Slovakia: RTVS confirms non participation in Eurovision 2020

by Sanjay (Sergio) Jiandani 1,782 views

RTVS, the Slovakian national broadcaster, has confirmed to ESCToday its non participation at the upcoming 2020 Eurovision edition in the Netherlands next year.

Eurovision fans will be dissapointed to know that Slovakia has no intention to return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2020. We will not be hearing  ‘Good evening Europe, this is Bratislava calling….’ next year either.

Financial constraints and low viewing figures continue to be the main reasons behind the country’s decision to abstain from partaking in the competition.

RTVS told ESCToday:

Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS) does not intend to take part in the next Eurovision Song Contest, due to a disproportion in the transmission cost vs audience figures.

Slovakia withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 and has not returned since.

Slovakia in Eurovision

Slovakia first attempted to partake in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993 when it competed in the special preliminary semifinal in Slovenia, but failed to qualify. The landlocked central European nation debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 with Martin Durinda and Tublatanka.

The last time we saw Slovakia on the Eurovision stage was back in 2012 when Max Jason Mai defended the Slovak colours in Baku with his entry Don’t close your eyes. Slovakia has participated 8 times in the competion and has been quite unfortunate when it comes to results, achieving its best result in 1996 when Marcel Palonder placed 18th in Oslo.