final. Montenegro would not have participated in 2020 and did not participate in 2021. The reason was also financial. People then made different budgetary choices.