The Scoop

EBU to vote on full membership of Kosovar broadcaster RTK

Kosovo’s main broadcaster, RTK, has undergone a lengthy process to push for recognition within the EBU over the last decade. That process may finally come to a conclusion this December as the EBU, at their General Assembly in the Albanian capital Tirana, have called forward a motion to vote on RTK’s full membership. This confirms their talks with the EBU last week, and it would be a crucial step towards a Kosovo Eurovision debut. If approved in December, we could even see the country debut at 2019’s contest.

Steps towards Kosovo Eurovision participation

Ever since the UN administration began in Kosovo, RTK has been independently licensed to broadcast EBU programming within Kosovo. This includes the Eurovision Song Contest. It participated in one edition of the biennial Eurovision Young Dancers competition in 2011, but did not return in 2013 and has been absent since. RTK has broadcast the contest in recent years, and it has been clear on their part that they desire to debut as soon as is possible. However each year, their efforts come to nothing. Could it be different now, with the EBU beginning a vote on the matter?

Obstacles to come?

It is a familiar story by now, the EBU have dashed the hopes of fans looking to see Kosovo debut in Eurovision before, with opposition from Bosnia & Herzegovina and Serbia, but with a full EBU membership, Kosovo would be entitled to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. It has been over a decade since the last full EBU member debuted, Azerbaijan in 2008. Of course, since then, the associate member Australia has debuted, in 2015, but there has been uncertainty who the next EBU full member would be, with Kazakhstan or Liechtenstein sometimes touted as future participants. Now, with this vote on the horizon, it looks like perhaps Kosovo stands the best chance of debuting in 2019.

What do you think about the possibility of Kosovo taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest? Are you excited to hear what Kosovo might bring to the stage? Let us know below with a comment.

3 Comments

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