Turkey will not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest next year, the state broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) said in a statement on Friday, Today’s Zaman reports.
TRT, a partner of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision, each year selects the act that will represent Turkey in the contest. However, it has now said that Turkey will not attend the Eurovision 2013 Song Contest, to be hosted by Sweden this year.
TRT cited a controversial procedure, which favors countries such as France, Italy, the UK, Spain and Germany by allowing them to enter the finals directly without competing in the semifinals so as not to lose a large portion of the audience, as the basis of its decision.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has already announced that it will not attend due to financial factors. Portugal and Poland will also stay out of the contest this time around.
