Romania submit application to participate in Eurovision 2017

Irina Radu, president of the Romanian national broadcaster TVR, has revealed in an interview with Romanian news website EVZ.ro that the broadcaster has submitted the required paperwork to the EBU to participate in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. Nevertheless, she admits that participation is not yet a certainty, explaining that withdrawing before October 10th – the final date as to when broadcasters can withdraw their applications without penalty – remains a possibility. However, TVR remains hopeful that they will be able to pay the participation fees and that the EBU will therefore allow them to participate.
TVR are currently undergoing “drastic measures” following the accumulation of large debts, including the non-payment of debts to the European Broadcasting Union dating back to 2007. As a result, the EBU suspended the broadcaster at the end of April from using various EBU services which included the knock-on effect of Romania being disqualified from the following month’s Eurovision Song Contest. According to the official EBU website, Radu then took charge at TVR in May 2016 and stated that “starting from today, Romanian Public Television has a legitimate management. I want to assure you that I will do my best so that TVR will become again what it used to be: a respected television, loved by its audience.”
35 countries have now confirmed they have submitted the provisional paperwork to participate at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. How many countries do you think will participate in Eurovision 2017? Let us know in the comments below!