While Kazakhstan is busy preparing for Junior Eurovision 2020, the eastern nation won’t be making its debut at Eurovision 2021. The European Broadcasting Union has again confirmed that it again has “no plans” to invite Kazakh broadcaster Khabar Agency to compete at in Rotterdam.
The same also applies to the Kosovo broadcaster RTK. In a brief statement to ESCXTRA, the EBU confirmed that neither country would be getting a special invitation. The EBU said: “At the present time, there are no plans to invite Kazakhstan or Kosovo to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.”
Like Australia’s SBS, Kazakhstan’s Khabar Agency is only an associate member of the EBU and so — in theory — the Eurovision Song Contest reference group could give them a guest invitation to participate in Rotterdam.
The news follows a similar statement made last year, where the EBU also said that it had “no plans to invite Kazakhstan to participate in next year’s competition.”
The EBU’s statement makes it clear that Kazakhstan’s participation at Junior Eurovision 2020 does not mean automatic participation at Eurovision 2021. While the ESC Reference Group could potentially invite Khabar Agency to compete in Eurovision 2021, their statement confirms this is not currently on the cards.
It has long been known that Kazakhstan has been keen to get involved with Eurovision. In 2017, broadcaster Channel 31 claimed that Kazakhstan would be sending a delegation to Lisbon and would be debuting at Eurovision 2019. However, this debut did not happen.
Still no go for Kosovo
The statement also means that we won’t see Kosovo make their Eurovision debut. But unlike Kazakhstan, Kosovo’s broadcaster RTK is neither an associate member nor a full member of the EBU.
RTK is currently unable to join the EBU as it is not a member of the International Telecommunication Union. And it can’t join the ITU as that union is only open to member states of the United Nations — and Kosovo is not currently a member state of the UN.
In June last year, the EBU General Assembly voted on a proposal that would have removed the requirement for broadcasters to be a member of the ITU. However, a majority did not support the proposal and Kosovo’s hopes were dashed.
Back in 2018, the EBU issued a statement saying that while RTK did not meet the criteria to join the EBU, “constructive discussions will continue between the EBU and RTK about future possibilities for closer co-operation.”
While Kosovo has not been able to compete at Eurovision, Kosovars have competed in the competition before, albeit for other countries. Examples include Rona Nishliu for Albania in 2012 and Lindita Halimi for Albania in 2017. Gjon’s Tears — who will represent Switzerland at Eurovision 2021 — has a Kosovo Albanian father.
What do you think? Would you like to see Kazakhstan and Kosovo compete at Eurovision? Which singers should represent those countries? Tell us your thoughts below!
If the European Cup and the World Cup, Miss World and Miss Universe and the Olympics can take part with both countries participating, Kosovo and Serbia, why shouldn’t Eurovision?
I’m upset with EBU for not accepting Kazakhstan. It meets all criteria and everybody wants it in. About Kosovo, thanks, but no thanks. EBU has said that they are open to have up to 45 countries. That means instead of having two place empty every year they should let two other guest countries to compete. First is Kazakhstan and second is UAE. Since United Arab Emirates has recognised Israel, EBU should invite them in. Since there are rumours that Marrocco is going to follow UAE with recognition of Israel that means it could come back to Eurovision. We should start… Read more »
You can’t be serious. Whatever about human rights, the UAE aren’t even associate members of the EBU. I won’t be signing your petition.
Eurovision should be just about music. Arab world decided not to take part because of Israel but times are changing, but UAE is more progressive than others. EBU covers Arab peninsula and Northern Africa.
Not the whole arab peninsula. Only the western coastal area so that means Lebanon, israel, syria and jordania
I don’t understand what’s taking so long for EBU to finally accepts Kazakhstan into competition. They can into JESC but can’t into regular ESC? I don’t understand your logic EBU.
As for Kosovo. Absolutely not! Until the whole mess is solved, they should stay out of it. We don’t need any more politics in Eurovision then we already have!
The EBU should really concentrate on keeping in the ones that were planning to enter in 2020. I bet a lot of them will be tempted to withdraw bacause of the economic crisis and the corona situation.
The EBU should invite Kazakhstan already! The fans want it and it wouldn’t be a precedent as Australia has participated for 6 years already AND they have already been let into Junior Eurovision. As for Kosovo, no thanks. Once Kosovo meets the requirements to compete (get recognized by the UN), they can join. It being in other international contests is irrelevant to this as they do not follow the same rules as the ones on who can compete at Eurovision.
