3 withdrawals in one day: what’s happening!?

Two more countries announced that they would not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest: North Macedonia and Bulgaria. The news came after the Eurovision community woke up this morning with the withdrawal of Montenegro.

North Macedonia

North Macedonia issued a statement this afternoon: “Such a decision is in the best interest of the citizens, taking into account the increased costs due to the energy crisis, which occupy a large part of the budget of the Public Service, as well as the increased registration fee for the participation in Eurovision 2023. This decision will enable the saving of funds that would have been set aside for the Macedonian delegation’s stay in Liverpool, where Eurovision 2023 is being held.”

The North Macedonian broadcaster MRT has announced that they will broadcast the festival. North Macedonia has not been very successful in the past two years. They did not make the final. There was a riot around a flag in both 2021 and 2022. However, in 2019 North Macedonia still won the jury vote. “Proud”, the entry sung by Tamara Todevska, was the country’s most successful ever.

Bulgaria

The Bulgarian withdrawal was different. In a personal message from the Instagram account @bg_eurovision to OGAE Greece, it was announced that Bulgaria was no longer interested in the Eurovision Song Contest. BG Eurovision announces that no Bulgarian entry should be expected in the coming years.

Bulgaria has been very successful in the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years. The country was almost the winner in 2017 with Kristian Kostov and his “Beautiful mess”.

Conclusion?

Twice (Montenegro and North Macedonia) it is a financial reason that is indicated. It is not clear what is really behind the Bulgarian withdrawal. We can only guess.

Both Montenegro (2021) and Bulgaria (2019) have recently skipped a year. Immediately after the most recent Eurovision song contest, North Macedonia already expressed its doubts about participation.

