Yesterday multiple Eurovision fan outlets — including wiwibloggs — reported claims that Montenegro was withdrawing from Eurovision 2020. Today the Director-General of RTCG has hit back, saying that the broadcaster has not yet made a decision regarding its participation in Rotterdam.
Speaking to Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti, RTCG’s Director-General Božidar Sundic said:
“I do not know who provided this information, but it cannot be accurate and official because we cannot talk about Eurovision before the RTCG Council decision. The Director-General cannot make that decision on his own, but he gives an order to the Council, whose session is officially decided on.”
Sundic also told the newspaper that he expected the RTCG Council would meet within a few days.
Mixed messages
The claim was first made by the Eurovision insider gossip blog HOD45, followed by the Greek Eurovision fan blog Eurovision Fun.
Reputable Eurovision news blog ESCToday then followed up with a representative of the broadcaster who confirmed to ESCToday that RTCG had withdrawn their application for Eurovision 2020.
The EBU reportedly gave RTCG an extension to finalise its participation, but it was unable to “meet the requirements” and so withdrew. ESCToday reported that RTCG “tried its very best to compete in Rotterdam but things didn’t materialise in the end.”
Wiwibloggs has also heard from two well-placed sources who say that Montenegro is indeed withdrawing.
Prior to Sundic’s comment, no one from RTCG had publicly spoken on the issue.
The EBU is expected to release the list of confirmed acts for Eurovision 2020 sometime in the next few weeks, which should settle the question of Montenegro’s participation in Rotterdam.
Montenegro at Eurovision
This won’t be the first occasion Montenegro has taken time off from the song contest. After debuting as an independent nation in 2007 and competing three times, Montenegro didn’t participate in 2010 and 2011, also for financial reasons.
Montenegro’s best years at Eurovision were 2014 and 2015, where Sergej Ćetković and Knez each made it to the grand final with emotional ballads in the Montenegrin language. Knez’s song “Adio” finished in 13th place in the grand final, giving Montenegro its best-ever result.
What do you think? Is there still hope for Montenegro? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!
I am so confused. The EBU’s participation list could not come soon enough.
Instead of spending money to the national final that doesnt work, send internally rizo feratovic or do it like cyprus and send an artist from the sister country Serbia
Because he was the only interesting aspect of their last years entry
Montenegrin broadcaster didn’t make any announcement about withdrawal, so please let’s not blame the broadcaster on indeciveness or anything like that. It was some gossip blog that spread these rumours. There’s some financial problems inside RTCG lately, but Eurovision participation isn’t in jeopardy. The broadcaster just needed some extra time to solve the problem and EBU gave RTCG extension. Hopefully in the next few days final decision will be released.
Montenegro: Withdraws
Eurofans: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Montenegro: Never mind
I really hope they compete because I’ve got them down as one of the countries who’ll win the thing before the UK does again.
I mean since you decide is like gone forever, I’m really hoping that we have a chance
Here we go again. Can you make up your mind already?! Imagine how tired we are.
Imagine how tired we are of it
what do you mean, irrelevant esc fansites should stop spreading fake news
Lots of indecisiveness amongst the Eurovision media this season and we’re only, like, 2 months in.
Hope never dies for 24 points for Serbia
Contrary to what people say, I actually like what Montenegro contributes to Eurovision! I love Adio, Inje, Moj Svijet and Euro Neuro was interesting. I hated Slavko’s song and D moll’s one but that’s okay. Montenegro is decent!!!
*starts singing* “Are you in or out? You will soon find out What it’s all about It’s the final round There can be no doubt So are you in or out?” But seriously, this “in or out” issue is giving me hypertension. Every year, since 2016, we come so close to equaling or breaking the 43 countries record, and then sh!t happens. 2016: 43 countries were set to take part, and then Romania was disqualified. 2017: 43 countries were set to take part, and then Russia was unable to participate. 2018: 43 countries did participate, but not before North Macedonia… Read more »
It’s weird that in 2020 this is still being an issue for many countries. Maybe the EBU should rethink their fees and requirements, but as long as the show is running, they just don’t care.
I agree 100%, Jo. I mean the fact that Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, and Montenegro have all cited finances as the main factor preventing them from participating at Eurovision 2020 should be a wake-up call to the EBU. Surely, they could have a fee waiver option for these four nations, given their circumstances. It’s very strange to me having slogans like “share the moment”, “we are one”, “join us”, “building bridges”, “come together”, “all aboard”, and “open up”, yet the EBU isn’t making an effort to help include all nations that want to take part but can’t.
