Following BNT’s announcement regarding Bulgaria’s withdrawal from the forthcoming 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, the EBU has released a statement.

Bulgaria’s decision to stay out of the Eurovision Song Contest has left many Eurovision fans dismayed and shocked,  as the country had achieved much success in Europe’s favorite television show, having qualified to the Grand Final in the past three years and garnering great results in contest.

In the wake of BNT’s official statement confirming Bulgaria’s non participation at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, the EBU has released the following statement:

We regret that Bulgarian National Television (BNT) has taken the decision not to enter the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv. BNT has been an enthusiastic participant and enjoyed great success in the contest in recent years. We look forward to welcoming them back in the future.

The EBU hopes to see both BNT and Bulgaria back in the competition in 2020.

Bulgaria in Eurovision

Bulgaria joined the Eurovision Song Contest  in 2005 and is yet to win the competition.  The Balkan nation’s best result in the contest waas achieved in 2017 when Kristian Kostov placed 2nd in the Grand Final in Kyiv with Beautiful mess.

Bulgaria has competed 12 times at the Eurovision Song Contest. The country withdrew from the competition in 2014 due to financial reasons and returned to the event in 2016 with flying colours when Poli Genova placed 4th in Stockholm with If love was a crime.

Prior to 2016 Bulgaria had only made it once to the Grand Final since its debut in 2005. The country saw a reversal of fortune in the contest after it returned to the competition in 2016, qualifying to the Grand Final three years in a row ( 2016, 2017, 2018).

Equinox represented Bulgaria at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon with their powerful entry Bones.  The five member group placed 14th in the Grand Final in Portugal.