Another one bites the dust. The morning after Montenegro publicly announced it was withdrawing from Eurovision, Bulgaria has done the same.
In a direct message sent to OGAE Greece, the broadcaster’s official Twitter account said:
“Bulgaria will not be taking part at Eurovision 2023 and most probably in the future editions as well. After analysis it was decided that this program does not present an interest for the broadcaster any longer.”
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The broadcaster has endured financial setbacks in recent years. Its most recent participation — with Intelligent Music Project — was funded by the group themselves.
They finished 16th of 17th in Semi-Final 1 with the song “Intention,” which was widely panned by fans and critics alike.
Bulgaria has known both highs and lows in the contest. Between 2008 and 2013, it failed to qualify for the grand final six times running. But in its next four appearances it managed to place fourth, second, 14th and 11th in the final — a record many countries would envy.
But winds blow fast in Bulgaria. The fickle feelings of the broadcaster’s management and Intelligent Music Project’s sub-par result have clearly made an impact, as seen in their curt and somewhat dismissive statement above.
What do you think of Bulgaria’s withdrawal? Do you think they’ll be back any time soon? Let us know down below!
the reason why Bulgaria has withdrawn is because they see no reason to participate in a song contest that is in a very obvious why manipulated by world political event.
the Ukraine song was good but nothing special compared to the others ( especially Moldavia). Bulgaria itself was penalized form the jury because they did a song against war when every EU country want propraganda for war against Russia.
Since the only “confirmation” we still have on Bulgaria’s withdrawal is this message to a foreign section of OGAE, I’d say that either BNT is really bad at communication or that it remains to be seen whether this is really official. Should the list of participating countries be published soon by the EBU?
believe me they are really B A D at communication and we’re all gonna see it as a proof once the lineup is released
Apparently BNT never officially confirmed withdrawal and they have never even actually commented on what they are planning to do, apart from these random messages on social networks, that it’s unclear who has been actually sending them.
The list will be announced this week so it remains to be seen, but I expect to see Bulgaria in the list of participating countries given that the official website has already reported the withdrawal of Montenegro and North Macedonia and the deadline for withdrawals (without penalty that is) has already expired.
Bulgaria, because you did not like last year result, doesn’t mean you can’t do good this year. We had the same in The Netherlands missing the grand final for years and then we had succes again and then the interest will be back for sure!
Ugh. This probably means the song will be in English. Bummer.
At least he’s hot, though.
Oops. Wrong article. I was referring to the guy who’s going to represent Cyprus.
Hey guys,
Has Bulgaria done a U-turn on their participation? The BBC’s only reporting Montenegro and North Macedonia as having withdrawn…
Yeah what’s up with that?!
Pathetic for years.my grandchildren have no interest whatsoever
As William described the tweet as “curt and somewhat dismissive,” this makes me wonder if there will even be an official statement at all. It’s a sad situation for the music and musicians of Bulgaria.
It’s difficult for poorer nations. If they do badly, they are humiliated, if they win, they have to find millions to stage next year’s contest.
ESCPortugal: Answer from the bulgarian delegation: ”We don’t have any official information or statement about our participation (or withdraw) from ESC 2023”.
Can’t a different broadcaster with more money (such as btv or nova) fund the project? I mean it doesn’t need to be the national broadcast or does it?
It does.
It has to be EBU member. BTV and Nova are not. Therefore it is only BNT
Mike elliot
right now
Awaiting for approval
No longer interested because everyone has realised and come to terns with the fact it’s a con and has been for years.
You only have to listen to the absolute rubbish they play .
I think the real reason for countries pulling out is the fact that they can’t afford the sky high hotel prices we now have in liverpool!
Prices for participating countries aren’t anything like what the public are finding.
In fact, the sky high prices are (partially) a symptom of the system put in place to ensure adequate, reasonably priced accomodation so that Eurovision can actually take place.
Of course that doesn’t help people wanting to watch the shows…we just have to hope public transport can be sorted by then…fat chance of that too!
