Romanian Eurofans are breathing a sigh of relief tonight. Broadcaster TVR has announced that it has reached an agreement with the EBU, putting the past issues over its debt (not to mention a bit of bad blood) behind, and that Romania is returning to the Eurovision stage. Good thing they applied for the comeback last month!
After missing last year’s Eurovision in Stockholm because of huge financial debts to the EBU, TVR is happy to be present in Kyiv for Eurovision 2017. To make sure that Romania can keep its house in order — and to prevent poor management from staging a comeback of its own — the European Broadcasting Union will provide a free of charge consultancy. #ComeTogether, y’all.
In a statement published by Eurovision Romania on Facebook tonight, TVR announced that the remaining 10-million euro debt would be paid in installments over the next three years.
Moreover, Irina Radu, TVR general manager, vows to bring back the Romanian public television station to its days of glory of ten years ago. Yay!
There are no further details regarding Romania’s national selection for 2017 yet, but we will bring them to you as soon as they are made available.
Meanwhile, are you happy that the EBU has forgiven TVR and that Romania is back in the Eurovision family? Who would you like to represent the Eastern European country?
Great that they are back 🙂
A pity most of Europe never got the chance to hear their entry this year. Another excellent rock song in the story of ESC. But at least, we can enjoy it 🙂
I also hope Ovidiu gets a new chance. With another very good rock song. Doubt that he is interested though, based on what I read. But he might have changed his mind 🙂
I’m hoping this is actually a good idea. Eurovision is expensive, and you don’t fix budget problems that quickly. Its good that the EBU’s willing to work with them and provide consulting, but I’m hoping this doesn’t lead to them screwing themselves even worse later on.
If they do go though, give Ovidiu right of refusal. He deserves the right to choose whether he should go to Kyiv, or tell TVR to suck it.
Polegend Godgarina: “Is the queen of pop Cleopatra Stratan old enough to compete yet?”
Me: “Last time I checked Wikipedia, I figured out that she was born in fall 2002. In other words, she’ll have to wait until spring 2019 to enter Eurovision. 🙁 “
Remember Noni Razvan Ene from Junior Eurovision 2004? I just found a video on YouTube that shows Noni singing a duet with a little girl name Alexandra. I dunno if TVR should select Alexandra or Noni for Kiev. Who knows? Alexandra and Noni could record another duet in time before Eurovision. BTW, I dunno Alexandra’s last name, but until then, you can watch the video I just found below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VPb34gLeXk
I am happy that my country is back in Eurovision. The song contest is very popular in Romania. Ovidiu doesn’t want to be part of ESC ever again since he found out it’s all about the money and not the songs. TVR will use Selec?ia Na?ional? yet again I think. It would have been sad not to see Romania în ESC since the contest is held in Ukraine, one of our neighbours.
Does anyone know why Kabar Agency went for Associate Membership rather than full membership?
Usually I’d expect a blanket “no” towards Kazakhstan, with Australia excused for the different circumstances, but they actually made a point to go out of there way and say the rules in 2016 might not be the same as 2017 and they’re still reviewing them. Why not just an outright “no associates apart from Australia can’t compete, see the rules this section here” why specifically mention it was the case last year, but might not be this year unless you were actively considering the change?
Can’t wait to yet again watch tacky and kitschy euro-pop entries from Romania. Missed them immensely!
@Robyn Gallagher: But unlike Australia, Kazakhstan can join on EBU permanently because they are candidate of Council of Europe and the country is a 5% part of European continent ( It’s how as Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan joined Eurovision as part of admission requirements) while Australia used the excuse of 30 years of telecasting and european links as excuse to join breaking the EBU rules for them! That why Australia wasn’t confirmed yet cause EBU still studying if their open their EBU doors to associated members to participate as SBS Australia did or EBU will debate if they give full… Read more »
Hopefully what you said is true sabi……want Slovakia to return too!!
44 countries will participate, all 2016 countries except Bosnia and Herzegovina + return of Portugal, Romania and maybe Slovakia or the debut of Kazakhstan. Moldova hasn’t confirm yet but they will not withdraw. It’s their biggest TV program since 2010
@Sabi
Sources?
@Kris: Apparently Andy from ESCKZ said (unofficially) that Moldova is in. Its means that we have 42 countries confirmed for ESC 2017.
Hopefully ESC 2017 will be the break the record of +44 countries 🙂
National final? Probably will internally select Ovidiu or Florena
Romania is a country I really want to see winning sometime soon, so I’m really happy for this
This is a good news! Can they send either Ovi or Paula Seling again? Or Carla’s Dreams or Delia, perhaps.
Moldova and Australia will take us to 43 Im confident of that it was Romania and San Marino I was unsure on and they are both in.
Then we need only 1 of Slovakia, Turkey or Kazakhstan to confirm and we will have the biggest Eurovision ever at 44 participants!
Sabi I didn’t read anything from Moldova yet?? Where did you see that they confirmed?
@mocosuburbian: Moldova and San Marino already confirmed!!
Still Australia, Slovakia and Turkey to say something about their participation in ESC 2017, and also EBU to say something regarding the possible associated EBU members who wish to participate in ESC (Kazakhstan, China, etc..)
Ovidiu deserves to represent Romania in 2017! Add Lidia Isac and it will be even better haha. ^^ Maybe Ovidiu will offer Lidia to sing with him.
41 countries !!!
three more (Moldova, Australia, San Marino) and it’s a record omg
Good to hear. I’m sure many ESC fans are glad they’re back.
I think it’s only fitting that they send Ovidiu, but with a new song.
That would save them time, money and energy staging another national
final. Don’t you think? 🙂
Nice to have them back, although i hated moment of silence I think Anton and Romania was was treated so unfairly by the EBU last year and I am G glad that a resolution appears to have been found.
I wonder though If the debt and lack of funds will affect the participation and song choice and they end up sending something horrendous so that they don’t have to host in 2018. Anyway, welcome back Romania.
I think that a lot of fans would find it fair and fitting for Ovidiu to be the Romanian representative in Kyiv, seeing he was royally dumped on by TVR and the EBU…
@ Tommy – thankfully for all of us, Ogridiu has stated he doesn’t want anything to do with the Eurovision Song Contest anymore.
Surely the only artist they can send is Ovidiu?
The post only makes mention of them Broadcasting, and paying off the debt. Nothing about them competing again.
YAAASSS! I’m ready for them to bring a trashy guilty pleasure entry. Is the queen of pop Cleopatra Stratan old enough to compete yet? If not, just send some other hoe and snatch that victory. My country always gives Romania either 10 or 12 points in televote because of the massive amount of immigrants, so they’d better send a song that’s worth voting for.