🇽🇰 Kosovo: RTK Remains Hopeful That Festivali i Këngës në RTK Will Lead to Eurovision in Future

The Kosovar broadcaster RTK remains hopeful that Festivali i Këngës në RTK will lead to Eurovision Song Contest participation in the future.

With Festivali i Këngës në RTK entering its third year and preparations underway for the contest in October, the organising team has expressed their hope that the contest will enable Eurovision participation in the future. The contest, which was launched in 2023, was created with the intention to be used as a selection for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Speaking to the press earlier this week, Artistic Director Florent Boshnjaku commented that EBU membership requires the lobbying of Kosovar institutions:

we know that (participation) depends entirely on the political position of Kosovo and much greater lobbying is needed from all institutions, not just the Radio and Television of Kosovo, for it to be possible, with the hope that it will happen

Mr Boshnjaku added that the competition does leave Kosovo in a strong position:

the beauty of this work is that the festival has started and a tradition is being created, work so that the entire Radio and Television of Kosovo team and all the people around can start to be ready when that moment comes, technically in terms of preparations and everything at the festival.

The broadcaster applied in summer 2024 to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025; however, local media reported that EBU had rejected its application. RTK was informed by the EBU that they need to apply to become full members before they will be eligible to compete in the contest.

For more information about Kosovo’s history in relation to Eurovision, follow the link below:

Image Source: Eurovision Spain | Source: KOHA

Kosovo previously participated in the Yugoslav selections for the Eurovision Song Contest from 1981 until 1991, with the broadcaster also airing Eurovision. RTK of Kosovo has aired Eurovision competitions since 2003, and has been aiming to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2009. It made its Eurovision debut in 2011, when Kosovo was invited to compete in Eurovision Young Dancers.

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