The EBU announced yesterday that a total of 42 countries are going to be taking part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon, Portugal. Russia will be back after a year of absence, and Macedonia was not on the participant list, making the number of participating countries equal to the one in Kiev earlier this year. ESCBubble contacted the EBU and Mr. Jon Ola Sand to find out more about Macedonia’s participation issue.

We all know about the debt that Macedonia’s national broadcaster MRT has towards the EBU, but we also know that it doesn’t affect their participation at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest which will be held in Georgia later this month. We asked the EBU’s Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Mr. Jon Ola Sand, whether there are any chances we might see Macedonia singing in Portugal, and the number of participating countries go up to 43. We also asked does Macedonia have any conditions they need to fulfill in order to participate, or whether it’s already “too late” and that 42 is the final number.

Mr. Jon Ola Sand stated the following:

Of course we hope that a resolution can be found so that MRT can be involved in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, and we are working with both MRT and RTP on this. Should we find a solution, the EBU will issue an announcement in due course.

We conclude that this still leaves the doors open for a Macedonian participation at Eurovision 2018 in Lisbon, and that yesterday’s list of participants might not be the final one.