A few days ago San Marino's SMRTV reacted to the changes made by EBU to the voting presentation system, in effect from 2016 Eurovision song contest in Stockholm (more here). Carlo Romeo, General director of SMRTV has talked more about the affair and explained a few things.
Like the fact that only 16 countries have been involved in the decision making with the EBU's Reference group in this matter in the past three years it has taken to make it. And they still haven't discussed nor informed directly the matter with San Marino, the sole sure country that this decision effects (as the other microstates Andorra, Monaco and Luxembourg stay away) as they can't most likely provide a valid televote for small number of inhabitants with Sammarinese phonecards instead of Italian ones, commonly used in the country.
Romeo confirms San Marino will take part in 2016 as this has nothing to do with the artists, and they are well prepaired with Serhat for Stockholm. The next edition in 2017 is then another matter and "San Marino wouldn't be the first country to withdraw". But he will not travel to Stockholm for Eurovision as originally planned as he sees it's not worth it and he has nothing to do there, as small countries don't seen to important EBU.
He calls for if not protection but respect for the small countries within EBU. And this blogger no longer wonders where have they all disappeared.....
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