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A Spark of Hope: Bosnia and Herzegovina, which withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017 due to financial debts to the EBU, may return to Eurovision following a legal victory granting substantial financial compensation.
Bosnia & Herzegovina persists in its financial struggle due to the debts owed by the national broadcaster, BHRT, to the EBU. Recently, however, a new development emerged: the Supreme Court of Republika Srpska in Bosnia ruled in the country’s favor, potentially entitling it to the payment of debts amounting to millions of shekels. Last month, the national broadcaster BHRT officially confirmed that Bosnia and Herzegovina will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 to be held in Austria, due to the acute economic crisis and sanctions imposed by the EBU, which have not been lifted since the outstanding debt has remained unpaid for nearly a decade. Could Bosnia and Herzegovina settle its EBU debts and make a Eurovision comeback?
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Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national broadcaster has confirmed the country will miss Eurovision 2026, marking a tenth consecutive year of absence due to financial crisis and EBU sanctions.
The national broadcaster BHRT has officially confirmed that Bosnia and Herzegovina will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Austria. The primary reasons are a severe financial crisis and ongoing sanctions from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which have remained in place since the country’s outstanding debt was left unpaid. As a result, the Balkan nation will miss the grand European stage for the tenth year in a row—a streak that concerns both the fan community and figures in the local music industry.
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Cultural and Political Loss: The Impact of Prolonged Absence
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s continued absence from Eurovision is not merely a musical issue—it represents the loss of a platform for cultural, social, and political representation on the international stage. In an...
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Despite hopes for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Eurovision 2026 comeback, ongoing economic and political crises make its return increasingly unlikely.
The return of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Eurovision Song Contest depends on settling the national broadcaster’s financial debts to the European Broadcasting Union, totaling around 10 million euros - the reason the country was forced to withdraw after Eurovision 2016. However, it appears this debt will not be resolved soon. The Minister of Communications and Transport, Edin Forto, expressed disappointment at the ongoing lack of a solution to the economic crisis facing BHRT, following recent meetings in the Council of Ministers.
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Political Stalemate and Eurovision: The Council of Ministers’ Approach
During the session, ministers were expected to discuss the national broadcaster’s debt to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), but the topic was pushed aside - reflecting a deeper lack of political commitment. “For far too long, we have been going in circles around the BHRT...
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Bosnia and Herzegovina may return to Eurovision 2026 after a decade-long absence due to financial debts. Former head of delegation stresses: the comeback depends on settling the EBU debt and a joint effort.
Former Bosnian head of delegation, Lejla A. Babović, stated in an interview that there is a possibility Bosnia and Herzegovina could return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026. The country was forced to withdraw from the contest nearly a decade ago due to financial debts owed by the national broadcaster BHRT to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
The primary reason for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s prolonged absence is the significant debt of approximately €10 million owed by BHRT to the EBU. This substantial debt led Bosnia and Herzegovina to withdraw from EBU services, including Eurovision.
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The Main Obstacle: Outstanding Debt to the EBU
Babović emphasized that the country’s return to the contest largely depends on repaying the debt to the EBU and on a collective...
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Bosnia and Herzegovina withdrew from Eurovision in 2017 due to financial debt to the European Broadcasting Union. It has now been revealed that the debt has grown, and the country is very far from returning to the competition.
The Bosnian national broadcaster BHRT announced a few months ago that the country, which has not participated in the contest for almost a decade, will also be absent from Eurovision 2025 to be held in Switzerland. The reason for the country's absence from Eurovision is due to a financial debt owed by BHRT to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Despite calls for the country to return to the competition, it appears that the national broadcaster has not changed its conduct, and its debt to the EBU has even increased.
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The Staggering Debt and Its Implications
Bosnia and Herzegovina's debt to the European Broadcasting Union now stands at about 10 million euros, as revealed by Lejla Babović, former head of...
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Bosnia and Herzegovina withdrew from Eurovision in 2017 due to financial debt to the European Broadcasting Union. Now, a well-known Eurovision figure is calling for its return to the competition.
The Bosnian national broadcaster BHRT announced that the country, which has not participated in the contest for almost a decade, will also be absent from Eurovision 2025 to be held in Switzerland. The reason for the country's absence from Eurovision is due to a financial debt owed by BHRT to the EBU, amounting to about 8.36 million euros. Over the years, it appeared that Bosnia and Herzegovina had lost interest in the Eurovision Song Contest. However, a well-known Eurovision figure is now expressing renewed enthusiasm and urging the country to return to the competition.
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Marija Šestić Advocates for Bosnia and Herzegovina's Return to Eurovision
Marija Šestić, who represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2007 with the song "Rijeka bez imena", is advocating for the country's return...
