We may see a new face at Eurovision 2025 as RTK’s Director General Shkumbin Ahmetxhekaj has formally written to EBU leaders to ask for an invitation to Eurovision.
Kosovo’s Application
Kosovo applied to the EBU earlier this month, but are still not full members of the EBU, meaning under ordinary rules they will not be able to participate in Eurovision, but are hoping to receive an invite from the Executive Board in the same manner under which Australia already participates.
In the letter, which was submitted on June 6, Ahtmetxhekaj said: “We respectfully request that you consider sending an invitation to RTK to participate in the upcoming Eurosong competition. Our participation would not only be a display of Kosovo’s talents, but would also strengthen the inclusive spirit and cultural exchange that Eurovision represents”
He also added that the EBU were crucial to the foundation of RTK in 1999, and that their selection process (Festivali i Këngës në RTK) is already under way, with La Fazani winning the first edition last year with “Oj Kosovë”
Kosovan Presence at Eurovision
While Kosovo has yet to participate at Eurovision, there has been Kosovan presence at Eurovision-related events before. Most notably, Kosovo was invited to join Eurovision Young Dancers in 2011 in Norway. In the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, four acts from Kosovo have taken part.
The first of these is Rona Nishliu, who represented Albania but was originally from Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo. Nishliu finished 5th in 2012, which is Albania’s best result to date. Similarly, Lindita Halimi is from Viti in Eastern Kosovo but represented Albania five years later in Kyiv, though she failed to qualify from the semi-final. Kosovar-born Nevena Božović has represented Serbia at Eurovision three times, first at Junior Eurovision in 2007, then at Eurovision 2013 as part of Moje 3, and then as a soloist at Eurovision 2019.
The most recent Kosovar participation came in the form of Albania’s 2023 representatives, Albina and Familja Kelmendi. Albina was born in Pejë, in the western part of Kosovo. The family represented Albania at Eurovision 2023 with the song “Duje” which finished in 22nd place with 76 points.
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News Source: RTK
Photo Credit: Eurovision Spain
Giwrgos Oiko 
Samantha