Try telling that to the fans who have had bookings cancelled and told they can rebook at sky high prices. Greed, pure greed that…
I kind of expected this, the broadcaster has been struggling financially for years. I just hope they don’t stay out for too long, I really was expecting them to win soon 🙁
I still don’t understand where is the official statement?!?
Good riddance
…to you. 😉
Too expensive. Accommodation in Liverpool has risen already. Heard on the news that some hotel owners have cancelled bookings that some people made weeks ago so they can hike up the prices to make a fortune. Sheer greed. I know that the hospitality sector was in difficulty, but this I taking it too far. I remember 1974 when Abba won I was only 11 yes old and watched it with family and friends. Took 2-3 hours. Now it’s just got ridiculous and also a way to spread COVID!! due to crowds… it’s still about. Why every year? Why not every… Read more »
Well 1974 was before the end of the Cold War, Lin. Then there were 17 countries competing, now it’s more than double that. But perhaps there is a case to have, say, the big 5 competing every year and smaller EBU contributors every two, three or four years. That would save money and we’d still have a sizeable event.
I don’t really understand why you are are on this site, reading articles if that’s your view about eurovision
The FIFA World Cup sees several dozen games played at each world cup across over 100 hours with huge stadiums seating more people than most Eurovision events.
Way more total time spent than 3 nights of Eurovision annually for 4 years.
When is this Euro contest going to stop?
Until there’s money to be made by the organizers, it won’t stop. it’s the same thing all over again, every year. I really don’t know how people haven’t gotten enough of it yet. I mean, it’s the same thing EVERY year. We’re not talking every five years here. EVERY YEAR .
It’s really simple though, if you don’t like it don’t watch it, there’s about a million other channels out there for you to be watching. Personally I love it but if I didn’t I wouldn’t be wasting my time complaining about it, I just wouldn’t watch it!
Why should it stop its went on for years and it get the whole of Europe together every year its a celebration of unity for everyone to enjoy.
No unity whilst the show is political and prone to banning countries and others threatening a boycott because their “enemy” is participating. Also, it ceased to represent Europe when Israel and then Australia began to be included, both not part of Europe.
That’s what you get when you are financially broken and don’t follow the EBU guidelines. It’s surprising the broadcaster didn’t try to get the money earlier given the fact that they know they are broken. It’s a bit sad because their entries since they came back have been really good (except for “Intention”). Also, Ukraine win surely didn’t help either.
Why? Because without Ukraine ‘Intention’ would have won?
No, because it shows there’s always a risk that a song would win on account of something that no broadcaster can match – and if so, why invest?
Jeez, it’s not crazy to think that can happen and it’d be the worst way for Eurovision to end 🙁
Ukraine winning was a laughing stock. No surprise countries are leaving if they know they’ll vote one way and their results would show something predetermined
It’s so sad that North Macedonia, Bulgaria & Montenegro will not participate in 2023. These countries have really made good performances in the past years as well.
I really pray that the three countries will return in 2024.
Bulgaria had a great results.
Kristian Kostov was ace 🙂
Official statement?
That’s it, that’s about as official as they are going to get. They don’t owe anyone anything more.
Huh…
They are skint
This silly contest is absolutely political and is worthless for the music.
The win of Ukraine is pure because of the war.
And this not helping no-one.
Precisely. It brought the contest into disrepute.
They got a point though. The broadcaster spent lots of money on it but what do they really get from this, especially under this economic mess? Yes. The artist gain their fame if they do well but what else? Yes. A good diplomatic way to show talents of a country but what if the rating is bad though. It’s like a suicide to a broadcaster which got little money and we know it’s really hard for medias to make money today.
Wow the ruling out of participating in future editions and the rest of the announcement just smacks of pure petulant and self entitled behaviour! Sore losers much…
Noncense, Bulgarians enjoy and want to be part of Eurovision. Weather they will find money to finance the event and support the Bulgarian singer is the problem here.
