Photo: EBU / Sarah Louise Bennett

While all the other countries have either confirmed or dismissed their participation in Eurovision 2024, Romania‘s broadcaster TVR is yet to decide. 

Numerous discussions surfaced following Romania’s participation in Eurovision 2023, with their representative Theodor Andrei shedding light on various issues that transpired between him and TVR. Many suspect these issues are a potential reason for Romania’s delayed response regarding their participation. You can read all about it here.

 

However, it has been revealed that TVR has not paid the participation fee for Eurovision 2024 to the EBU. TVR director Dan Turturică provided insights to the Romanian news website FANATIK, discussing the substantial costs associated with participating in Eurovision.

As no final decision has been reached, TVR will discuss this in a board meeting scheduled for the 25th of January. Dan Turturică mentioned that the consideration of the last non-qualification was also taken into account. Romania is required to pay a fee of 180,000 euros to enter the competition this year, and although the EBU released the list of participating countries back in December (without Romania on it), they are willing to offer Romania additional time for deliberation. TVR stated that they have been given until the end of January as a deadline, and until then, they must make a decision.

The national broadcaster expressed concerns about the expenses involved not only in paying the participation fee but also in organizing a national selection, creating the Eurovision show, and covering the travel costs to Malmö. TVR’s director stated that he will not be the sole decision-maker. During the meeting on the 25th of January, there will be an open vote, and all 13 members of the committee will cast their votes to determine whether they agree or disagree with participating in this year’s Eurovision.

 

Do you think Romania will end up participating in Eurovision 2024? What are your thoughts on this issue? Share your thoughts on this situation in the comments below. 

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M B
M B
9 months ago

At this point, even if they do compete, it’s going to be something cobbled together at the last minute, and therefore it is doubtful that it would be good. I want Romania in ESC, but it’s better to wait until next year and send something good than rush something bad and further damage ESC in Romania.

Thallo
Thallo
9 months ago

One of the messiest, most corrupt countries at Eurovision.

I can’t even imagine the disaster we would witness if Romania won Eurovision and attempted to host.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Thallo

They would probably do a Ukraine. Make a corrupt mess of things and then beg Christer Björkman to fix it. At least that’s how he told it on a podcast.

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
9 months ago
Reply to  Thallo

this ain’t about Israel though, because that one is one of the messiest, corrupt countries in eurovision

Despicable Annie
Despicable Annie
9 months ago

If Moldova can afford to participate yearly, I don’t see why Romania can’t. It isn’t the ideal solution, but they can just accept bids from the many wealthy artists they have and let them do their thing on Eurovision stage with their own funds. Bulgaria should do the same.

Bucket
Bucket
9 months ago

Moldova’s participation fee is much lower. Population of Romania is 19M, over 6 times more than Moldova, which means Romania’s participation fee is also much higher, while the ratings past few years have been very low.

EurovisionaryVoice
9 months ago

It’s hard to say. Hopefully, we’ll see Romania at the ESC 2024 with a great song! Best of luck!

Tino
Tino
9 months ago

At this point I think it’s safer to not take part in the contest this year and already think about 2025. I don’t want them to go in Malmö with something unfinished and failing to qualify once again and maybe not wanting to come back to the contest. Save your money and use it wisely later.

Despicable Annie
Despicable Annie
9 months ago
Reply to  Tino

There have been many instances of last minute entries doing extremely well. Ukraine’s 2010 song was put together in two days and it ended in the top 10. With a late January confirmation they have more than a month and a half to come up with something.

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
9 months ago

a experienced bigger name act can come up with a good enough song for ESC in a short amount of time though, not saying music for albums that can take up to years, but songs for ESC in general are usually easy listening and romania used to slay with feel good music anyway

and some bops don’t take long to write, like Serhat’s Say Na Na Na was written in 5 minutes and he is san marino’s best result now (that 19th place in the final)

Bucket
Bucket
9 months ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

I am pretty sure there are a handful of artists in Romania who have finished songs that have not been released yet. They can just submit one of those.
Nearly every artist has unreleased songs in their “desk drawer”

Jofty
Jofty
9 months ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

Did it take that long to write?

Sanne
Sanne
9 months ago

They can decide to not hold a National Final and select internally.

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
9 months ago

What’s the latest a country has ever officially announced their participation? This goes way beyond Slovenia’s 2014 one ten years ago! Realistically I don’t see them making the move. How would they organise a NF with THAT short notice? TVR cant even host a proper one these days, not even when they put half a year’s worth of effort into making it – it still looks bland and cheap! The only option if they decided to participate would be to choose internally, go for a big name who is releasing a song outside of Eurovision separately that’s highly anticipated…or they… Read more »

Denis
Denis
9 months ago

I think Slovenia 2013 was the last one, ironically also in Malmö:)
They went from not taking part to preliminary taking part to finally taking part and finding artist, all within months left before contest

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Denis

That certainly would explain the terrible entry a little bit.

NoMoreEscAddicted
NoMoreEscAddicted
9 months ago

I’m not optimistic at all about that…

apollinischesprinzip
apollinischesprinzip
9 months ago

gurl, give it up

Sometimes
Sometimes
9 months ago

Just send Roxen again

1998
1998
9 months ago
Reply to  Sometimes

And again they will be out of final.

Jofty
Jofty
9 months ago

Ralph Siegel has offered to pay this sort of the thing before, subject to writing the song himself. Maybe Markus Riva could perform it and you’d kill two birds with one stone.

