Lithuanian broadcaster LRT (Lithuanian National Radio and Television) have announced officially on December 15th, that Lithuania has formally withdrawn from the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.

According to Head of the LRT Rimvydas Paleckis, the decision taken was a “formal action” that was needed to be taken until December 14th, the deadline to confirm or decline participation; otherwise Lithuania would have been fined.

However, LRT is still looking for funding to return to the competition. The sum needed to continue the Eurovision preparations for Lithuania is 300.000 litas (appr. 86,890 Euro).

If Lithuania could finally mobilize enough funding, the national selection process for Eurovision 2010 in Oslo would be continued.

The state television of the Montenegro republic, RTCG (Radio Televizija Crne Gore), have withdrawn from the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, claimed financial reasons.
The broadcaster told that the decision had been taken in order to reach financial consolidation after 3 years as independent state.

Montenegro debuted in the ESC as an independent country in 2007. Before that, they were participating as a Yugoslavia, and then as Serbia and Montenegro with Serbia. A scandal occurred in 2006 between Serbia and Montenegro because of fake voting from the Montenegro juries. As a result, Serbia and Montenegro didn’t have an entry that year and they received a ban from the ESC for 5 years. A few months later, both Serbia and Montenegro became independent and had separated, so the punishment was suspended. In 2007, the next year, Serbia won Eurovision Song Contest.