BHRT, the national broadcaster for Bosnia & Herzegovina, has confirmed they will not be taking part at Eurovision 2026. This now means that Bosnia & Herzegovina has been absent from Eurovision for a decade.
Financial sanctions still getting in the way of participation
In a email given to ESC Today, BHRT confirmed that the nation would be missing out on another year of Eurovision. This was due to the fact that BHRT was still being sanctioned by the EBU over unpaid debts.
In May, former Head of Delegation Lejla BaboviΔ, gave more details about the state of participation for Bosnia & Herzegovina. According to the latest figures, BHRT owes a total of 16 million BAM, equivalent to β¬8.8 million. She added that BHRT is supposed to be allocated up to β¬15 million, but the real amount can fluctuate between β¬12 million and β¬15 million.
She explained:
The problem with the EBU has not existed since yesterday, but since 2017. Since 2017, it has been swept under the rug. Everyone thought that it would somehow be resolved, that the EBU would forgive debts, etc. However, that is no longer the case.
We have to get serious, understand what the obligations of the state are towards BHRT. The Parliamentary Assembly of BiH established BHRT as a public enterprise and it is the guarantor of BHRT. Therefore, the state must actively get involved.
The current government is trying in every possible way. I hope that they will find a way because there are funds and they can be used properly to restore the image of BiH in Europe and among colleagues to the reputation we once had.
Several campaigners have attempted to bring Bosnia & Herzegovina back to the competition. These include Bosnia’s first Eurovision act, Fazla, who pledged to bring the country to Eurovision once again. However, as of the Contest in 2026, efforts have been unsuccessful.
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Eurovision journey
Bosnia and Herzegovina were a mini-powerhouse in the Eurovision Song Contest in the time that they took part. Bosnia and Herzegovina debuted in Eurovision in 1993 with Fazla, singing the song ‘Sva bol svijeta’. The song placed 16th, scoring 27 points. Bosnia qualified for the final every single time bar once; their best result coming in 2006 with ‘Leija’ sung by Hari Mata Hari, which came third scoring 229 points in the Grand Final.
Bosnia and Herzegovina last participated in the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2016 with Dalal and Deen featuring Ana Rucner and Jala. Singing the song ‘Ljubav Je’, unfortunately they failed to qualify – placing 11th in the Semi Final with 104 points. This marked the first time that Bosnia & Herzegovina was not in a final in its participation.
Are you sad to see Bosnia & Herzegovina miss out on another year? Do you think they will ever return to the competition? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow βThat Eurovision Siteβ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2026!
News Source: ESC Today
Photo Credit: Andres Putting / EBU
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