What annoys me is the fact that EBU said they are willing to invite the U.S if the American Song Contest goes well, but they have refused to invite Kazakhstan which has more claims to Europe. Ridiculous!
I do NOT understand why the EBU is so stubborn to invite Kazakhstan to ESC! They are super eager to participate in the contest and judging by their JESC efforts they would most likely bring a unique flavour to the contest. Look, Kosovo I completely understand, but there is honestly no viable reason to deny Kazakhstan entry into a show that’s supposed to “unite Europe”
Do you really want to open up the contest to twenty more countries? This is what happens if associate members get the same rights as full members.
There is a question of that – I’m asking it. There are 34 associate members, in twenty different countries. If Kazakhstan are allowed compete, does this mean the other nineteen are too? If not, that just means that Kazakhstan get the same special treatment that Australia get now.
I don’t know why seven (and counting) people downvoted a statement of fact.
Well yeah, but Kazakhstan is actually partly in Europe and is in other European competitions as well! No other associate member can compare with that imo! That’s why I want them, if it was I don’t know China I wouldn’t be fond of it.
The thing that bothers me the most is why Kazakhstan can literally be in all other European competitions (UEFA for example) but not in ESC. Like what’s holding them back? I also think they should be able to host should they win it, because they are also hosting other European competitions. About Kosovo it’s obvious since it is not recognized by a lot of countries in Eurovision, when that number goes below 5 I wouldn’t mind them, but for now, I kind of neutral on them. And also where to draw a line – who can and who can’t participate… Read more »
Associate members participating, maybe…but hosting? No.
If you win, you host. End of!
False.
The EBU and SBS have acknowledged that if Australia win, hosting is out of the question.
well I’d agree about Australia.. But if Kazakhstan can host competitions for UEFA, they can also do it for Eurovision – I mean you have to fly there two times (for a postcard and for the competition) ..
Hm, that would mean the contest starting at about two o’clock in the morning…a bit unsuitable. Baku but worse. There it started at midnight – the first contest held on a Sunday!
You understand Australians have to watch Eurovision at literally 3 in the morning. Maybe y’all should have a taste of that for a year
Kosovo artists can still participate through Albania (like Lindita) or for Serbia (like Nevena Božovi?). As long as it is not recognized by all countries as a country, we should not invite them because it is too political.
But for Qazaqstan though, I don’t see any doubts not inviting them. They’re recognized as a country and it has more territory in Europe than Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel or Turkey.
“has more territory in Europe than Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel or Turkey.”
Would love to see what your map of Europe looks like. Kazakhstan is nowhere near Europe and significantly further east than all the countries you listed.
Wise up. Part of it is in Europe. Nowhere near? Wrong.
Kazakhstan is in Central Asia, the countries you listed were all mostly Western Asia
Since the boundary between Europe and Asia are much less clear than with other continents, it has always been very much disputed where the actual border is to be seen. If you follow the scientific discussion, Kazakstan was for the longest time in history not even partly European. So – this is no valid argument. If you buy a CENTRAL Asian guide book (for instance LP), you’ll find Kazakstan in there. Show me ONE European guidebook where this is the case. It’s not about where some geographers draw the line, it’s a question how the country is perceived at the… Read more »
It’s already five years ago since Australia debuter, and they’ve been giving us some of the best performances. Judging by jESC, I think Kazakhstan would put a lot of effort in their entries. I don’t think I agree that they’ll be much like Russia or Azerbaijan taking their entries in junior ESC into consideration
Unfortunately for Kosovo they will probably never be a part of UN, as long as Russia & China holds a VETO for it. It’s also logical for them to not have the right to participate as 10+ countries from Europe doesn’t recognize it as an independent country, 6 of them being from European Union.
I believe the ITU doesn’t even require a UN membership, only a 2/3 recognition majority (aka UN recognition)
You have to make a line between countries which haven’t recognised Kosovo, because they don’t accept it as a state and countries which haven’t recognised it because of personal issues (Spain with Catalonia, Israel with Palestine, Armenia with Karabkh, Russia with Turkmenistan etc.) Greece hasn’t recognised the independence, but supports Kosovo internationally. Kosovo could join UEFA and FIFA and all countries (excl. Serbia and Bosnia) have to play against them, so Russia and China can’t be a big problem. Era Istrefi sung the anthem of the World Cup in Russia, so kosovan artists can also enter Russia if the ESC… Read more »
Kazakhstan would just be another Russia/Azerbaijan.
