RTSH has explained that COVID-19 restrictions are the reason behind Albania not competing in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020.
Speaking to ESC Plus the Albanian Head of Delegation Kleart Duraj explained that COVID-19 restrictions meant that the broadcaster would have been unable to organise a selection process for Junior Eurovision 2020. Mr Duraj told the site that:
We withdrew because of Covid obviously and we plan to return as soon as the situation will go back to normal
It’s kids we are talking about, we can’t risk in any way any participant. Let alone that we couldn’t organise a national selection due to governmental restrictions.
Albania is one of seven countries that have withdrawn from competing in this years Junior Eurovision Song Contest. All of the broadcasters that have commented on their withdrawal have cited COVID-19 as the reason for their non-participation.
Image Source: Thomas Hanses / Source: ESC Plus
Albania first debuted in the Junior Eurovision Contest in 2012, and to date have had 5 entries. The country is still yet to win the contest, and their best result was in 2015, when Mishela Rapo performed her song “Dambaje”, which scored a total of 93 points and ended on 5th place. Albania were absent from the contest in 2013 and 2014, before returning again in 2015.
