Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest
History
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The Bosnian head of delegation, Lejla Babović, confirmed on 29 December 2018 that BHRT's current primary goal was to return to Eurovision, but its current financial situation and mounting debts with the EBU made a return in the near future highly unlikely.{{cite web|url=https://www.escxtra.com/2018/12/29/bosnia-2020-eurovision-difficult/|title=Bosnia & Herzegovina's "primary goal" is Eurovision comeback but 2020 return "difficult"|date=29 December 2018|access-date=29 December 2018}} This was confirmed for the following years, with a statement in November 2023 that the broadcaster remains under sanctions and is unable to compete in EBU events. On 13{{nbsp}}May 2025, Babović gave an interview in which she explained the reasons by which BHRT is still unable to organise a return; she nevertheless admitted that there is a possibility to do so in 2026, stating: "If we pay off the debt by November{{nbsp}}[2025] and start working seriously on participating, we can come back in 2026, but it requires efforts from BHRT, the state, sponsors and people to choose the right song and come back as serious competitors."{{Cite web |date=2025-05-13 |title=BiH već devet godina nije na Eurosongu: Pomičemo li se s mrtve tačke |trans-title=Bosnia and Herzegovina has not participated in the Eurovision Song Contest for nine years: Are we moving from a dead end |url=https://www.klix.ba/magazin/muzika/bih-vec-devet-godina-nije-na-eurosongu-pomicemo-li-se-s-mrtve-tacke/250513039 |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=[[Klix.ba]] |language=bs}} On 9 July, BHRT ultimately confirmed that it would not return in 2026.{{Cite web |last=Jiandani |first=Sanjay |date=2025-07-09 |title=Bosnia & Herzegovina: BHRT will not return to Eurovision in 2026 |url=https://esctoday.com/201207/bosnia-herzegovina-bhrt-will-not-return-to-eurovision-in-2026/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=ESCToday |language=en}} |
The Bosnian head of delegation, Lejla Babović, confirmed on 29 December 2018 that BHRT's current primary goal was to return to Eurovision, but its current financial situation and mounting debts with the EBU made a return in the near future highly unlikely.{{cite web|url=https://www.escxtra.com/2018/12/29/bosnia-2020-eurovision-difficult/|title=Bosnia & Herzegovina's "primary goal" is Eurovision comeback but 2020 return "difficult"|date=29 December 2018|access-date=29 December 2018}} This was confirmed for the following years, with a statement in November 2023 that the broadcaster remains under sanctions and is unable to compete in EBU events. On 13{{nbsp}}May 2025, Babović gave an interview in which she explained the reasons by which BHRT is still unable to organise a return; she nevertheless admitted that there is a possibility to do so in 2026, stating: "If we pay off the debt by November{{nbsp}}[2025] and start working seriously on participating, we can come back in 2026, but it requires efforts from BHRT, the state, sponsors and people to choose the right song and come back as serious competitors."{{Cite web |date=2025-05-13 |title=BiH već devet godina nije na Eurosongu: Pomičemo li se s mrtve tačke |trans-title=Bosnia and Herzegovina has not participated in the Eurovision Song Contest for nine years: Are we moving from a dead end |url=https://www.klix.ba/magazin/muzika/bih-vec-devet-godina-nije-na-eurosongu-pomicemo-li-se-s-mrtve-tacke/250513039 |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=[[Klix.ba]] |language=bs}} On 9 July, BHRT ultimately confirmed that it would not return in 2026.{{Cite web |last=Jiandani |first=Sanjay |date=2025-07-09 |title=Bosnia & Herzegovina: BHRT will not return to Eurovision in 2026 |url=https://esctoday.com/201207/bosnia-herzegovina-bhrt-will-not-return-to-eurovision-in-2026/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |website=ESCToday |language=en}} |
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In February 2026, regular programming on [[BHT1]] was restricted to just news coverage, following a message that aired on 26 February, warning viewers that the broadcaster is in a “serious financial and operational crisis” and could shut down, which would leave Bosnia & Herzegovina without a national public broadcaster.{{Cite web|last=Granger|first=Anthony|date=27 February 2026|title=Bosnia & Herzegovina: BHRT Halts Most Programming As Debts Grow|url=https://eurovoix.com/2026/02/27/bhrt-halts-most-programming-as-debts-grow/|website=Eurovoix|access-date=28 April 2026}} In March 2026, the EBU said that they are in "continuous communication" with the employees and management at BHRT, as well as the [[Politics of Bosnia & Herzegovina|Bosnian government]], to come up with a solution, following up on a statement made in February 2026 explaining that extending BHRT's deadline to repay its debts would "prolong the uncertainty and instability that the broadcaster is already facing".{{Cite web|date=27 March 2026|title=EBU: Extending the Deadline for Settling BHRT’s Debt would prolong Uncertainty|url=https://sarajevotimes.com/ebu-extending-the-deadline-for-settling-bhrts-debt-would-prolong-uncertainty/|website=Sarajevo Times|access-date=28 April 2026}} BHRT currently has debts totalling 100 million KM (51.13 million Euro), with 22 million KM (11.25 million Euro) being owed to the EBU alone. |
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==Participation overview== |
==Participation overview== |
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