🇦🇿 Road to Basel: Azerbaijan

It’s time for another weekly update on Eurovision. A foiled terror plot from Eurovision 2020 has come to light. San Marino is unsure about Eurovision 2026.  Slovakia confirms it won’t return, and Greece plans another national final. Here are this week’s top stories: 🇳🇱 Eurovision 2020 Terror Attack Plot Foiled Authorities have foiled a neo-Nazi plot to attack the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam. A trial in Luxembourg revealed a 23-year-old suspect had detailed plans to release cyanide or ricin gas through the Ahoy arena’s ventilation and set off explosives during the event. Police seized chemicals and bomb-making materials at his home, and Luxembourg’s intelligence service prevented the attack. Dutch organizers say they were unaware of the plan, which never unfolded as Eurovision 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic. Later this week, they appeared to know at least something. The man has been found guilty and faces sentencing later this year. source: NOS 🇸🇲 San Marino Doubts Eurovision 2026 Participation San Marino RTV has not yet decided whether to participate in Eurovision 2026. General Director Roberto Sergio cited concerns about the voting system – expressing “perplexities regarding the voting methods of the juries and televoters” – and said discussions with the EBU are ongoing daily. He acknowledged the value Eurovision has brought to San Marino, noting the success of the new national selection and the country’s recent qualification for the 2025 final. The EBU has signaled possible voting method changes for next year, but so far no common ground has been found to address San Marino’s concerns. A final decision on 2026 participation is still pending. source: SMRTV 🇸🇰 Slovakia Rules Out Return in 2026 Slovakia’s public broadcaster confirmed it will not compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. In a statement to Refresher, the broadcaster explained that with its limited budget, the cost of participation would be higher than any potential benefits or revenues. Financial and management issues at RTVS (Slovakia’s national broadcaster) were cited as key reasons for sitting out the contest. However, officials did not close the door on the future. They indicated that once a new management is in place and if finances improve, Slovakia could reassess joining Eurovision again. Slovakia last took part in 2012 and has been absent from the competition since, after multiple non-qualifications in the late 2000s. source: Refresher 🇬🇷 Greece Plans National Final for Eurovision 2026 Greece will once again select its entry through a national final. The board of ERT (Greek national broadcaster) has approved an open call for songs for Eurovision 2026, cementing a second consecutive year of a public selection format. Last year Greece returned to a national final for the first time since 2017, and it paid off: Klavdia placed 6th at Eurovision 2025, the country’s best result in over a decade. Building on that momentum, ERT is reportedly looking to expand “Ethnikós Telikós” into a multi-show format – with two semi-finals and a final held during a dedicated “Eurovision Week” – instead of a single-night event. Details of the Greek selection process will be announced in the coming weeks. source: Eurovisionfun 📷 EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Other Eurovision News: Other News in Brief 🇲🇰 North Macedonia: Bobi Andonov, who sang at Junior Eurovision 2008, wants to represent the country in 2026. MRT has not yet confirmed a return. source: slobodenpecat 🇳🇱 🇩🇪 TV Series: A Eurovision-themed murder mystery series is in development. The German-Dutch project, backed by NDR and BNNVARA, mixes crime with the contest. source: dwdl That’s all for this weekly update. Stay tuned for another roundup next week as the road to Eurovision 2026 continues! Share