Greece “unlikely” to join Eurovision 2013
Portugal, Poland are out and Greece and Cyprus are looking for shaky for next year's pop-fest.
- Published by David Knox
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Greece is not expected to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, one of a growing list of European nations feeling the economic squeeze.
Portugal, Poland are also out and Cyprus is looking increasingly unlikely.
”Public television ought not to participate in this year’s Eurovision contest in correspondence with overwhelming public sentiment,” a Greek government spokesman, Simos Kedikoglou, said.
”It is very unlikely that Greece will take part.”
”It’s not just that we don’t have the money to pay for the broadcasting rights and participation fees which, at €120,000 [$150,000], we simply don’t have. At this juncture, it would be morally wrong,” an official at the state-controlled channel said.
There are always some nations that are absent from each event, but not having a prominent country such as Greece would be a blow. Elena Paparizou won for the nation in 2005 with “My Number One” (pictured).
It’s also unclear how Spain, which is one of the Big 4 to underwrite the event, can continue its support.
So far 38 countries have signed up, but if the RSVP list grows any shorter it will begin to be a bittersweet party.
Meanwhile Junior Eurovision has just been run and won in The Netherlands. No spoilers until it airs on SBS (not currently scheduled).
Source: smh.com.au
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3 Responses
I suppose Cyprus will be out, otherwise they won’t know who to give their 12 points to!
The current financial crisis across Europe must be the perfect opportunity for Eurovision to be scaled back to its roots as a simple song competition, rather than the huge overblown event that it has become.
Wasn’t there a rumour (brilliantly parodied on Father Ted) that continual victories were likely to bankrupt RTE, the Irish broadcaster, some years ago, and so the Irish put forward a succession of acts that didn’t have a hope of winning, including one year, a singing turkey?
This is awful..I so hope one of the Greek billionaires comes to the rescue and sponsors this for the amount needed.
I think it’s reasonable that the public broadcasters of countries that are on the verge of bankrupcy shouldnt be taking part in this. Shame though, Greece usually pump out a nice poppy little number.