So you really want 28 in one semi like in 2007? I DONT! Just horrible and unfair. 20 in each is enough.
you completely missed my point, dude
The participation fee varies per broadcaster AFAIK, and as with a lot of cases, if there are factors that prevent them from taking part or that it’s not simply in the cards for the next year, then we should let them withdraw if they have to until they can sort things out. There’s always something special about Eurovision for these same 40 or so mostly publicly-funded broadcasters to allocate thousands of euros in their annual budget for their participation and producing complementary shows such as national selections and related content year-to-year. Or else, there wouldn’t be a motivation for them… Read more »
Unfortunately was in one of the worst ESC´s despite that amount of participating countries. I prefer more quality than quantity
Why do you want so many? its impossible to qualify if a semi have 28 like in 2007. You dont think about that. 20 in each. no more
2007 was so unfair. And still, Andorra came so very close to qualifiyng. Under normal semi final circumstances, they would have been in the top 5.
Of course it’s an awful system if you have 28 participants in a semi final and only ten can qualify. Ask Andorra. They almost made it with their best effort in 2007. In a semi with 18-20 acts, they might have very likely been in the top 5.
But Rasmus, even your 20 in each semi would break the record: 20 in SF1, 20 in SF2, Big 5 and Host = 46. Wouldn’t that be cool? 🙂
Just ask Zeljko. Eurovision has been going on far too long without a Zeljko composition. If Serbia insists on sending lesser songs these days, Montenegro should take advantage and give us the real deal, paired with a good singer, of course. Oh, and I personally do think Montenegro’s exit WOULD be a loss. You’ll never know with them. “Igranka”, “Moj svjet”, “ADIO” (!!!), “Inje”, I liked all of those. “Euro Neuro” was at the very least interesting and I wasn’t so opposed to “The Real Thing”, either. There’s a whole lot of other countries whose exit I would care WAY… Read more »
it’s not just “ask Zeljko”, you have to pay for his songs, and I don’t think they are cheap…
You don’t say. Paying for songs like “Adio” pays off, as you may have noticed.
it’s an investment for sure, but they still need the money to invest…in this case probably a lot.
Well, they did it once before.
Well, if Knez with, in my opinion, the best Zeljko’s Eurovision effort to date could only get them 13th place (and out of the 44 p. they got, 12 were from Serbia, 10 from Slovenia, 6 from Albania and 4 from Macedonia) then I don’t know what kind of masterpiece Zeljko would have to write to make them place higher.
I loved the song, Knez was just singing it. Who knows how high it could have faired with someone who televoters might have been more inclined to vote for.
Well, Knez surely did justice to the song when it comes to vocals, and the staging was near perfection. I don’t see how could you have made it even better.
our precious juries ranked Montenegro 11th in the 2nd semi-final tho… LOL
The background was very ugly though I think they could have worked on it
Who’s gonna vote for a Zeljko songs in 2020?
People who enjoy good music.
So… what is the truth?
we will find out next week, after their meeting
there hasn’t been talks about eurovision, you heard that right from the director general
Great news for Serbia.
24 points can get you 3rd from last in semi if you have some luck. 24 points dont get you far.
Singer who have money to cover all cost of RTCG for Eurovision (participation fee , hotel for all in delegation, costume…)will sing for Montenegro. If they not find that kind of singer they will withdraw. Greece had similar concept after crisis in first period of 2010 s( when music house organise national final and pay all cost for ERT for Eurovison.Remember national final in shoping malll in 2012….
Serhat!
yes that is what i mean with low budget year for broadcaster, if you got a artist who can fund himself
same with Hungary, also a internal selection option might be Viktor Kiraly, quite well established artist these days there, or Kallay-Saunders again but then internally
I think we just need to wait for the official list of participants XD For all we know a website could say France will withdraw and Japan will debut in 2020. However, I do still have hope that both Hungary and Montenegro will participate in 2020, because that would be 42/43 countries which would be great.
I was a little wary about those sources to begin with. Fingers crossed for them and Hungary to stick around.
(Also: gee, isn’t it nice to get a yes-or-no response to a point-blank question about participation?)
All sources here seem horrible. The carola source, the Hungary source, Montenegro source. I dont believe nothing here anymore.
Early december when all acts get announced
“Should we stay or should we go?”
-Hungary and Montenegro, 2019
Lmao
Obviously the director general is in a difficult position since the decision was published before he got the approval from the board.
@Robyn Gallagher the news was exclusively published by us.Eurovision fun just posted our story a couple of hours later without mentioning us as their source.
Frauds!
No. Pls. Don’t give me Hope 🙁
there is ALWAYS hope
Montenegro and Hungary betting odds (in my view)
Will Hungary complete at Eurovision 2020 ?
YES : 2.25
NO : 1.70
Will Montenegro complete at Eurovision 2020 ?
YES : 2.75
NO : 1.50
I don’t understand anything now…
Somebody spread falls information… It coming from a gossip esc site says it all….
What about Slovakia ? Is out or in ?
I would love to see slovakia back 🙂
Broadcaster don’t like ESC 🙁
I think in Slovakia there are not so many fans…here in Czech Republic lots of people hates eurovision because for them it’s so much extravagant…