Belarus previously competed in the Eurovision Song Contest but since 2021 has been expelled from the European Broadcasting Union for a period of three years.
Belarus in Eurovision
Belarus made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004 and competed annually until it was disqualified from competing in the 2021 contest. Their results in the contest were as follows:
- 2004 – Aleksandra and Konstantin – “My Galileo” – 19th in the Semi-Final – 10 points
- 2005 – Angelica Agurbash – “Love Me Tonight” – 13th in the Semi-Final – 67 points
- 2006 – Polina Smolova – “Mum” – 22nd in the Semi-Final – 10 points
- 2007 – Koldun – “Work Your Magic” – 6th – 145 points
- 2008 – Ruslan Alehno – “Hasta la vista” – 17th in Semi-Final – 27 points
- 2009 – Petr Elfimov – “Eyes That Never Lie” – 13th in Semi-Final – 25 points
- 2010 – 3+2 feat. Robert Wells – “Butterflies” – 24th – 18 points
- 2011 – Anastasia Vinnikova – “I Love Belarus” – 14th in Semi-Final – 45 points
- 2012 – Litesound – “We Are the Heroes” – 16th in Semi-Final – 35 points
- 2013 – Alyona Lanskaya – “Solayoh” – 16th – 48 points
- 2014 – Teo – “Cheesecake” – 16th – 43 points
- 2015 – Uzari and Maimuna – “Time” – 12th in Semi-Final – 39 points
- 2016 – Ivan – “Help You Fly” – 12th in Semi-Final – 84 points
- 2017 – Naviband – “Story of My Life” – 17th – 83 points
- 2018 – Alekseev – “Forever” – 16th in Semi-Final – 65 points
- 2019 – Zena – “Like It” – 24th – 31 points
- 2020 – VALD – “Da vidna” – Contest canceled due to COVID-19
- 2021 – Galasy ZMesta – Disqualified
Disqualification of its 2021 Entry
Galasy Zmesta had been selected on March 9 by BTRC to represent Belarus with the song “Ya Nauchi Tebya” (“I’ll Teach You”). The song has been criticised for lyrics mocking the Belarusian pro-democracy movement and was deemed to have been of a political nature by the EBU.
Following the reaction of “Ya Nauchi Tebya” (“I’ll Teach You”), BTRC submitted a new song, by the same artists but it was concluded by the EBU that the new submission was also in breach of the rules of the Song Contest.
On March 26, Belarus was excluded from Eurovision 2021, the EBU released the following statement:
“On Wednesday 10 March, we wrote to the broadcaster BTRC, which is responsible for Belarus’ entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, to request that they take all steps necessary to amend their entry to this year’s event to ensure it is compliant with the rules of the competition. Following this BTRC submitted a new song, by the same artists, within an agreed timeframe.
The EBU and the Reference Group, the Contest’s governing board, carefully scrutinized the new entry to assess its eligibility to compete. It was concluded that the new submission was also in breach of the rules of the competition that ensure the Contest is not instrumentalized or brought into disrepute.
As BTRC have failed to submit an eligible entry within the extended deadline, regrettably, Belarus will not be participating in the 65th Eurovision Song Contest in May.”
Expulsion from the European Broadcasting Union
BTRC the Belarusian broadcaster has been expelled from the European Broadcasting Union since July 1, 2021. The EBU decided to expel the broadcaster from the organisation on May 28, 2021. The exclusion was set for three years, with the expulsion ending on 1 July 2024.
BTRC was suspended from the EBU as a result of the use of the channel by the Belarusian Government as a propaganda tool. In August 2020, the Presidential election in Belarus in which incumbent Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected to a sixth term was the subject of widespread claims of electoral fraud. International monitors have labeled the election neither free nor fair. Following the election, significant and widespread protests have occurred in Belarus.
BTRC will be required to reapply for membership of the European Broadcasting Union for it be eligible to compete in any EBU contests.
Belarus and other Eurovision family events
Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Belarus is the only country to have participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest first before competing in Eurovision. Belarus has won the contest twice times and hosted the contest in Minsk in 2010 and 2018. Belarus’ results in the contest were as follows:
- 2003 – Volha Satsiuk – “Tantsuy” – 4th – 103 points
- 2004 – Egor Volchek – “Spiavajcie so mnoj” – 14th – 9 points
- 2005 – Ksenia Sitnik – “My vmeste” – 1st – 149 points
- 2006 – Andrey Kunets – “Noviy den” – 2nd – 129 points
- 2007 – Alexey Zhigalkovich – “S druz’yami” – 1st – 137 points
- 2008 – Dasha, Alina & Karyna – “Serdtse Belarusi” – 6th – 86 points
- 2009 – Yury Demidovich – “Volshebniy krolik” – 9th – 48 points
- 2010 – Danii Kozlov – “Muzyki svet” – 5th – 85 points
- 2011 – Lidiya Zablotskaya – “Angely dobra” – 3rd – 99 points
- 2012 – Egor Zheshko – “A more-more” – 9th – 56 points
- 2013 – Ilya Volkov – “Poy so mnoy” – 3rd – 108 points
- 2014 – Nadezhda Misyakova – “Sokal” – 7th – 71 points
- 2015 – Ruslan Aslanov – “Volshebstvo (Magic)” – 4th – 105 points
- 2016 – Alexander Minyonok – “Muzyka moikh pobed (Music Is My Only Way)” – 7th – 177 points
- 2017 – Helena Meraai – “I Am the One” – 5th – 149 points
- 2018 – Daniel Yastremski – “Time” – 11th – 114 points
- 2019 – Liza Misnikova – “Pepelny (Ashen)” – 11th – 92 points
- 2020 – Arina Pehtereva – “Aliens” – 5th – 130 points
Eurovision Young Musicians
Belarus has participated twice in Eurovision Young Musicians making its debut at the 2010 contest in Vienna, Austria. Ivan Karizna represented Belarus on its debut playing the cello and qualified for the final. In 2012, Belarus competed for a second time represented by Alexandra Dzenisenia playing the cimbalom, they qualified for the final but placed outside the top three.
Eurovision Young Dancers
Belarus also participated once in Eurovision Young Dancers, making its only appearance at the 2013 contest in Gdansk, Poland. Yana Shtangey was selected to represent Belarus, but she did not make it through to the Final Duel.
Eurovision Dance Contest
The country also intended to compete in the third edition of the Eurovision Dance Contest in 2009. Belarus had aired the 2007 and 2008 editions of the contest and was organising a three-month selection process called “Star Dances”, featuring 36 dancers.
During the history of the Eurovision Song Contest and Eurovision family of events over fifty countries have competed, but there are more countries eligible or interested in participating. Find out more here.