Nils
Nils
9 months ago
Reply to  Jofty

Are you sure Riva is desperate enough to sing a Siegel song?

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Nils

Siegel wrote some great songs, too. Mainly outside of Eurovision. But Crisalide was not desperate. I don’t know why he would spend so much money on buying a country’s participation to send garbage like San Marino 2012 and 2017 when he can clearly write good songs.

Jofty
Jofty
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

Bye Bye I Love You for Luxembourg in 1974 always was and remains a bop. Sung in French with an English (Essex) accent.

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
9 months ago
Reply to  Jofty

Why would Riva want to represent Romania and not Latvia?

Bucket
Bucket
9 months ago

Markus is very patriotic and the only countries he would represent are Latvia and Ukraine (he has Ukranian roots). Although, if an opportunity is offered, maybe he would say yes?

Yuarith
Yuarith
9 months ago

If they’re this late and haven’t still made up their minds, I think they’d better not participate tbf

finnished
finnished
9 months ago

Maybe they should go with an internal selection to save money. Roxen had quality songs compared to the annual trash at Selectia Nationala.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago

Their should be more transparency for these fees. Every country pays a different amount, right? Depending on the size of the broadcaster, if I’m not mistaken. Kinda sticks in my craw that an associate member like Australia can slip in on a reduced fee, while ACTUAL members of the EBU can be put in this position.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

And then spinning it like Australia is doing the contest a favor just by participating.

Rall
Rall
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

The EBU has really shown it’s true colours over the past couple of years. Just a greedy, money hungry corporation that doesn’t really care about the fans.

Despicable Annie
Despicable Annie
9 months ago
Reply to  Rall

…why would they do charity? It’s a for-profit organization. Of course they’ll put their own monetary gain first.

Denis
Denis
9 months ago
Reply to  Rall

Of course they need money, its not a cheap contest. Or you want everything to be free?
How else do you think they survive without money?

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

*There

Ari
Ari
9 months ago

While I’m all for shading broadcasters, it should be admitted that Theodor was never ever going to qualify with that song. Not even with a staging as expensive as Tattoo or as clever as Cha Cha Cha. Never ever.

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

Exactly, and i think perinita mea would have had better qualifying chances at least

Eds
Eds
9 months ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

Perinita Mea had not place at Eurovision, just because it was folk-ish doesn’t mean it was good. Realistically, none of the songs from last year’s NF had chances at qualifying, it was our weakest NF ever.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

Yeah, but it was the broadcaster who put him in that unfortunate position. I think their should be some duty of care to acts, and not just offer them up as lambs to the slaughter.

Jonas
Jonas
9 months ago
Reply to  Jonas

*There

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

He COULD have in that weaker semi final 2. Semi final 1? No way! But semi final 2? They should have dressed him in a suit, given him great lighting, used the original version of the song and gave him some dancers and great lighting with pyros as the end as he goes to the high notes. Heck, that would have convinced me! The fact they deviated from his second to last or final performance was the problem. The second to last where they had him with basic lighting and a shot actually fit the song really well.

Ari
Ari
9 months ago

Maybe Moldova can loan them some money. You’d think if they manage, Romania can too. I don’t really care about Romania tbh, I’m mostly missing the ex Yugoslavs and the micro states.

Steven
Steven
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

Montenegro is coming back, so i the Macedonia most likely

The Voice of Reason
The Voice of Reason
9 months ago
Reply to  Ari

That’s Moldova out of they lend them the money! They are on a knife’s edge!

Zisk
Zisk
9 months ago

If they’re this late to decide I don’t think they’ll be giving a song worth competing on short notice. I’m not really interested if they’re making up numbers.

Alex
Alex
9 months ago

TVR is the personification of procrastination.

ANDREW BROWN
ANDREW BROWN
9 months ago

If its a song like Theodors then dont bother save the money.

Alex
Alex
9 months ago
Reply to  ANDREW BROWN

I’ve read that they were in talks with two female artists, both are “well known” in the ESC fandom so fingers crossed one of them understands the assignment.

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
9 months ago
Reply to  Alex

Feli and Bella Santiago me thinks

Despicable Annie
Despicable Annie
9 months ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

Sorry to break it to you, but one of them is Laura Bretan!

ANDREW BROWN
ANDREW BROWN
9 months ago
Reply to  Alex

I’ll await with interest

Ronnie
Ronnie
9 months ago

I wonder if Melodifestivalen will be sponsored by Marabou still, although it operates in R ssia. Cornelia Jakobs & Loreen sure loved getting that R ssian Rubles to fund their Eurovision performances.

Melodifestivalen basicly is sponsored by Russia, just saying this so we know how our lovely hosts work.

Lewis
Lewis
9 months ago
Reply to  Ronnie

Minus votes here are concerning, when we look at all the war crimes R ssia has done. Peace in Ukraine should be bigger priority than funding a National Selection.

Lewis
Lewis
9 months ago
Reply to  Lewis

Minus voters literally said: Melodifestivalen > War

Insane!

Euroalert
Euroalert
9 months ago
Reply to  Ronnie

No, Pizza hut is the new sponsor this year.

Denis
Denis
9 months ago

How hard is it to make a decision? You either do or you don”t, just go on with it

Bucket
Bucket
9 months ago
Reply to  Denis

I heard they have to wait for the government to confirm their budget for 2024