For me, the reason is that the presenter wanted to safe money. That is it.
Whether
I will actually miss Bulgaria. They have sent some great entries in recent years, Poli Genova was one of my potential winners in 2016.
While yes, 2022 was sub par, I just assumed that “you can’t be good every year” and expected them to come back strong in 2023.
Sad fir them to even rule out future editions too, as I really thought Sofia would be hosting a future Eurovision sooner rather than later.
M hope they don’t stay away too long.
Can Albania withdraw next? You know they’ll be sending another boring balad.
Because last year was?
Exactly. They won’t be sending that mess again. Back to boring balads.
Wow. Thanks for speaking for everybody.
Last year aside, Albania is usually my favourite ESC country (or at worst, in my top five)…but oh no, because YOU find it boring, they should withdraw.
Geez. Leave Albania alone to send what they want and stick to your Swedish music or whatever it is that you prefer.
wiwibloggs really is full of Kremlin trolls and morons these days, isn’t it?
Every country brings in something good sooner or later. “Suus” was pure pleasure.
Seeing as most Albanians have now emigrated to the UK they won’t need to enter lol
I am very disappointed. ‘Intention’ was the first Bulgarian song I disliked. I like all their other songs. Or at least think they’re not too bad. I wish they would keep participating. Despite their realisation that they weren’t anywhere soon going to win the contest, regardless of how much effort they would put or how much money or how great their songs would be. If they kept participating, they would be showing they truly love the contest and one day they would be allowed to win too.
Their songs have lacked personality and 2016 onwards everything has had such a plastic tone to them, but yeah I’m sure song rejects will find their new home somewhere else.
I agree with Bulgaria and more nations hopefully follow.
It has becomed hijacked by politics,in a way it never has before,and is merely an extreme left wing propaganda event.
good luck to the nations paying thousands of euros to take part,not to mention those paying hundreds for hotels in liverpool,and all for a contest we already probably know the result.its just a circus now that no one with an ounce of common sense could take sereiously
What will be the result Paul? Top five will do. I’ll take note.
I’ll tell you. Ukraine will win. It’s a no brainer.
We’ll see. I think they’ll do well because the country always has great acts and stagings. But I think another country’s entry will capture people’s imagination in Liverpool.
My sweet summer child.
Why are you here then if its such a bad thing? If you hated it this much you wouldn’t be on a site dedicated to it.
Every event, sport or otherwise is now politicised. Boycott the lot
Sad news. Bulgaria has great artists and they will be missed next year.
As a bulgarian and fan this makes me sad! ESC has always been very expensive luxury for Eastern European countries. With that said for all of you to understand how they got here you have to look back at the last 7 years… After many bad results Bulgaria’s interest in the contest was off until in 2014 Krisia won 2’nd place in JESC and brought the contest to Sofia in 2015. Krisia was very famous at that point in the country and the interest in the contest increased again pushing BNT’ CEO Mrs Ankova to confirm participation in 2016 ESC… Read more »
This is sad…I really will miss Bulgaria!
That’s sad, i really adored Bulgarias entries(except this year),
Poli Genova and Victoria were one of my favorite entries ever!
Each year i was always excited to see what they can come up with next
All the comments here are missing the point. The economic situation is not good and Eurovision is very expensive. The EBU should be looking at how to reduce expenses.
This is so true! We live in an uncertain world.
Bless, BNT never quite got over their little tantrum when the ‘super group’ they put together to win in 2018 after being runner up the previous year completely tanked.
Craig, EQUINOX weren’t a “supergroup”. They were a common framework. Get it right, please.
Just change the horrible CEO of BnT ffs
Welcome to the Turkey-Hungary club, sad 🙁
I don’t want to believe that they lost interest because they have received many good results in the near past. Also they were at their closest point to win in only 2 years ago. Maybe this could a promo for a potential 2024 comeback because this “losing interest” doesn’t make sense at all!
