Earlier this week, the EBU released the list of the 41 countries competing in Eurovision 2020. And with it came the confirmation that Montenegro would not be among those competing in Rotterdam. Now broadcaster RTCG has revealed their reasons for withdrawing — and what they’ll be doing with the budget instead.
RTCG management confirmed that Director-General Božidar Šundić decided that Montenegro would not participate in Eurovision 2020.
Šundić previously spoke last week, following media reports of Montenegro’s withdrawal. At the time he said that a decision had not yet been made.
RTCG management has now confirmed that its reason for leaving Eurovision 2020 is financial. The broadcaster says that it must act responsibly and spend its budget with purpose.
The broadcaster has also confirmed that Montenegro’s poor Eurovision results in recent years were also behind its decision to withdraw. In a statement, an RTCG spokesperson said, “Eurovision costs around €130,000 each year. Our music representatives have achieved modest results for the most part. The finals were hard to come by.”
But what is RTCG instead doing with their Eurovision 2020 budget? New cars!
The broadcaster’s spokesperson also explained, “This year we decided to invest that money in the RTCG fleet renewal. The plan is to buy five new cars and this significantly improves the safety of our crews, which travel over 1,000 kilometres on a daily basis.”
For a broadcaster from one of the smallest countries in Europe, this does make sense. The broadcaster’s overall budget is limited and sometimes road safety is going to win out over Eurovision participation.
It also suggests that Montenegro’s departure from Eurovision won’t be permanent. Once the new fleet has been purchased, Montenegro may have the budget to return to Eurovision in 2021.
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? Should the broadcaster be buying new cars? Or should they sacrifice road safety in favour of doing Eurovision? Tell us your thoughts below!
Balkan countries are crazy 🙂
In positive way.
HEY! What happened to Knez’ daughter? I thought at one point she was a prospect for Eurovision!
She is in a girl band with Sanja Vucic called Hurricane
Hurricane actually said that they’d love to try representing Serbia in ESC recently so she might still have a chance
You know what? Good on them! I have respect for the fact that they care about people’s safety first.
The Real Thing was great. Otherwise, as you indicate, they are hopefully back next year
Why not? It’s a reasonable priority if that’s for the good of them.
Yup! Plus, if one of Montenegro’s neighboring countries (i.e., Albania, Croatia, or Serbia) win Eurovision 2020, the Montenegrin delegation can just use the new cars to drive to the contest in 2021. Transport sorted, yas!
Slovenia or Macedonia North -keep it reallll
Yugoslavia was a large country. No way I would want to drive from Podgorica to Zagreb. Take a plane instead, because I can’t sail neither. Sorry Greta!
The Balkan people drive really recklessly. A safe car means saving lives. I almost shat my pants as a passenger in Bosnia. 2 months later I got noticed that one of our partners died in a car crash in Bosnia.
Well, at least they have the decency to be honest about why they are out this year… Unlike some people *cough* Hungary *cough*
Hungary was also honest, they said they will be supporting hungarian artist and pop music in Hungary!Patriotism wins over ESC
Couldn’t they have done sponsoring like Bulgaria did then? Anyway, I’m sure they can come back stronger in 2021, although the last time they returned we got Euro Neuro…
Euro Neuro was brilliant, the best thing Montenegro ever gave us. A Rambo Amadeus return would be great fun imo
Euro neuro was my crush when i was 10 ….”Euro neuro – give me chance to refinance”
That is such a Balkan response. Almost as good as the one in 2013 when asked why B&H wouldn’t participate in ESC: “Because people can’t afford to buy bread”
Only in Balkans..
Maybe this corruption explains why Montenegro has sucked at Eurovision so much.
Monti… Monti… Monti… 🙂
I’m speechless. 🙁
If they send song Nezeljena (2018), Ja sam ti san (2019) they would had better result, maybe even 2 final more.
I’d rather have a new car than Montenegro performing to be fair
It’s always a great pity when a country withdraw. It’s not as simple as you put it, but I understand you are putting it to the extreme in this case
I don’t understand why they need cars when they’ve already got human helicopters in employment.
Montenegro – the land of versatile vehicles
omg uber is shook
Well if they like cars more than Eurovision then I don’t know how much effort they would have put into ESC XD.
i-
we-
they-
…no words lmfao
Same.
n
You made a mistake!
The real winner of national final 2019 is Andrea Demirovic.
Your choice was D Mol and now you need to pay their ridiculous performance.
You had worldwide Andrea’s performance and everyone know that. Eurovision needs Andrea and spectacle! Her crew is in touch with world standards and ideas.
JA SAM TI SAN was big oportunity to go in top 10 final songs on Esc 2019.
Stop with your boring music themes.
Reminds me of my favourite Montenegrin entry… Slavko CAR-lezic
Slavkopter
Slavkocopter is exactly what I call him when I can’t remember his name lol
My guilty pleasure song
As I told before.. We have the most idiotic broadcaster in Europe..:)))
Montenegro is better at trolling than at Eurovision! 😀
Even better than San Marino? 😉
Nah, they are the ultimate troll. 😉
I-… now what the hell?