# Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest

Bosnia and Herzegovina has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 19 times since making its debut in 1993, after coming second in the qualification round "Kvalifikacija za Millstreet". The current Bosnian-Herzegovinian participant broadcaster in the contest is the Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT).
Bosnia and Herzegovina's best result was in 2006, when "Lejla" performed by Hari Mata Hari finished third. This remains the country's only top five result in the contest. The country also achieved five other top ten results: 1999 with "Putnici" by Dino Merlin (seventh), 2004 with "In the Disco" by Deen (ninth), 2008 with "Pokušaj" by Laka (tenth), 2009 with "Bistra voda" by Regina (ninth), and 2011 with "Love in Rewind" again by Dino Merlin (sixth). Bosnia and Herzegovina returned to the contest for the first time since 2012 at the 2016 contest, where it failed to advance from the semi-finals for the first time. The country then withdrew once again from the contest and has yet to return.

## Participation

Radio Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RTVBiH) was a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since 1 January 1993, thus eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest since then. It participated in the contest representing Bosnia and Herzegovina since its 38th edition that same year. In 2000, RTVBiH's EBU membership was transferred to a new parental broadcasting organisation, the Public Broadcasting Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PBSBiH), which participated in the contest representing the country from 2001 to 2004. On 13 August 2004, PBSBiH was succeeded by Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT), which has participated in the contest since then.
Before its independence in 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of Yugoslavia. Five Yugoslavian entrants in the Eurovision Song Contest came from the former SR Bosnia and Herzegovina (1964, 1965, 1973, 1976, and 1981). The contest was broadcast in the socialist republic by the Yugoslav Radio Television's (JRT) affiliate RTV Sarajevo.

## History

Low average scores meant Bosnia and Herzegovina did not qualify for the contests in 1998 and 2000, and the country did not participate in the 2013 contest for financial reasons. BHRT had stated that it hoped to return to the contest in 2014, and on 18 November 2013, it submitted a preliminary application to compete in the 2014 contest. However, on 18 December 2013, it was announced that Bosnia and Herzegovina would not be returning for 2014.
On 9 September 2014, BHRT announced that it had submitted an application to compete in the 2015 contest. On 30 October 2014, BHRT stated that participation was still in jeopardy due to financial difficulties. The EBU granted it a deadline extension until 14 November 2014 to make a final decision regarding its participation. On 17 November 2014, BHRT announced that it would not be competing in the 2015 contest, having not secured the necessary funds to finance its participation.
After competing in 2016, on 29 September 2016, BHRT again announced its withdrawal from the competition in 2017, due to the difficult financial situation that the national broadcaster was currently facing. The following December, BHRT was sanctioned by the EBU due to unpaid debts, by restricting the broadcaster access to common resources.
The Bosnian-Herzegovinian head of delegation, Lejla Babović, confirmed on 29 December 2018 that BHRT's current primary goal was to return to Eurovision, but its current financial situation and mounting debts with the EBU made a return in the near future highly unlikely. This was confirmed for the following years, with a statement in November 2023 that the broadcaster remains under sanctions and is unable to compete in EBU events.

## Participation overview

Prior to Yugoslavia's dissolution, artists from the SR Bosnia and Herzegovina represented Yugoslavia in 1964, 1965, 1973, 1976, and 1981.
Table key :
| 2 | Second place |
| 3 | Third place |
| Year | Artist | Song | Language | Final | Points | Semi | Points |
| 1993 | Fazla | "Sva bol svijeta" | Bosnian | 16 | 27 | 2 | 52 |
| 1994 | Alma and Dejan | "Ostani kraj mene" | Bosnian | 15 | 39 | No semi-finals | No semi-finals |
| 1995 | Davor Popović | "Dvadeset prvi vijek" | Bosnian | 19 | 14 | No semi-finals | No semi-finals |
| 1996 | Amila Glamočak | "Za našu ljubav" | Bosnian | 22 | 13 | 21 | 29 |
| 1997 | Alma Čardžić | "Goodbye" | Bosnian | 18 | 22 | No semi-finals | No semi-finals |
| 1999 | Dino and Béatrice | "Putnici" | Bosnian, French | 7 | 86 | No semi-finals | No semi-finals |
| 2001 | Nino | "Hano" | Bosnian, English | 14 | 29 | No semi-finals | No semi-finals |
| 2002 | Maja | "Na jastuku za dvoje" (На јастуку за двоје) | Serbian, English | 13 | 33 | No semi-finals | No semi-finals |
| 2003 | Mija Martina | "Ne brini" | Croatian, English | 16 | 27 | No semi-finals | No semi-finals |
| 2004 | Deen | "In the Disco" | English | 9 | 91 | 7 | 133 |
| 2005 | Feminnem | "Call Me" | English | 14 | 79 | Top 12 in 2004 final | Top 12 in 2004 final |
| 2006 | Hari Mata Hari | "Lejla" | Bosnian | 3 | 229 | 2 | 267 |
| 2007 | Marija Šestić | "Rijeka bez imena" (Ријека без имена) | Serbian | 11 | 106 | Top 10 in 2006 final | Top 10 in 2006 final |
| 2008 | Laka | "Pokušaj" | Bosnian | 10 | 110 | 9 | 72 |
| 2009 | Regina | "Bistra voda" | Bosnian | 9 | 106 | 3 | 125 |
| 2010 | Vukašin Brajić | "Thunder and Lightning" | English | 17 | 51 | 8 | 59 |
| 2011 | Dino Merlin | "Love in Rewind" | English | 6 | 125 | 5 | 109 |
| 2012 | Maya Sar | "Korake ti znam" | Bosnian | 18 | 55 | 6 | 77 |
| 2016 | Dalal and Deen feat. Ana Rucner and Jala | "Ljubav je" | Bosnian | Failed to qualify | Failed to qualify | 11 | 104 |

