No return to Junior Eurovision in 2018 for Norway

As more countries reveal their plans for Junior Eurovision, Norway is the latest country that confirms it will not take part to the 2018 edition of the show.

No Scandinavian countries participating

With NRK confirming non-participation it means that no Scandinavian country will be on stage in Belarus. In fact, both Denmark and Sweden have already ruled out a return to the contest this year. Additionally, Finland has also confirmed that they will not make a debut.

Norway in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Norway was one of the 16 countries that competed in the very first Junior Eurovision, held in Denmark in 2003. They participated in three contests, every year between 2003 and 2005. The best result came with Malin Reitan’s third place in 2005 with her song “Sommer og skolefri”. Norway was also the host of the 2004 edition of the show, when the contest took place in Håkons Hall in Lillehammer.

Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018

Belarus’s capital Minsk will be the host of the 2018 edition of Junior Eurovision. This is the second time the event takes place in the city, who previously hosted it in 2010. The city was selected as host last year, before the 2017 edition of the show. So far, 11 countries have confirmed their intent of participating in Minsk, and they are:

• Armenia
• Belarus
• France
• Georgia
• Ireland
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Russia
• Serbia
• Wales

France will return to the contest, having only participated once back in 2004, and Wales will instead make a debut.
At the moment five countries that participated to the contest last year (Australia, Cyprus, Macedonia, Italy and Malta) have yet to make a statement regarding their intentions for Minsk.
Are you disappointed Norway will not return to Junior Eurovision? What is your favorite entry from Norway the contest? Do you hope to see them back in the contest soon?