Junior Eurovision 2020: The map of confirmed participating countries

Junior Eurovision 2020: The map of confirmed participating countries
Tuesday, 07 July 2020

  • With Junior Eurovision 2020 facing an unstable environment due to the covid-19 pandemic the matter of participation is turning out to be a tough puzzle for the interested nations.

    As the covid-19 pandemic over shadows the whole globe and the figures changing from week to week the countries are invited to decide whether they will take part in this year's edition of Junior Eurovision set to take place next November in Warsaw. 

     

    Border restrictions and an unsteady situation

    After opening the borders within the Schengen Area, since July 1, the European Union formally agreed on a series of recommendations that will allow travelers from non Schengen states to visit member countries, months after their external borders were closed in order to prevent further diapsora of Covid-19. According to the list released, currently 8 of the 19 countries that participated last year would be left out (Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Wales, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, Russia and Ukraine) , which makes any decision on participating in the next Junior Eurovision without any meaning if the restrictions are not lifted. 

    Moreover, the whole situation is so unstable as the number of covid-19 cases show a decrease in many countries followed by a sudden escalation of cases as the restrictions are lifted progressively in the countries. That means that current figures might indicate that a region is returning to normality but this is not guaranteed for the months to come as everything so unsteady, forcing goverments to implement again restrictions and local lockdowns. 

    Meanwhile the health authorities predict a second wave of infections when the summer ends in the northern hemisphere, so new border closures and confinements are not ruled out. Both the EBU and TVP are aware of this, which is why they have announced that to guarantee the health of the participants, employees and visitors, they will be in permanent contact with the health authorities. At the moment and unlike other years, the contest is more than likely to take place in a television studio, and public attendance is not guaranteed at this time.

     

    Only six countries confirmed

    So far only 6 countries (Ireland, Georgia, Poland, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and Russia) have officially confirmed their participation in Eurovision Junior 2020, while Spain, Italy and Ukraine have shown interest in participating, even so, They have not yet officially confirmed their participation. However, with the current restrictions, both Kazakhstan and Russia would have the border closed, something that could affect the development of the contest.

    Countries confirmed their participation:

    Georgia (GPB)

    Ireland (TG4)
     
    Kazakhstan (Khabar TV)
     
    Netherlands (AVROTROS)

    Poland (TVP) - host country

    Russia (RTR)

     
    Countries expressed interest in participating

    Spain (TVE)
     
    France (FranceTV)
     
    Italy (RAI)

    Ukraine (UA: PBC)


    However several countries which participated in last year's edition are delaying their decisions for this linking them to how the covid-19 pandemic evolves. The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted all the plans of the television networks, causing the vast majority to maximize the EBU deadlines to make their decision. Therefore  for these broadcaster it will be a last minute decision and in accordance to the circumstances that will allow their participation. 
     
    The countries that have not made yet a decision are : 
    Australia (SBS)
     
    North Macedonia (MRT) 
     
    Malta (TVM)
     
    Armenia (APMTV)
     
    Wales (S4C)
     
    Albania (RTSH)
    Belarus (BTRC)
     
    Georgia (GPB) 
     
    Portugal (RTP)
    Serbia (RTS)
     

    On the other hand, al list of nations have already one way or another ruled out any participation in this year's Junior Eurovision, with many of them marking a long absense in the competition. 

    Countries confirmed no participation in the 2020 edition: 

    Belgium (VRT)

    Czechia (ČT)

    Denmark (TV 2 and DR)

    Slovakia  (RTVS )

    Slovenia (RTVSLO)

    Estonia (ERR / ETV)

    Greece (ERT)

    Iceland (RUV)

    Israel (KAN)

    Latvia (LTV)

    Norway (NRK)

    Romania (TVR)

    San Marino (RTV San Marino)

    Sweden (SVT)

    The upcoming Junior Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place on November 29, in Warsaw, Poland. This will be the first time for a country to host in two successive years the competition.