Call them early, call them eager and count them in! TVR has confirmed today that Romania will take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The Administration Board of the national broadcaster has greenlighted Romania’s application for Eurovision 2018.

While in previous years we typically had to wait until late November or even December for news regarding Romania’s participation in the contest, this year TVR is moving quickly. Hot off the success of Ilinca feat. Alex Florea‘s “Yodel It!”, which placed seventh at the Grand Final of Eurovision 2017 in Kyiv, Romania’s broadcaster seems poised to take the contest more seriously and get things done earlier.

A press release issued by TVR today announces that, despite the fact that the budget for 2018 is yet to be decided, the Administration Board of Televiziunea Romana has already approved Romania’s participation in next year’s contest, due to take place in Portugal.

Eighteen countries have officially confirmed participation in Eurovision 2018 so far: Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, and Sweden. Romania is the 19th country to join the contest.

TVR’s General Director Irina Radu also confirmed that preparations for next year’s contest will start early.

Eurovision is one of TVR’s premium programmes, and that is the reason why we will start preparations for Romania’s participation in the 2018 edition of the contest early. We will have more time to organise Selectia Nationala, to prepare the Romanian act’s show for the international stage and to attract as many sponsors and partners as possible in the project. Just by securing additional funds, will we be able to add them to the budget for 2018.

We’re delighted to hear that Romania is taking the contest seriously ahead of next year. The Eastern European country is the only participant country that has always qualified for the Grand Final without ever winning the contest, despite joining the Eurovision game back in 1994. Here’s hoping that a new approach and early planning will bear fruit and, who knows, maybe we’ll move the contest to Bucharest in the near future?

Romania’s best result today is third place in 2005 (Luminita Anghel & Sistem – “Let Me Try”) and 2010 (Paula Seling & Ovi – “Playing With Fire)”. In 2016, Romania was absent from the Eurovision after the EBU withdrew TVR from the contest because of outstanding debts, which were paid before Romania returned in 2017.

What do you think about Romania’s early confirmation and the promise of a better prepared Selectia Nationala? And who would you like to see represent the country in Portugal next year? Let us know in the comments!

Read more Romania Eurovision news here

33 Comments
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Two
Two
6 years ago

2017 the worst Song EVER

Michael
Michael
6 years ago

What I love about Romania is that they always do crazy but in a sophisticated way. No one else can do that in Eurovision. Only Romania

old boy
old boy
6 years ago
Reply to  Michael

sophisticated? please tell me you’re joking….

David
David
6 years ago

Romania has never failed a final. Yes, indeed. Good for Romania! Has this always meant quality songs? No it has not, not always! Being in the final is not necessarily the same as having a quality song, especially in the 100% televoting years. This year was a very good example of that for Romania.

esc1234
esc1234
6 years ago

i want them to win one day

Anna Miles
Anna Miles
6 years ago

have they ever sent a good song?

Richardinho
Richardinho
6 years ago
Reply to  Anna Miles
adriana
adriana
6 years ago
Reply to  Anna Miles

I can give you a better answer to that.Romania has never missed a final .Satisfied?

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Anna Miles

Almost every year since their debut, henny.

Richardinho
Richardinho
6 years ago

Bring back the Balkan girls!

Richardinho
Richardinho
6 years ago

Great direction in the video by the way. I get a fantastic view of the horrible Alex standing in front of the beautiful Ilinica all the way through it.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago

Please please Romania send us something good! Fun, but good! And we want to see you win it! But leave the yodel behind you!

escphbelgium
escphbelgium
6 years ago

Please! No more yodeling!!!

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago
Reply to  escphbelgium

Agree haha:) That didn’t work for me.

filipko54
filipko54
6 years ago

Czech Republic (my country) has never officialy confirmed participation in 2018, Czech Television said that they want to participate regularly, but that doesn’t mean that our participation in next year is 100% confirmed
btw Slovak Television has a new director general so maybe they’ll return and I hope that they will

Aaron GR
Aaron GR
6 years ago

Fantastic. Romania always brings the fun, and high quality most of the time. Investing a little extra time and budget will help push them to the top. Romania deserves a win.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

Romania needs to serve SEX next year. I demand a hoe bop that I can keep on repeat for days without ever getting tired, which is pretty common in their music scene, so my expectations are high. Don’t they dare to send a snoozefest, 2018 needs to be the year of the bops.

Samuel
Samuel
6 years ago

What is full form of bop?

Covaceanu Matilda
Covaceanu Matilda
6 years ago

We have to send something great and modern, not serving sex and we don’t usually sent ballads to the Eurovision stage

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

Yes, and then flop.
“Oversexualized” performances are punished by the juries, and the televoting will only go for them if they’re funny (like Poland 2014). Even Iveta didn’t finish as high as she expected with the public (and she served a sexual but classy performance).
I agree with Covaceanu Matilda. Bring something good, we cannot ask for more.

…but I’d love to see Salvador’s face if 2018 had a lot of “troll acts” in Portugal hahahaha.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

Serving sex could also mean doing a “Roar” by Katy Perry. Her VMAs performance in 2013 was something I’d like to see at the Eurovision. Of course, there has to be a super catchy song to start with.

John
John
6 years ago

Portuguese people will not forget Axel´s words about Salvador…

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago
Reply to  John

You forgot his name, clearly. It’s not like Romania and their 2018 representative is to blame for Alex’s words anyway.

John
John
6 years ago

who cares? lol

adriana
adriana
6 years ago
Reply to  John

Who cares if they wont forge?t With Portugal or not Romania has always qualified in the finals even with the Vampire soprano.

anduy
anduy
6 years ago
Reply to  adriana

they should care, next year is in portugal.

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago

I hope Turkey, Slovakia and BiH return. And Kazahkstan makes an apperence. And I kind of don’t want Australia in it. San Marino is just a joke, I love Valentina and Maybe, Crisalde and also Stand By by Senit wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t ve upset if they withdraw.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

I don’t mind Australia, but I don’t want them to be overrated by the juries. It’s unlikely that Turkey and Bosnia-H. will be back soon. However, I’m confident about Slovakia and Kazakhstan. San Marino will probably withdraw soon.
I think we might have 44 countries next year in Portugal.

Taiiz
Taiiz
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

too be honest with you i cant see Russia returning next year either 🙁

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago
Reply to  Taiiz

Russia already confirmed!:)

ninasublatti
ninasublatti
6 years ago

a dance banger please

Alex
Alex
6 years ago

WHY DON’T WE HAVE A DATE YET?!

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

Feli, maybe. I like her songs.