After a two year absence from Eurovision, a Bosnia and Herzegovina comeback was starting to seem possible. But in spite of an extended application deadline from the EBU, and rumours that stars such as Hari Mata and Regina could represent them, the country’s national broadcaster has today confirmed that they will not return to the contest.
BHRT published the following statement on their website:
Given the very difficult financial situation within BHRT, and a drastic drop in license fee collection, we have withdrawn from the Eurovision Song Contest, which will be organized next year in Austria.
As announced, the only way for the participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Eurovision Song Contest was to find the necessary sponsorship funds, BHRT failed in the necessary time to find this type of financial support.
Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Vienna from 19 to 23 May next year, without the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The broadcaster pulled a similar stunt last year, when they also made a preliminary application to participate only to subsequently withdraw. The former Yugoslav republic last participated in 2012, when Maya Sar performed their swan song.
Can y’all cope with this disaster?
There is no need to force them to come back so I understand what they mean. They could take a break for 3-5 years and they truly deserve that. Besides, they badly wanna return to the contest given their announcement to participate again for the second time before withdrawing back. If only money rains in thelat country then there’s no need for them to stress over how much money they still have at all.
BOOOOO!!!
Bosnia suffered severe flood damages – like over a billion dollars – late last spring. From what I understand, they’ve gotten rather paltry aid compared to the enormity of the situation.
There were many landslides in hilly, mountainous Bosnia, due to the heavy soaking of the soil, and many houses were destroyed.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1798996/thumbs/o-BOSNIA-FLOODS-facebook.jpg
http://static.ibnlive.in.com/ibnlive/pix/sitepix/05_2014/bosnia_floods.jpg
We just don’t have money to participate. Yeah, it is the bad economy that is the main reason. Nothing else.
@Charles With my latest comment I wasn’t trying to persuade you about anything to make my country rise in your eyes, I just wanted to explain the situation in case you weren’t informed about it. Also, referring to “everything has been free for our participation”, I don’t think that happens. As long as I am not in the EBU and don’t know further details, I don’t believe that we were there for free. Every broadcaster pays the same fee, and only the broadcasters that pay can stay. Otherwise, EBU would’ve allowed Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia or other countries with economical problems… Read more »
@SpirK: You do understand this is just TV music competition and not a social-psychological way to make one country feel inferior or superior to others, right? So when I read your words explaining what I already know and everybody knows (we have followed your path) I wondered … is he talking about Greece, the competitor at Eurovision, or Greece the country he is so proud of and that no one can say anything against? I just wondered, because it’s very easy to be so over-patriotic to the point of not wanting to deal with reality and set feet on the… Read more »
@Charles About the Greek situation with you mentioned I would like to explain you something, because I am a Greek. Since 2012, the Greek participation is not being paid by the Greek citizens nor the Greek state. Greece is participating because of sponsors. Particularly, this sponsor is MAD TV which organizes the national final and some record companies who want to promote their singers such as Platinum Records and Panik Records. The last 3 years all the singers that make a try on the national final are from these two record labels. So the only issue about Greece was last… Read more »
* SIGH * again…
But I still appreciate that thay are trying to make a comeback.
I really hope Bulgaria can make it, And is their more news on Ukraine and the NTU? Do they accept the offer? And I hope Luxembourg will do something seperately.
At least it’s clear that they’re trying to participate and want to come back, unlike some countries who can but just won’t (Turkey, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Monaco, Andorra, smh). Hopefully they’ll be able to return by next year along with Croatia.
@Fatima: Try to be (I said “be” and not “become”) a different person than the one you are only because someone else is forcing you to and then tell me what it feels like … curious to know if you’d take anything back or appreciate yourself a bit more, by not asking others to do or say the things you don’t wanna be told or said … We don’t all have to enjoy fish and chips like I do, but certainly I have better songs to enjoy than a greek trampoline … I mean you must know that, you’re not… Read more »
Extremely disappointing as there are several Bosnian entries that I have really enjoyed, but understandable if they lack the funding. On the other hand, the cynic in me feels like yet another spot just opened up in the final with both B&H and Ukraine out.
@Jethro
learn the definition of racist.
Just because someone doesn’t agree with your personal views about one country in a song contest, doesn’t make them racist. Educate yourself.
NOOOOOOOOOOOO(2 hours later)OOOOOOOO!!!! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!? 🙁
Charles, did you just dismiss “Rise Up” as “cheesy crap” ? If so, please take that back.
@Charles – spot on! 🙂
I’m always enjoying your comments. It’s basically everything what would I have said. But you’re choosing the right words. 😉
@mei international you are RACIST
They haven’t really changed their minds if one looks at this closely. They just confirmed that they are, once again, not coming for the same reasons as in previous years. No big surprise here to be honest. And again, unlike Greece, which has been in a far worse financial disasterous situation unlike Bosnia, Bosnia has the wise and mature move to choose their own national priorities over easy entertainment Greece is still being treated like a baby whose milk bottle and dippers have been changed the whole damn time for some desperate ESC fans who can’t handle having an Eurovision… Read more »
@Mei: The 2009 entry was far from subpar…
It’s sad they decided to pull out, but they won’t be missed as much as countries like Ukraine. I have to be honest, I didn’t even miss them the last couple of years. Although more countries is always a good thing 🙂 Come back in 2016! Try and prepare funding earlier.
thats very sad.. now i hope bulgaria will return
A Bosnian complaining about bloc voting? Please check your country´s voting history.
About this: really sad 🙁 And I was so happy this morning with the news regarding Regina :’)
eurovision disucssion rule: if you mention “block voting” you lose and your arguments are invalid
SMH
Okay, something going on. Is B&H’s economy that bad right now? I mean, countries historically “poor” “on crisis” and “low interest” keep participating. Moldova, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Latvia…
What is really going on?
After hearing this , I don’t think Bulgaria will come back either. Its a shame and I wish that there’s a way that Bosnia Herzegovina and Ukraine can be at Vienna.
oh the irony when you see someone from bosnia complaning of bloc voting .. soo stupid
How can people in Bosnia and Herzegovina complain about the block voting when your subpar entries did well because of bloc voting (ie: 2009, 2012).
So sad! Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of my favorite esc countries in the latest years. I really wanted them to come back! Anyway, still hoping for Bulgaria to reverse their decision!
Eurovision is not so important and interesting for Bosnian people, especially cause of weird and unfair voting system. It’s obvious that best songs can’t win cause of it, and most of people here doesn’t want to be part of that, or ” blocks ” voting . BHRT maybe can’t find proper sponsors, but it’s also the fact that they wouldn’t have much of audience for it. Turks started their Turkovision, and other TV station is sponsoring Bosnian artists to take a part in it, but nobody actually cares. So yeah, it may be a disaster, but it’s EBU rules that… Read more »
I think we have to come to terms with the fact that the ESC will have less than 40 countries not just this year, but also in the foreseeable future. I don’t believe for one moment that BH wasn’t genuinely looking for more funds or that it deliberately misled anyone. It’s just a sad state of affairs that has been going on for 3 years and is likely to continue at this rate.
So sad!
At this rate they should send this song to Eurovision
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGIFublvDes