While Eurovision 2025 is edging closer, Romania will not be taking part in the competition. Now, broadcaster TVR has given its conditions to return to the Contest.
Relationship between labels and TVR “needs to be reset”
Speaking at a meeting of the Board of Directors, questions were asked about Romania’s non-participation in the Contest. With two Contests in a row being missed out, the issue of Romania’s lack of participation was addressed. At the meeting, it was confirmed that two factors were at play for the country’s withdrawal – financial issues and a lack of quality artists being put forward by labels.
During the conference, held on Monday (April 14th), Director-General of TVR – Dan Turturică – explained the situation.
It will make sense to return with a participation in Eurovision when the relationship between Romanian Television and music producers, music producers from Romania, will be reset.
Because one of these arguments – it is not the most important, but this one comes to mind – was that Romanian Television promotes many artists with whom production houses enter the contest, but the benefits that Romanian Television has as a result of this collaboration, which should be win-win, were not. They were not of the type that other public televisions that promote artists have.
Turturică also pointed out during their national selection in 2023, changes to make the competition fairer resulted in several labels dropping out. This came following the abolition of the jury in Selecția Națională, leaving the public alone to choose Theodor Andrei. The director-general added:
We cannot invent singers, we are not music composers either, so our power to influence the quality of the songs that enter the selection and implicitly the selection – so that we send artists to the Eurovision stage that we can be proud of and who are considered by many people as representatives of the Romanian music scene – has become very narrow.
We will return to Eurovision when we can truly bring to the Eurovision stage from Romania artists who are truly at the top of the music industry.
The last time Romania took part in Eurovision was in 2023 in Liverpool. Theodor Andrei was chosen to represent the nation, but failed to earn a single point in the semi-final. Romania was given more time to decide on it Eurovision 2024 participation, but ultimately withdrew.
Romania’s Eurovision journey
Romania joined the Eurovision family in the Eastern wave of enlargement, making their debut in 1994. Their entry – Dan Bittman’s “Dincolo de nori” – finished in 21st place with a total of 14 points. At the introduction of semi-finals, Romania found their stride and were present in every Eurovision final until 2018. Romania’s best result is third place, scored twice in 2005 and 2010 respectively.
In 2023, Romania was represented by Theodor Andrei with his song – “D.G.T. (Off and On)”. Performing at the second semi-final in Liverpool, Romania failed to qualify for the final. At the close of voting in the semi-final, Romania finished joint last, scoring 0 points from the televote.
What do you think of the Board of Directors’ comments? Could Romania come back to Eurovision soon? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2025!
News Source: Libertatea
Photo Credit: Corinne Cumming / EBU
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