Bosnia & Herzegovina: External sponsor makes Eurovision return possible

Against all odds, Bosnia & Herzegovina will return to the Eurovision stage. Broadcaster BHRT confirmed in October that participation was only possible if an external sponsor would cover all the necessary costs. This sponsor has now been found.

EBU had granted Bosnia & Herzegovina extra time to sort out its financial situation. But when by the end of October no news had been released, the majority of fans and journalists assumed BHRT had not managed to find the money. However, today the broadcaster confirms that “our partners in the Eurosong project will cover the participation fee, and guarantee that a sponsor will pay the other costs of the contest.”

According to the reliable news website Klix, BHRT will reveal more news about the selection process in a press conference tomorrow.

Bosnia & Herzegovina has a rich Eurovision history, being one of only six countries that until now have never failed to qualify for the Grand Final. The last time that the former Yugoslavian country participated in Eurovision was in 2012, when Maya Sar reached an 18th place in Baku with the song ‘Korake ti znam’.

It is to be assumed that Bosnia & Herzegovina were already on the list when Jon Ola Sand stated to have 41 countries for next year, and that Croatia, Slovakia and Bulgaria are therefore not on this list. Bulgarian Head of Delegation Joana Levieva-Sawyer has confirmed to ESC Daily that the country is still looking for an external sponsor, just like the Bosnians.