(left to right) McColgan, director of Culture Liverpool, Bill Addy, chief executive at the Liverpool Bid Company, and Faye Dyer, managing director of the ACC Group, at Liverpool M&S Arena after the city was announced as host of 2023 Eurovision Song Contest
(Picture: Peter Byrne/PA)North Macedonia and Montenegro have said that they will not compete in 2023’s Eurovision Song Contest.
According to a statement released by both nation’s broadcasters, the cost of participating in the music competition has been a key factor in them choosing to withdraw.
They join Russia on the list of non-participating nations so far. Russia was banned from competing in the 2022 contest due to the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with the ban remaining in place for next year.
Each broadcaster of the contest pays a fee to have their country take part, which is based on the size of the country.
However, some countries have been asked to pay more due to the absence of Russia, previously a large financial contributor towards the show, according to a BBC report.
Although the amount paid by each individual broadcaster isn’t publicly disclosed, the total cost for all broadcasters involved to enter is believed to be around £5m.
In a statement, Montenegro’s public service broadcaster RTCG said they plan to use the money they would have spent on Eurovision for their national projects.
RTCG said: “In addition to the significant costs of registration fees, as well as the cost of staying in Great Britain, we also faced a lack of interest from sponsors, so we decided to direct existing resources to the financing of current and planned national projects.”
While Macedonian broadcaster MRT also said “the increased registration fee for the participation” was a reason from them pulling out, as well as their energy crisis.
MRT said: "Macedonian Radio Television informs the public about its decision not to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest next year, which will be held in the United Kingdom.
“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 participation in Eurosong 2023, which until last year was €39,143, and the next year is expected to be higher.”
In this year’s competition, neither Montenegro nor North Macedonia advanced past the semi-final stages.
Meanwhile, the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the event, explained they were “committed to keeping the costs of taking part as affordable as possible” and the cost to enter is based on “the member’s relative size and financial status”.
Despite Ukraine winning the 2022 show, the country is unable to host the show due to the ongoing Russian invasion - and, instead, it will be held in Liverpool, on behalf of the winning nation, in May 2023.