## Songs by language

| Songs | Language | Years |
| 12 | Bosnian | 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016 |
| 7 | English | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011 |
| 2 | Serbian | 2002, 2007 |
| 1 | Croatian | 2003 |
| 1 | French | 1999 |

## Awards
### Marcel Bezençon Awards

| Year | Category | Song | Composer(s) lyrics (l) / music (m) | Performer | Final | Points | Host city | Ref. |
| 2006 | Composer Award | "Lejla" | Željko Joksimović (m), Fahrudin Pecikoza (l), Dejan Ivanović (l) | Hari Mata Hari | 3 | 229 | Athens | |
| 2009 | Composer Award | "Bistra voda" | Aleksandar Čović (m & l) | Regina | 9 | 106 | Moscow | |

## Related involvement
### Conductors

| Year | Conductor |
| 1993 (KzM) | Esad Arnautalić |
| 1993 | Noel Kelehan |
| 1994 | Sinan Alimanović |
| 1995 | Sinan Alimanović |
| 1996 | Sinan Alimanović |
| 1997 | Sinan Alimanović |

### Commentators and spokespersons

For the show's broadcast in the country, various commentators have provided commentary on the contest in the Bosnian language. At the Eurovision Song Contest after all points are calculated, the presenters of the show call upon each voting country to invite each respective spokesperson to announce the results of their vote on-screen.
From 1961 until 1991, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of Yugoslavia and JRT's affiliate RTV Sarajevo broadcast the contest there.
| Year | Channel | Commentator | Spokesperson |
| 1993 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Dejan Zagorac |
| 1994 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Diana Grković-Foretić |
| 1995 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Diana Grković-Foretić |
| 1996 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Segmedina Srna |
| 1997 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Segmedina Srna |
| 1998 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Did not participate |
| 1999 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Segmedina Srna |
| 2000 | RTVBiH | Unknown | Did not participate |
| 2001 | PBSBiH | Dejan Kukrić | Segmedina Srna |
| 2002 | PBSBiH, RTVFBiH (FTV1) | Dejan Kukrić | Segmedina Srna |
| 2003 | PBSBiH, RTVFBiH (FTV1) | Dejan Kukrić | Ana Vilenica [hr] |
| 2004 | BHTV 1, BH Radio 1 (all shows) FTV (final) | Dejan Kukrić | Mija Martina |
| 2005 | BHT 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Ana Mirjana Račanović |
| 2006 | BHT 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Vesna Andree-Zaimović |
| 2007 | BHT 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Vesna Andree-Zaimović |
| 2008 | BHT 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Melina Garibović |
| 2009 | BHT 1, BH Radio 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Elvir Laković Laka |
| 2010 | BHT 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Ivana Vidmar |
| 2011 | BHT 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Ivana Vidmar |
| 2012 | BHT 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Elvir Laković Laka |
| 2013 | BHT 1, BH Radio 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Did not participate |
| 2014–2015 | No broadcast | No broadcast | Did not participate |
| 2016 | BHT 1, BHT HD, BH Radio 1 (all shows) | Dejan Kukrić | Ivana Crnogorac |
| 2017–2024 | No broadcast | No broadcast | Did not participate |

#### Other shows

| Show | Commentator | Channel | Ref. |
| Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest | Unknown | BHT 1 | |
| Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light | Maja Čengić Miralem | BHT 1 | |

## Photo gallery

* Deen performing "In the Disco" in Istanbul (2004)
* Marija Šestić performing "Rijeka bez imena" in Helsinki (2007)
* Laka performing "Pokušaj" in Belgrade (2008)
* Vukašin Brajić performing "Thunder and Lightning" in Oslo (2010)
* Dino Merlin performing "Love in Rewind" in Düsseldorf (2011)
* Dalal and Deen performing "Ljubav je" in Stockholm (2016)