Montenegro’s official EBU broadcaster RTCG has just confirmed that the country will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool. This is not the first time that Montenegro is withdrawing from the competition. Since their Eurovision debut in 2007, they have not participated in 2010, 2011 and 2021, and also withdrew from the contest in 2020, which later got canceled due to the covid-19 pandemic.

RTCG made a statement on their official website and explained that financial aspects were the main reason for withdrawing:

In addition to the significant costs of the registration fee, as well as the cost of staying in Great Britain – we also faced a lack of interest from sponsors, so we decided to direct existing resources to the financing of current and planned national projects and organizational and program reforms, which entail significant investment interventions in equipment and premises

Montenegro was represented by Vladana with the song “Breathe” at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin and did not make it to the Grand Final, finishing in 17th place out of 18 semi-finalists.

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