MRT, the Macedonian national broadcaster, is discussing a potential return to the Eurovision Song Contest.
According to the minutes from a meeting of the MRT Program Council on August 27, MRT received a request from the public to review a possible return to Eurovision. The minutes read:
“The return of the Republic of Macedonia as a participant in Eurovision is also a request from some of the citizens who contacted the Program Council via email. Their arguments are that it is good for the promotion of the country, Macedonian musicians and authors, as well as the high viewership that this music competition has.
Ivana Efremovski (member of the MRT Program Council) further assessed that a public debate should be opened on this topic in order to appropriately examine the public’s interest in Macedonia’s return to this event.”
The MRT Program Council was discussing a return to Eurovision last year, but this was rejected due to the lack of time and money needed to organise participation.
North Macedonia withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom, with broadcaster MRT citing financial difficulties. Before this, the country had previously competed at every Eurovision since 2004. Bobi Andonov, who represented North Macedonia at Junior Eurovision 2008, has expressed his interest in representing the country in 2026 to MRT.
The last time North Macedonia entered the contest was in 2022. Andrea represented the country in Turin with the song “Circles”. She was unable to qualify for that year’s Grand Final, though, finishing 11th in her semi-final with 76 points.
Image source: EBU / Nathan Reinds | Source: MRT
North Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest
North Macedonia (previously competing as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998. They attempted to participate two years earlier but were knocked out in the pre-qualifying round. North Macedonia’s best result in the contest is a 7th place finish in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, when Tamara Todevska represented the country with the song “Proud”. North Macedonia has not participated in Eurovision since 2022.
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Posted by:Neil Farren
Neil is from Ireland but has lived in several countries around Europe. He has has been an editor for Eurovoix since May 2017. He has been following the Eurovision Song Contest since 2005 and attended every contest as press since 2019. He also follows other Eurovision contests, such as the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which he has watched since the very first edition in 2003.