EBU have announced that Khabar TV have been approved as an associate member of the EBU. Khabar TV is one of the leading TV stations in Kazakhstan.
People who are now thinking that we could head for Astana in 2018, have to think again. As an associate member without any history in the Eurovision brand, Khabar TV is not and will not be eligible for the Eurovision Song Contest in the near future. Even better: Khabar TV has not even spoken about broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest at all.
This was also confirmed by the EBU on their official Twitter account, where they state:
Under current rules
@KhabarTV is not eligible for@Eurovision participation
Unlike Australia, there is simply no history or reason for Kazakhstan to debut in the Eurovision Song Contest. SBS at least had thirty years of Eurovision background. Khabar TV now have the same status as ICRT from Cuba, IRIB from Iran or TdM from Mauritania. No one discusses them debuting in the Eurovision Song Contest and no one ever will. As long as Kazakhstan has the same status as the aforementioned broadcasters, it’s highly unlikely that we see them on the Eurovision stage.
