Kazakhstan has confirmed it will not participate at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Nice, France.
The surprising announcement from Khabar, the Kazakh broadcaster, means that the country is the first of last year’s entrants to not return for this year’s competition.
Daniyar Tussupbekov, a Director at the broadcaster, confirmed the news today to Eurofestivales, saying:
“I am sorry to inform that this year the Khabar Agency will not participate. Therefore, Kazakhstan will not appear on the list of participants. In fact, it is very sad to inform about this decision.”
Kazakhstan’s withdrawal from Junior Eurovision brings a five-year spell of competing at the contest to an end. However, it seems that the door is open for a return, as Tussupbekov says that he is hopeful that Khabar will return to Junior Eurovision next year.
Earlier this year, the country confirmed it would not broadcast Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom due to the high cost of securing the rights to air the event. Tussupbekov is still hopeful, though, that Khabar will show Junior Eurovision for Kazakh audiences.
The news follows the withdrawal of Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia from this year’s Eurovision due to financial reasons. While Khabar hasn’t yet confirmed why it has pulled out of Junior Eurovision, the rising costs of competing seem to be causing some countries to reconsider the value of participating.
Junior Eurovision 2023
France won the 20th Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Yerevan, Armenia with Lissandro and “Oh Maman!”. He scored a total of 203 points placing ahead of second-placed Armenia.
France will be hosting the Junior Eurovision Song Contest for a second time, having first hosted the contest in 2021 in the French capital of Paris.
The following countries have already confirmed their participation:
- Armenia
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Malta
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Spain
- Ukraine
Image Source: EBU / Corinne Cumming | Source: Eurofestivales
Kazakhstan first participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2018, with Daneliya Tuleshova and her song “Ozine sen”. She went on to finish in 6th place. The following year, the country was represented by Yerzhan Maksim with the song “Armanyńnan qalma”, which scored a total of 227 points. Kazakhstan won the jury vote scoring 148 points, but was 5th with the online vote scoring 79 points, and finished in 2nd place overall.
It’s up to the EBU to remove stress and require children to be involved in songwriting again, and for Norway and Sweden to reconsider participation and realize how important the contest was to them once stress is removed.