ERT, the Greek national broadcaster has confirmed to ESCToday that Greece is planning to compete at the forthcoming 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm next year.

In the wake of media reports in Greece stating that ERT had approved the budget for participating at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest and selecting the Greek entry for Stockholm, ESCToday decided to contact ERT in order to shed more light into the matter.

The Greek national broadcaster told ESCToday:

An announcement will be made regarding the participation of Greece in the ESC 2016, within the time frame specified by the EBU. 

ERT’s Executive Board has initially approved the planning and organization for a Greek entry in the 61st Eurovision Song Contest.

Thus this confirms ERT’s plans to join the Eurovision party next year in Stockholm. It is yet unclear how Greece will select its Eurovision entry for Stockholm 2016. The broadcaster will release more details and information regarding the mechanism it will use to select the 2016 Greek entry in due course.

Countries wishing to compete at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest have to send in their applications to the EBU by 15 September. Hereafter all applicant countries have a grace period until 10 October to decide if they wish to stay in the competition or withdraw without facing a financial penalty.

The official list of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest countries is expected to be released by the EBU by late 2015/early 2016. The 2016 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 10, 12 and 14 May at the Globe Arena in Stockholm.

In 2015 Maria Elena Kyriakou won the 2015 Greek Eurovision national final and got the honour to represent Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest in  Vienna with her entry One last breath.

Greece debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and has won the event in 2005 with Helena Paparizou‘s My number one, thus bringing the contest for the very first time on Greek soil in 2006.

Stay tuned to ESCToday for the latest news on Greece and the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.