BHRT, the Bosnian national broadcaster has confirmed to ESCToday that it is yet to make a final decision on its participation at the forthcoming 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.

BHRT has told ESCToday that an official annoucement regarding its 2016 Eurovision participation will be made on Monday 16 November. Hence a week from now we will know if Bosnia Herzegovina is to return or not to the Eurovision Song Contest next year after a 3 year absence from the contest.

This leaves us with glimmer of light and hope to see the country back in the contest next year. We cross our fingers and hope to see Bosnia back in Europe’s favorite television next year.

So far 39 countries have confirmed to ESCToday their participation at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest, whilst it has been announced that 41 countries are to compete in the event next year.

The story so far…

On October 10 the Bosnian broadcaster announced that BHRT and Bosnia Herzegovina had withdrawn their application to compete at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. Thus leaving a door open to reapply for participation by the end of October if BHRT finds a sponsor and the required funds for participation.

The Bosnian broadcaster confirmed to ESCToday that it had decided to withdraw its application to participate at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna next year.

The decision was taken after intense negotiations with the EBU, who indicated that this time, in view of the difficult financial situation BHRT is currently facing, caused by the drastic fall in income from the license fee, the Bosnian broadcaster was given a grace period until the end of October to find a sponsor to provide the financial means for Bosnia & Herzegovina to compete in the event next year.

Bearing in mind the public interest  BHRT will do its utmost best to find a solution along with its partners and sponsors in order to participate at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm.

BHRT submitted a preliminary application to the EBU last September for competing at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm.

Bosnia Herzegovina withdrew from the contest in 2013 due to financial reasons and applied to participate in the contest in 2014, 2015 and 2016 but later decided to opt out of the competition due to lack of funds and sponsors.

The last time saw Bosnia & Herzegovina on the Eurovision stage was in 2012 in Baku, when Maya Sar represented the country with her entry Korake Ti Znam.

Bosnia & Herzegovina debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993 with Fazla‘s Sval Bol Svijeta. The country is yet to win the event whilst its best placing at the Eurovision Song Contest was in 2006 when Hari Mata Hari achieved a 3rd placing with his entry Lejla.

The 2015 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 10, 12 , 14 May at the Ericsson Globe Arena, in Stockholm, Sweden.

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on Bosnia & Herzegovina the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.