Kosovo couldn’t hit the Eurovision stage this year, as they’re still ineligible for the contest. That’s why Eurovision 2024 didn’t feature the fierce Kosovar beats many have long been hoping for. While Kosovo hasn’t officially competed, you might remember the many stars with Kosovar roots: Rona Nishliu (Albania 2012), Lindita Halimi (Albania 2017), and Gjon’s Tears (Switzerland 2020 and 2021) among others.
But here’s the exciting news: RTK – Kosovo’s Broadcaster – is gearing up to apply for Eurovision 2025. Since Eurovision 2024 had the fewest participating countries in a decade, with just 37, many fingers at the broadcaster are crossed for a Kosovan debut soon.
RTK will soon submit its application to the EBU
As recently stated by RTK, Kosovo is very much willing to join Eurovision in 2025. This comes just as Adrian Krasta has been re-elected as the director for Festivali i Këngës në RTK’s second edition – a show that could very well become Kosovo’s National Selection.
RTK’s commitment to the Festivali i Këngës në RTK aligns perfectly with their Eurovision ambitions. They’re optimistic that the winning song from the next festival will represent Kosovo on the international stage. The statement reads: “The board of directors and management of RTK have continuously worked on this issue, and it has been possible to secure support from many countries.”
“There are also constant obstacles due to political reasons from some countries that do not recognize Kosovo.”
For Kosovo to participate in Eurovision, it must first become a member of the EBU. This requires Kosovo to be a member of either the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) or the Council of Europe. Due to its partial international recognition, Kosovo has not yet met these criteria. While many countries recognize Kosovo’s independence, several EBU member states, such as Spain and Serbia, do not recognize it as an independent country which makes this process more difficult.
On another note and as in 2020, the EBU has still no plans to invite Kosovo to the Eurovision Song Contest or to grant them a special invitation.
RTK Song Festival
“Festivali i Këngës në RTK” – which would serve as Kosovo’s national selection contest if it’s ever allowed to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest – first launched in October 2023. Festivali i Këngës në RTK is returning for a second edition this year.
In the same statement published by RTK, the broadcaster is buzzing with excitement over the launch of Festivali i Këngës në RTK last year. This event not only captivated the audience but also made a huge splash in their national music scene, quickly becoming Kosovo’s biggest cultural event.
“The Festival provided space for young artists who, in addition to performing at the festival, have their songs broadcaster on all RTK channels.”
“Based on our experience, the second edition of Festivali i Këngës në RTK promises to be even more spectacular, providing a platform for aspiring artists to showcase their talent and creativity in a competitive national platform.”
La Fazani with his song “Oj Kosovë” became FiKRTK’s (Festivali i Këngës në RTK) first ever winner. The energetic song talked about his love for Kosovo and its people and did also mention Eurovision. In the song we can hear him singing: “I know I cannot go to Eurovision, but I love you Kosovo.”
People on here don‘t realize that Kosovo is a sovereign nation. Serbia will not pull out because even they themselves know that it is a fact that cannot be denied.
Maybe not in 2025 or 2026, but hey ARE coming.
Next up – Vojvidina! 😉
*VOJVODINA
If this happens Serbia will pull out.. and don’t expect Sapin to tag along with the idea of Kosovo joining
Spain dont care about their relations tbh.
I would rather prefere Kazakhstan than Kosovo to join the competition. In the past few editions of Junior Eurovision, Kazakhstan proved to be a forced to be reckoned, with good voices and great songs. Excited to see them debuting Eurovision, as well…
Political issues aside, we will then have another Greece – Cyprus or Ukraine – Moldova or Moldova – Romania voting patterns, exchanging 12 points with Albania. Oh, the Balkans are so complicated…
Then, why won’t the Faroe Islands also take part in the contest?
It’s the Pandora’s Box and this is why rules exist.
Again, nothing political about Kossovo. This is for the politicians and gvts to solve, not us eurofans.
“Political Issues Aside” should replace “United by Music”
Feel free to replace it in your own version of the contest. And if you dislike the whole thing, you may cancel it for yourself and don’t watch it again. Simple as that.
It does not exist in its own right
Great!
And the sheetshow continues.
Pristina 2026!!!!
This really is a none story.
True. They could have written a similar story for the Faroe Islands (part of the Kingdom of Denmark) that want to take part.
Only real countries should be allowed in Eurovision.
Kosovo is a real country. Cyprus is a real country despite turkey not recognising it. They participated together for years
Kosovo exists as a temporary solution before joining Albania
Yeah, I don’t think that’s happening soon. I do hope Monaco and Andorra come back. And Lietchestein makes its debut.
And Gibraltar
So basically, they’re not eligible so they won’t be a part.
Gain Kosovo but lose Spain and Serbia.
No thanks
Also Greece Romania and Cyprus.
That’s so exciting, as long as it doesn’t get political -we had enough this year, it’s been an exhausting Eurovision season.
really?????? after the year we just had????? :-/
I am all for aditional countries joining ESC, but this is NOT the time to bring more complicated issues to the contest! First they need to fix all the sh*t they’ve done this year, to avoid more countries leaving!!!
As a big fan of Serbia’s songs of the past 3 years where they managed to give us two avant-garde experimental entries and one great modern ballad, I am afraid they will surely get political next year and ruin their streak if Kosovo participates. Something like Breskvica is to be expected and that’s not good. Kosovo of course may also try to politicise its participation.
