Bosnia-Herzegovina: No participation in Vienna

Bosnia and Herzegovina will not return to the Eurovision Song Contest next year in Vienna. Broadcaster BHRT has confirmed that news on their own website and gives “the very difficult financial situation of BHRT” as the most important reason to withdraw.

BHRT is also stating a drastic drop in license fee collection and a failure to find the necessary sponsorship funds to be able to participate. Just like last edition, BHRT preliminary told the EBU they would take part. The deadline to withdraw without having to pay a fine was even extended for Bosnia this time.

Some websites already claimed the comeback from Hari Mata Hari (2006) or Regina (2009) to the contest on behalf of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but these claims turn out to be false.

Currently, it looks like 37 countries will be present in Vienna, with Greece and a mysterious other country (Bulgaria? Ukraine?) making it 39. Jon Ola Sand has tweeted about that number earlier, perhaps still thinking Bosnia-Herzegovina would return to the contest. Bosnia’s last participation was in 2012.