They will come back next year. I hope so…Just like it was in 2019. And 2020 was their year!
They will come back eventually. Administration will change and so will their approach to the contest. Same with Montenegro and North Macedonia. Typical Balkan stuff. They just needed a break and usually a break is good when interest has faded.
I hope you’re right.
But Montenegro is taking a break again. Remember 2021, they were also out then. This year they participated, but like they didn’t participate.
Eurovision no longer being a contest but rather a pity fest, I would withdraw too.
Why are you still watching then? There is a word for it…
Hater alert!!
If it was a pity contest, then IMP would’ve won.
I’ve never felt more sorry for an act at Eurovision as I did them!
It’s been five months dude, get over it
Please do Karl
They weren’t interested since they picked IMP anyways.
They picked IMP because it was the group which could afford ALL the costs of the participation.. BNT has not money to give for Eurovision since 2019.. And Victoria’s entries in 2020/21 were also fund by sponsors
This honestly annoys me. I feel like they’re sulking because of their result last year despite the fact that they’ve done really well from 2016-2021, with 2018 being their lowest result in that time. I wonder if it was the same reason for withdrawing from jesc.
Yea..
It’s a shame.
You’re right, Jonny. All I wanted was for Bulgaria to win at least once. “Intention” was heavily underrated and deserved better.
Wow
I mean a couple of years ago they wanted to win, and now they are snobbing it.
Thank you Bulgaria for the effort you put in the contest after coming back to it in 2016. Hopefully we’ll see you again.
I can’t believe BNT has no interest in ESC any more, seeing how it is one of it’s highest rated shows each year. Especially JESC. Does that affect JESC too?
I find it fishy, to just announce we are fed up with it. I think they will sit out for next year and somebody who had a bad Friday just added more stuff to it..
I highly doubt BNT’s lack of interest affects Junior Eurovision.
Ok this becomes really more weird when you read a bit more into this. Can this really be true? I’m not an insider on how things work at BNT, but announcing your withdrawal through a Twitter DM to an OGAE section, written in a way that sounds like someone at BNT was just having a rough Friday? I feel like it remains to be seen whether this really will turn out to be true.
(Then again: I thought that Intention was a joke too when they announced it, so I guess you never know with the Bulgarians…)
Sorry, but I do not believe in the translation of the Bulgarian public television that there is no interest, it was enough to ask Virginia Records and it would be after the topic, because Dara or Mihaela both want to Eurovision and have a lot of comments on Eurovision under the songs, in my opinion Bulgaria itself has an unstable political situation now, after the fourth election, it is worse than it was and the specter of the next fifth elections is even worse, the country has 18% inflation and a lack of European funds, what is worse, the pro-Russian… Read more »
That is no pro-russian majority in bulgarian parliament!The largest parties conservator and liberals.also the turkish minority party and the another liberal party are pro western.The present gen director of Bnt- former anticomunist disident don t like Eurovision at all.You in Croatia,like the romanians like to think that you are more special than bulgarians.That s no true!
This is just weird, they had some great results quite recently and high quality entries. I hope it’s more of a money issue and that they will be back soon. It looks like the field in Liverpool will be about as big as in Copenhagen.
Bulgaria withdrew in 2019 and then came back fairly quickly with Victoria (and I don’t think they withdrew from Tel Aviv out of Palestinian solidarity), so if they can get an act that can fund themselves they’ll be back soon, especially since unlike Montenegro and North Macedonia they’ve come very close to winning quite recently.
They withdrew in 2019 because of lack of sponsors. Same reason they are withdrawing now.
They don’t care for the contest like they don’t care that their Twitter got hacked and starting posting that Kristian Kostov will represent them last year. Apparently certain administrations prefer to use public money for… questionable causes.
I don’t know what to think about this…We remember the drama with their twitter account this spring. It was fake. So…
?heir twitter account has been deleted. There’s no information on their facebook page. I’m so confused.
It’s a shame, but they said the same thing in 2019 so who knows