Macedonia’s National Broadcaster – MRTV – is to face sanctions due to a long standing debt towards the EBU. In this case, MRTV would not be able to broadcast any of the most important European happenings, including the Eurovision Song Contest.
Inside sources (that want to remain anonymous) claim that the debt is well over 500.000 euro.
MRTV math gone wrong
The Macedonian Radio Televison managed to accumulate around 19.3 million euros of income in 2016. But the broadcaster allegedly has a debt of 21.8 million euros to domestic and foreign trustees.
Interestingly enough, the trustees are not the fuss generators in this case. Yet, this unpaid debt has managed to strike a chord with the European Broadcasting Union as they plan to impose third degree sanctions on MRTV.
What Claire Rainford, EBU’s Senior Communications Officer had to say regarding this topic:
“Unfortunately, the Macedonian Radio Television has no longer access to our services until it pays off its debt.”
The Consequences
This catastrophic scenario would mean that MRTV would not be able to broadcast any of Europe’s biggest events such as sports matches, films, documentaries and the Eurovision Song Contest.
However, official statement regarding MRTV’s financial situation hasn’t been made by its general manager – Marjan Cvetkovski.
MRTV’s broadcasting fee was canceled this September as the new goverment made a decision to fund the broadcaster from the state budget.
Macedonia at Eurovision
The small Balkan country started it’s Eurovision journey in the distant 1998 with Vlado Janveski’s “Ne Zori, Zoro”, finishing 19th with 16 points. Some of the more significant entries include “Life” by the late Tose Proeski, Elena’s “Ninanajna” and Kaliopi’s “Crno i Belo“.
This year, Jana Burceska failed to reach the final with her “Dance Alone”. Jana finished 15th out of 18 competing songs in the second Semi-Final.
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