Anyways I think that we are used to all of this by now. Like 5miinust&Puuluup said, nothing can ever be apolitical
Breskvica was fine the same as Go_A was fine. She was literally singing our folk music. But we will definitely withdraw if EBU decides to accept this. It would be a direct act of disrespect towards our country’s sovereignty.
Look, I support Kosovo’s debut in theory, but I don’t want ESC 2025 to have yet another battleground of Serbia and Kosovo. Their delegations threatening each other, and either or both having a peace ballad propaganda song. If this was a normal world, and Serbia and Kosovo could handle this like adults, I would be okay with another country in the ESC. But at this point, with Armenia / Azerbaijan still bickering, Ukraine’s NF being plagued with politics, and half of everyone protesting against Israel, the last thing EBU needs is even more controversy.
There’s not a chance they will debut in 2025. Firstly they are not a member of the EBU nor has the EBU invited them to participate. With all the drama this year there is no way the EBU will invite Kosovo which will no doubt only add more fuel to the political fire. Maybe in ten or 20 years who knows but it’s not happening anytime soon.
Dula Peep as inaugural entry…confirmed! 😛
Oh i miss Wendy:((((
Albania Kosovo relationship is even stronger than Greece Cyprus. It’s basically the same country, with different names. Prepare for 24 points back and forth.
Kosovo was formed out of expelled albanians honestly
It’s always been Albanian land, much to Serbia’s dismay
During the Ottomans invasion it was Serbs who defended Kosovo, not Albanians!! Serbs, Greeks and Romanians pushed Ottomans out of Europe, and suddenly Kosovo is Albanian.
In WW2 Albania was a Nazi puppet state as well, Serbs fought against Germans and Hitler, Albania was their ally. It’s crazy to claim the land now after all those wars, where were Albanians when Kosovo needed them the most?
So that’s probably Serbia out next year so.
But anyway.
Best of luck Kosovo.
i don’t think serbia would withdraw…they’ve been participating of several international events with kosovo being present…
they will complain about it for sure, but withdrawing probably not
Oh, we will withdraw. This would be a blatant disrespect of the sovereignty of our country. I didn’t get bombs flying over my head for this as a kid. Bye Felicia.
You got them because of Srebrenica, you clown
Happy for Kosovo but Serbia isn’t going to be happy about this. I can’t them accepting this at all.
So it already looks like next year will be even more political than this year. Great 🙁
Serbia withdrawing 100% if it happens.
if they withdraw because of innocent Kosovo their debut, then let them stay away for good pls
Kosovo is not “innocent.”
More please : Catolania, Vatican, Transnistria, Scotland, Sardinia….
Palestine
Lebanon. That’s the country I would really like to see @ ESC.
They had a pretty solid and cute ballad in 2005, such a shame they didn’t go on to take part. Hope Lebanon breaks free some day from Hezbollocks yoke
More please: BAVARIA CORSICA LOMBARDY / VENETO / SARDINIA FLANDERS UPPER SILESIA MORAVIA TRANSYLVANIA CYPRUS GREENLAND AND FAROE ISLANDS AZORES ISLANDS
Faroe Islands. They have wanted it for years. And their music scene is not bad.
Korea DPR when?
Their songs slaps. Imagine the budget, great leader overlooking everything, televote hacking, the drama…. GO DPRK
Looks like Breskvica might still make it to Eurovision. haha it’s hard to imagine Serbia not going political with Kosovo there.
24 points from Albania guaranteed.
And watch Serbians burn the stage.
Do we really need another Greece-Cyprus situation in Eurovision?
yes, the more bloc voting the better
Super right ??
Mhmm
When you think this year couldn’t get any worse regarding Eurovision. A bunch of countries that regularly participate in Eurovision don’t recognize Kosovo (Serbia, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Ukraine, Romania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, etc)
What a sh!tshow it would be if Kosovo is allowed to participate. But then again, this is the EBU we’re talking about here, so nothing surprises me anymore.
we won’t miss Serbia, Greece, Cyprus, Spain Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia so
and Romania are no longer taking part so, their opinion doesn’t count
Nicky, take your meds honey
It’s not mandatory to oppose all comments, you were defending Serbia just a few hours ago
Kazakhstan and Kosovo to debut next year please.
things will for sure get messy since Kosovo and Albania share same name of their national selection then, FiK 😉 i wonder how albanians feel about that since the FiK rights belong to them for many decades tbh
Dukagjin Lipa for Kosovo in 2025 then pls, Dua’s daddy is basically ”George Clooney” levels of hunkiness
the iconic epic ”parent slays more than the child” meme
Dukagjin has potential to deliver a albania 2018 like entry i think
he is such a amazing rocker, frontman of a rockband, he and Dua founded a summer music festival either btw in Kosovo
It’ll probably only get more political, not less. I want more Balkan in Eurovision though so I guess that’s a start.
i was hoping for a croatian win to have montenegro, n. macedonia and maaaaybe B&h back, but in switzerland i think it might just not happen next year.
judging by the current political scene in slovakia, i’m guessing no return next year as well, even with the rumours…
so monaco is the one that might actually return…
They’re governed by Fico and Pellegrini, and they’re pretty popular there rn, so I don’t expect them back anytime soon. Not even if the Czechia wins.