Istanbul is seen as the gateway between Europe and Asia. Kazakhstan is about 4,400 km further to the east of that. It borders China, are they European too?
Do Israel or Armenia have any borders to Europe?!
Armenia technically doesn’t have any territory within the European borders.
Armenia doesn’t. It’s the only country in the Caucasus region that hasn’t any territory that belongs to Europe.
Because nobody really cares about JESC. Putin would go nuts if Kazakhstan gave Russia less than 12 at Eurovision. Azerbaijan gave them zero once, the next day Putin threatened Azerbaijan with canceling work visas of Azerbaijanis living in Russia. And I’m talking about a country that’s politically more independent of Russia than most ex-Soviet countries. Kazakhstan is basically the backyard of Russia.
kazakhstan doesn’t border china
What makes Azerbaijan ‘less European’ than those two countries? All three of them are sharing similar culture and history. Well, in fact Azerbaijan and Georgia are both Eurasian.
Lol, none of these factors make a country more European. Persian and Hindi are Indo-European languages as well. Ethiopia is an Orthodox Christian country. Majority of the European countries use latin alphabet. The Armenian alphabet has been recreated from the Ethiopian alphabet. Culture, cuisine and traditions of both of these countries are greatly influenced by the Middle East-Northern Africa. I’m assuming either you’ve never been to any of these countries or you’re just not a good observer.
Kosovo and Metohija already competes as part of Serbia
The occasional map showing Serbia during voting says otherwise.
i mean it’s logical there aren’t any new invitees in the year we have massive struggles with corona measures already.
As an Australian, I’m incredibly happy that we get to be in Eurovision and I think that we offer something really cool every year and I don’t understand everyone who says we shouldn’t be in it. But come on. There is literally no reason why Kazakhstan shouldn’t be in the contest. Kosovo, maybe not, just because of the political shockwave it will cause. But Australia is allowed, yet Kazakhstan isn’t? Why can’t we have both? I really don’t understand it, ESPECIALLY now that they are in Junior Eurovision.
Australia is culturally European and has a 30 year history with the contest.
Kazakhstan has only been involved 4 years and is part of Central Asia not even Western Asia
The far west part of Kazakhstan is considered to be in Europe. And Australia, while having close ties to Europe, is culturally Australian.
Culturally European? Irrelevant. Also not true. What about its citizens of Asian heritage? African? Aboriginal?
Despite being very diverse, it’s still very culturally European in terms of things like Politics, Architecture, Sport, Dining for example.
Nope. It’s culturally Australian.
THANK YOU
There is of course a reason why Kazakhstan shouldn’t be in the contest. They’re not full members of the EBU. This was the rule for sixty years until Australia showed up. I do agree that it is wrong that the two countries are not treated equally. The EBU have no valid excuses for this – the “long history” thing is worn out.
And it’s well within the EBU’s discretion whether to invite an associate member (and non-member), which they have done in other events they organized. There is precedent tso yeah, regardless of any other reasoning, the EBU has the final say on whether to invite any associates to take part.
When Jon Ola Sand said that Eurovision will be back better than ever, I hoped/thought that we’d see Kazakhstan or Kosovo debut…
It is a pity that there has been no debut for five years, and the countries that have a long pause from Eurovision you can see do not want to return in 2021
I don’t really consider it a pity when almost all eligible countries already have made their debut. It’s only micro nations + some arab countries with a low interest left to make theirs. In the future we’l probably only see like 1 debut every 10 years with the usual swinging of other countries like bosnia, hungary and slovakia.
I wish the European Broadcasting Area included all of geographical Europe. I don’t understand why it doesn’t.
Kazakhstan has a geographical Europan part that is bigger than many countries that already take part in Eurovision, also while some say “it’s not culturally Europe”, that’s a very ignorant Western/Anglo-Saxic approach since Europe is also Eastern Europe and Slavic culture and Kazakhstan both culturally and politically is very much integrated with East Slavic countries and also Turkic is also part of Europe. The fact that Australia can take part just proves that EBU is biased against some European cultures.
true Kazakh mentality is much closer to the “Soviet” one rather than to typical “Asian” mentality.
Agreed. They are familiar with Australia through movies, television and music…they don’t know the first thing about Kazakhstan and this is what informs their decisions. It is unfair.