Eurovision becomes crisis victim

ISTANBUL

Poland and Portugal will not take part in the Eurovision contest. AFP photo

The Eurovision song contest appears to have become the latest victim of the economic crisis, with the news that two countries have been forced to pull out of next year’s event because they cannot afford to enter, according to the Sky News website.

Poland and Portugal will not take part in the competition in Malmo, Sweden next May.
Portugal, which was given a 63 billion pound bailout by Brussels last year, has only missed the annual event three times in the last 48 years.

It is the second year in a row Poland has not taken part in Eurovision. This time it pulled out due to the financial pressure of co-hosting the European Football Championships.

Poland also gives up the contest

Neither country has won the contest before, though Poland managed second place in 1994 with Edyta Gorniak’s “To nie ja!”

Portugal’s best performance was in 1996 when “O meu coracao nao tem cor” by Lucia Moniz came in sixth.

It is not the first time financial woes have affected Eurovision. This year, Spain’s entry was reportedly ordered not to win because the country could not afford to host the lavish event.

After Ireland won the contest three consecutive times between 1992 and 1994, then again in 1996, it was widely speculated that the contest was becoming a financial burden. Ireland was represented by Jedward in 2011 and 2012, failing to make the top five on both occasions.