Romania has been ejected from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest for owing $16m in unpaid bills to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The poor and underdeveloped central European country will not be able to compete with its richer European neighbors this year because state broadcaster Televiziunea Romana (TVR) failed to settle the debt that dates back to 2007. TVR YouTube video: Bangkok Post reports: Romania was to be represented at the event by Ovidiu Anton with his English-language song, “Moment of Silence”, but the entry will now be forced out of the lineup. “It is regrettable that we are forced to take this action,” EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre said in a statement. “We are disappointed that all our attempts to resolve this matter have received no response from the Romanian government. “The continued indebtedness of TVR jeopardises the financial stability of the EBU itself,” Deltenre said. She said the EBU has noted that TVR was facing possible insolvency. But numerous attempts were made to restructure the debt and payment plans were agreed upon, but had not been adhered to. The organisation had written to the Romanian government on four occasions this year, but had received no reply, the EBU [...]
