The Bulgarian broadcaster BNT has released the full televoting result as part of a statement following speculation on social media regarding the results of the Artist Final of Natsionalnata Selektsiya 2026.
BNT has released a statement after speculation online that the televoting results for the Artist Final of Natsionalnata Selektsiya 2026 were not valid. The broadcaster explained that, unlike the first show, it opted not to show the televoting results in real-time as “subsequent analysis showed that the practice negatively affected the participants in the competition, even before the official announcement of the final results”. The decision not to display the televoting figures live during the show on Saturday night was communicated to all of the finalists before the show.
In addition, BNT confirmed that there was an attempt to manipulate the vote during the final, with over 1.5 million votes attempting to be cast from Asia. It also states that allegations of hacking of the BNT website are “unfounded” as the voting process was not carried out on the BNT website.
As part of its statement, BNT has released the number of votes each act received:
DARA was chosen to represent Bulgaria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. She will perform those three songs in the final night of Natsionalnata Selektsiya 2026 on February 28. A ten-member jury and public voting will decide which of the three songs will be the Bulgarian entry for Eurovision 2026.
Source: BNT
Bulgaria in the Eurovision Song Contest+
At the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, 17-year-old Kristian Kostov finished in second place in the Grand Final. Bulgaria has qualified for the Grand Final five times out of thirteen attempts at the contest. Bulgaria debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2005. The country competed annually from 2005 to 2013, before withdrawing for two years due to financial issues. Since returning to the contest in 2016, Bulgaria qualified for the final in every contest they have competed in up until the 2022 contest.