We are now a little closer to knowing the full list of participating countries in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Two countries have now formally confirmed their withdrawal.
Poland also withdrew from the 2012 Contest due to financial pressures. These stemmed from co-hosting the 2012 European Football Championships, as well as covering the Olympics and Paralympics in London. The decision by broadcaster TVP to pull out of the 2013 Contest was not taken lightly, but it is hoped Poland will be back for the 2014 Contest.
Portugal has become the only country to date that participated in the 2012 Contest in Baku to confirm withdrawal from 2013. Again, financial pressures have contributed to the decision by Portuguese broadcaster RTP. Many peopel hope to see Portugal back in 2014.
Neither Poland nor Portugal have won Eurovision. Poland's best result was in their début year in 1994, when Edýta Górniak finished second with To nie ja! In 2011 Poland's Magdelena Tul finished 19th (last) in the first semi-final Jestem.
Portugal's fortunes have been mixed, never finishing higher than 6th in a Saturday night final. They achieved this result in 1996 with the song O meu coração não tem cor performed by Lúcia Moniz. In 2012, Filipa Sousa failed to make it out of the semi-finals, finishing 13th with the song Vida minha.
