Greek 2015 Eurovision Participation Questionable

NERIT, the successor of Greece's previous, decade-old public broadcaster ERT, was shut down by the Greek government in June 2013 on the grounds of it having become defunct and lacking sound budget management.

The EBU had initially expressed concern on the legality of the shock closure of ERT but was later assured by the Greek government of NERIT's intended compliance with EBU regulations. Greece was subsequently given special permission to participate in the 2014 contest.

NERIT has already confirmed its intention to participate in Eurovision in 2015. However, a recent change in the Greek broadcaster's legal status put another spin in NERIT's relationship with the EBU. In a letter by EBU president Jean-Paul Philippot and Director General Ingrid Delterne sent to the Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on 12th August, the European Broadcasting Union expressed its dissatisfaction over the recent changes.

Despite previous assurances, these changes were deemed by the EBU to put the supervision of the Greek broadcaster under governmental control and thus compromising its independence.

It is not therefore guaranteed that NERIT will be a proper EBU member, although that doesn't necessarily make Greece ineligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. The EBU is allegedly disturbed but has agreed to re-examine the details of NERIT's legal status and give a definite reply to NERIT by tomorrow.

NERIT is hoping that regardless of its status, or its acceptance by EBU, the country will be allowed to participate in the song contest again this year. Still, it is anything but certain that Greece will be represented in Vienna (even by a different broadcaster) next May.