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Eurovision 2026

🇮🇹 National: Sal Da Vinci wins San Remo

Italy: the 76th festival of San Remo was won by Sal Da Vinci. He won the contest with the song “Per sempre sì”. At the winners press conference, the first question that will be asked is: are you going to represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest?”. It is not yet known whether Sal is going to say ‘yes’ on that question. That means the Italian story is to be continued. Meanwhile, you can enjoy all the songs of San Remo 26:   final date: 28 FebruaryPlace: Teatro Ariston, San RemoHosts: Carlo Conti & Laura Pausini 1 Francesco Renga Il meglio di me       23 l & m: Antonio Caputo, Francesco Renga, Mattia Davì, Simone Reo & Stefano Tartaglino         2 Chiello Ti penso sempre       25 l & m: Rocco Modello (Chiello)         3 Raf Ora e per sempre       18 l & m: Raffaele Riefoli & Samuele Riefoli         4 Bambole di Pezza Resta con me       13 l & m: Andrea Spigaroli, Caterina Alessandra Dolci, Daniela Piccirillo, Federica Rossi, Francesco Tarducci, Lisa Cerri, Martina Ungarelli & Simone Borrelli         5 Leo Gassmann Naturale       28 l & m: Alessandro Casali, Francesco Savini, Leo Gassmann & Mattia Davì         6 Malika Ayane Animali notturni       19 l & m: Edwyn Roberts, Malika Ayane & Stefano Marletta         7 Tommaso Paradiso I romantici       10 l & m: Davide Petrella, Davide Simonetta & Tommaso Paradiso         8 J-Ax Italia Starter Pack       15 l & m: Alessandro Aleotti & Andrea Bonomo         9 LDA & AKA 7Even Poesie clandestine       11 l & m: Luca D’Alessio & Luca Marzano         10 Serena Brancale Qui con me       9 l & m: Alfredo Bruno, Carlo Avarello, Fabio Barnaba, Noemi Bruno, Salvatore Mineo & Serena Brancale         11 Patty Pravo Opera       24 l & m: Giovanni Caccamo         12 Sal Da Vinci Per sempre sì         l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Eugenio Maimone, Federica Abbate, Federico Mercuri, Francesco Sorrentino, Giordano Cremona & Salvatore Michael Sorrentino         13 Elettra Lamborghini Voilà       26 l & m: Andrea Bonomo, Edwyn Roberts & Pietro Celona         14 Ermal Meta Stella stellina       8 l & m: Dario Faini, Ermal Meta & Gianni Pollex         15 Ditonellapiaga Che fastidio         l & m: Margherita Carducci (Ditonellapiaga)         16 Nayt Prima che       6 l & m: Stefano Tognini & William Mezzanotte (Nayt)         17 Arisa Magica favola         l & m: Carlo Frigerio, Fabio Dalè, Giuseppe Anastasi, Marco Cantagalli & Rosalba Pippa         18 Sayf Tu mi piaci tanto         l & m: Adam Sayf Viacava, Giorgio De Lauri & Luca Di Blasi         19 Levante Sei tu       14 l & m: Claudia Lagona (Levante)         20 Fedez & Marco Masini Male necessario         l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Antonio Iammarino, Federica Abbate, Federico Leonardo Lucia (Fedez), Marco Masini & Nicola Lazzarin         21 Samurai Jay Ossessione       17 l & m: Gennaro Amatore (Samurai Jay)         22 Michele Bravi Prima o poi       22 l & m: Michele Bravi         23 Fulminacci Stupida sfortuna       7 l & m: Filippo Uttinaci (Fulminacci)         24 Luchè Labirinte       12 l & m: Davide Petrella, Luca Imprudente & Stefano Tognini         25 Tredici Pietro Uomo che cade       16 l & m: Antonio Di Martino, Marco Spaggiari & Pietro Morandi (Tredici Pietro)         26 Mara Sattei Le chose che non sai di me       29 l & m: Sara Mattei         27 Dargen D’Amico AI AI       27 l & m: Edwyn Roberts, Gianluigi Fazio & Jacopo D’Amico         28 Enrico Nigiotti Ogni volta che non so volare       20 l & m: Enrico Nigiotti, Fabiano Pagnozzi & Luigi De Crescenzo         29 Maria Antonietta & Colombre La felicità e basta       21 l & m: Giovanni Imparato (Colombre) & Letizia Cesarini (Maria Antonietta)         30 Eddie Brock Avvoltoi       30 l & m: Edoardo Iaschi (Eddie Brock), Lorenzo Iaschi & Vincenzo Leone         Superfinal         1 Sal Da Vinci Per sempre sì       1 l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Eugenio Maimone, Federica Abbate, Federico Mercuri, Francesco Sorrentino, Giordano Cremona & Salvatore Michael Sorrentino         2 Ditonellapiaga Che fastidio       3 l & m: Margherita Carducci (Ditonellapiaga)         3 Arisa Magica favola       4 l & m: Carlo Frigerio, Fabio Dalè, Giuseppe Anastasi, Marco Cantagalli & Rosalba Pippa         4 Sayf Tu mi piaci tanto       2 l & m: Adam Sayf Viacava, Giorgio De Lauri & Luca Di Blasi         5 Fedez & Marco Masini Male necessario       5 l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Antonio Iammarino, Federica Abbate, Federico Leonardo Lucia (Fedez), Marco Masini & Nicola Lazzarin        

