Baku. 26 November. REPORT.AZ/ The 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm will be the biggest contest for years with 43 participants, equaling the record set in both 2008 and 2011, Report informs referring to the official website of Eurovision contest.
Ukraine will return to the contest after a one-year absence and Bosnia Herzegovina, which last competed in 2012, will also participate. Both countries have 100% qualification records to the Grand Final. Croatia and Bulgaria will return to the contest for the first time since 2013. Bulgaria successfully hosted the 13th Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Sofia last week, Malta won the contest for a second time.
Australia, which finished 5th in the Grand Final in 2015, will return to the contest. However, unlike 2015, they will compete in one of the Semi-Finals in Stockholm. The Eurovision Song Contest is an inclusive event and Australia’s participation again in 2016 is entirely reflective of this.
Turkish broadcaster TRT confirmed that the country will not return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016. The EBU maintains an open dialogue with all Member Broadcasters in the event that those which do not currently participate in the Eurovision Song Contest may do so in the future.
The following countries will participate in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm:
Albania (RTSH)
Armenia (AMPTV)
Australia (SBS)
Austria (ORF)
Azerbaijan (İTV)
Belarus (BTRC)
Belgium (VRT)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT)
Bulgaria (BNT)
Croatia (HRT)
Cyprus (CyBC)
Czech Republic (ČT)
Denmark (DR)
Estonia (ERR)
Finland (YLE)
France (France Télévisions)
FYR Macedonia (MKRTV)
Georgia (GPB)
Germany (NDR)
Greece (ERT)
Hungary (MTVA)
Iceland (RÚV)
Ireland (RTÉ)
Israel (IBA)
Italy (RAI)
Latvia (LTV)
Lithuania (LRT)
Malta (PBS)
Moldova (TRM)
Montenegro (RTCG)
The Netherlands (AVROTROS)
Norway (NRK)
Poland (TVP)
Romania (TVR)
Russia (RTR)
San Marino (SMRTV)
Serbia (RTS)
Slovenia (RTVSLO)
Spain (TVE)
Sweden (SVT)
Switzerland (SRG SSR)
Ukraine (NTU)
United Kingdom (BBC)