Eurovision 2023 is coming to Liverpool and we’re stoked. But bad news for those who want to go: it’s also hiking up accommodation costs. And even worse, performers are being affected too: two countries have now pulled out of the singing contest due to the hefty prices.
Montenegro and North Macedonia have withdrawn their entries after saying the cost of travel, accommodation and registration fees were too high.
Broadcasters showing the talent show have to pay for filming rights to the competition, with costs totalling £5 million overall. With Russia (a big financial contributor) expelled this year, other countries are struggling to cough up the money required.
Montenegro’s public service broadcaster RTCG said in a statement: ‘In addition to the significant costs of registration fees, 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.’
The contest organisers, EBU, said the fees asked of participants are ‘based on the number of countries competing’ while considering ‘the member’s relative size and financial status’.
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