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Eurovision 2026
Martijn

🇮🇹 National: Sal Da Vinci wins San Remo

Italy: the 76th festival of San Remo was won by Sal Da Vinci. He won the contest with the song “Per sempre sì”. At the winners press conference, the first question that will be asked is: are you going to represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest?”. It is not yet known whether Sal is going to say ‘yes’ on that question. That means the Italian story is to be continued. Meanwhile, you can enjoy all the songs of San Remo 26:   final date: 28 FebruaryPlace: Teatro Ariston, San RemoHosts: Carlo Conti & Laura Pausini 1 Francesco Renga Il meglio di me       23 l & m: Antonio Caputo, Francesco Renga, Mattia Davì, Simone Reo & Stefano Tartaglino         2 Chiello Ti penso sempre       25 l & m: Rocco Modello (Chiello)         3 Raf Ora e per sempre       18 l & m: Raffaele Riefoli & Samuele Riefoli         4 Bambole di Pezza Resta con me       13 l & m: Andrea Spigaroli, Caterina Alessandra Dolci, Daniela Piccirillo, Federica Rossi, Francesco Tarducci, Lisa Cerri, Martina Ungarelli & Simone Borrelli         5 Leo Gassmann Naturale       28 l & m: Alessandro Casali, Francesco Savini, Leo Gassmann & Mattia Davì         6 Malika Ayane Animali notturni       19 l & m: Edwyn Roberts, Malika Ayane & Stefano Marletta         7 Tommaso Paradiso I romantici       10 l & m: Davide Petrella, Davide Simonetta & Tommaso Paradiso         8 J-Ax Italia Starter Pack       15 l & m: Alessandro Aleotti & Andrea Bonomo         9 LDA & AKA 7Even Poesie clandestine       11 l & m: Luca D’Alessio & Luca Marzano         10 Serena Brancale Qui con me       9 l & m: Alfredo Bruno, Carlo Avarello, Fabio Barnaba, Noemi Bruno, Salvatore Mineo & Serena Brancale         11 Patty Pravo Opera       24 l & m: Giovanni Caccamo         12 Sal Da Vinci Per sempre sì         l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Eugenio Maimone, Federica Abbate, Federico Mercuri, Francesco Sorrentino, Giordano Cremona & Salvatore Michael Sorrentino         13 Elettra Lamborghini Voilà       26 l & m: Andrea Bonomo, Edwyn Roberts & Pietro Celona         14 Ermal Meta Stella stellina       8 l & m: Dario Faini, Ermal Meta & Gianni Pollex         15 Ditonellapiaga Che fastidio         l & m: Margherita Carducci (Ditonellapiaga)         16 Nayt Prima che       6 l & m: Stefano Tognini & William Mezzanotte (Nayt)         17 Arisa Magica favola         l & m: Carlo Frigerio, Fabio Dalè, Giuseppe Anastasi, Marco Cantagalli & Rosalba Pippa         18 Sayf Tu mi piaci tanto         l & m: Adam Sayf Viacava, Giorgio De Lauri & Luca Di Blasi         19 Levante Sei tu       14 l & m: Claudia Lagona (Levante)         20 Fedez & Marco Masini Male necessario         l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Antonio Iammarino, Federica Abbate, Federico Leonardo Lucia (Fedez), Marco Masini & Nicola Lazzarin         21 Samurai Jay Ossessione       17 l & m: Gennaro Amatore (Samurai Jay)         22 Michele Bravi Prima o poi       22 l & m: Michele Bravi         23 Fulminacci Stupida sfortuna       7 l & m: Filippo Uttinaci (Fulminacci)         24 Luchè Labirinte       12 l & m: Davide Petrella, Luca Imprudente & Stefano Tognini         25 Tredici Pietro Uomo che cade       16 l & m: Antonio Di Martino, Marco Spaggiari & Pietro Morandi (Tredici Pietro)         26 Mara Sattei Le chose che non sai di me       29 l & m: Sara Mattei         27 Dargen D’Amico AI AI       27 l & m: Edwyn Roberts, Gianluigi Fazio & Jacopo D’Amico         28 Enrico Nigiotti Ogni volta che non so volare       20 l & m: Enrico Nigiotti, Fabiano Pagnozzi & Luigi De Crescenzo         29 Maria Antonietta & Colombre La felicità e basta       21 l & m: Giovanni Imparato (Colombre) & Letizia Cesarini (Maria Antonietta)         30 Eddie Brock Avvoltoi       30 l & m: Edoardo Iaschi (Eddie Brock), Lorenzo Iaschi & Vincenzo Leone         Superfinal         1 Sal Da Vinci Per sempre sì       1 l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Eugenio Maimone, Federica Abbate, Federico Mercuri, Francesco Sorrentino, Giordano Cremona & Salvatore Michael Sorrentino         2 Ditonellapiaga Che fastidio       3 l & m: Margherita Carducci (Ditonellapiaga)         3 Arisa Magica favola       4 l & m: Carlo Frigerio, Fabio Dalè, Giuseppe Anastasi, Marco Cantagalli & Rosalba Pippa         4 Sayf Tu mi piaci tanto       2 l & m: Adam Sayf Viacava, Giorgio De Lauri & Luca Di Blasi         5 Fedez & Marco Masini Male necessario       5 l & m: Alessandro La Cava, Antonio Iammarino, Federica Abbate, Federico Leonardo Lucia (Fedez), Marco Masini & Nicola Lazzarin        

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