Is Bulgaria in or out? For the past two months the Junior Eurovision 2015 host country has been teasing us with suggestions of both participating in and withdrawing from Eurovision 2016. What’s going on?
Back in September, the official Eurovision Bulgaria Twitter account posted a tweet, which it subsequently deleted, saying: “#Eurovision’16: Final confirmation to be given on a later date (until Oct, 10th). For now: Hallå Sverige! :)”
Exciting news! Though the consensus seemed to be that Bulgaria would hold off until after Junior Eurovision before confirming their return to Eurovision.
Then last week, Team Wiwi caught up with JESC host Poli Genova, who hinted very strongly that she and Bulgaria would be returning “very soon”. Poli also dropped even more hints at a JESC press conference, leading some to wonder if she’d already booked a hotel in Stockholm.
We’ve also been hearing that the legendary Bulgarian singer Lilli Ivanova is seriously being considered as an internal candidate.
But on the flipside, Bulgarian Head of Delegation Joana Levieva-Sawyer told fan media that Bulgaria was not on the list for 2016, citing continuing budgetary concerns.
The deadline is already gone. We’ve said we’re not taking part. If, however, Junior Eurovision helps us gather some budget from advertising and stuff, we may consider it and we may check if we could enter. But I’m not sure it will be possible because the deadline has already passed.
Eurovision Bulgaria confirmed the news with this tweet:
At this stage Bulgarian participation at #Eurovision 2016 seems unlikely https://t.co/HrOm9B3ECd
— Eurovision Bulgaria (@bg_eurovision) November 19, 2015
But then a few days later, the outlook became more positive.
#Eurovision return in 2016 not ruled out according to Viara Ankova – DG of BNT. All options for selection to be considered in due course. — Eurovision Bulgaria (@bg_eurovision) November 22, 2015
Then yesterday, Eurovision Bulgaria posted this tweet, which has since been deleted:
Wonderful Kaliopi set to represent #Macedonia once again at #Eurovision. But will be this the only one returning artist? 🙂
The situation was later clarified:
#Eurovision discussions underway. We hope to solve the problems quite soon, but at this stage can’t tell you any good news.
— Eurovision Bulgaria (@bg_eurovision) November 24, 2015
So it very much seems that Bulgaria are still in the midst of talks, no doubt trying to lock down some sponsorship to allow them to return to Eurovision for the first time since 2013. And if they do manage to make a return, it seems that Poli Genova will also be making a comeback.
Would you like to see Bulgaria return to Eurovision? Is Poli Genova the right artist? Does Bulgaria just need to hurry up and make a decision? Share your thoughts below.
SVT thanks to EBU want to breake a record with number of countries at contest. They call Australia one more time and we see that Australi wili be participate every year, then gave Bosnia chance after deadline to take a part , maybe after Bosnia, we see Bulgaria as 42 , Croatia as 43, maybe Slovakia as 44 , Portugal as 45 countries at Eurovison.
Bulgaria is the new Bosnia and Herzegovina
Please be in. Hopefully Poli or Mihaela Marinova. 🙂
If rules are being bent in order to allow more countries to participate, that’s perfectly ok by me.
obviously we can rule them out now I guess
when broadcasters flip flop like this 99% of the time it’s a no
Eugene, the EBU is acting out of generosity if you really think about it. They’re allowing the financially tackled broadcasters the opportunity to look longer and harder for sponsors and funds. Sure, some broadcasters can throw this together easy-peasy (the big 5, the ex-Soviets, etc.) but the Balkan broadcasters and the Greek broadcaster all suffer financially so by the EBU giving them extended deadlines, it allows them the opportunity to seriously consider participation otherwise each year they’d have to say no because there is such little time to find a sponsor. Eurovision is not a broadcaster’s main concern, so sponsorship… Read more »
“Here we go again with the rules!”
Found the anarchist.
Can someone post me a link or something – from where BNT found money to stage the JESC contest? Thanks.
Here we go again with the rules! Someone seems obsessed with it:) As stated previously, rules and laws aren’t something fixed. Rules can be changed, nothing wrong with that. It’s all got to do with circumstances and the time. EBU like every other organization have the right to change the rules at any times. The rules aren’t set in stone, remember. . Every organization is updating, changing, over viewing their rules all the time, so why is EBU getting slack for doing the same thing? EBU only does what others are doing, adapting rules to fit the current era. So… Read more »
@Denis The thing about Bosnia is that I think the EBU has been extremely generous regarding the broadcaster’s financial situation. As BNT isn’t in a nearly as bad state, I don’t think the EBU is being as generous, but of course the EBU are giving Bulgaria an extension which hopefully will allow them to find an appropriate sponsor or some funds in the budget somewhere. We should at least be happy that one of Europe’s most damaged broadcasters can assure its country’s return at last. Bosnia being back means a lot for a lot of Eurovision fans – Bulgaria would… Read more »
If Bosnia could return with their budgetary issues why can’t Bulgaria? They didn’t seem to have any budgetary concerns when hosting the JESC.
Just say yes! I have never followed an eurovision (you know, with all the prewatching and stuff. Cause started to be a bigger fan after 2013) with more than 40 countries before. So 42 countries would be wonderful. 43 countries would be even better!
Wouldn’t that be weird to not participate for budgetary concerns, and at the same time having been candidate to host the JESC which probably costed a lot (and that nobody really cares about, let’s face it)…
I just want every country back, like one big happy family hah
OMG This is so exciting!!!!!