BNT Director General Milena Milotinova: Bulgaria Must Rise to the Occasion as Eurovision Host

Speaking on the BNT morning programme 'The Day Begins' on May 18, Bulgarian National Television Director General, Milena Milotinova, said that Bulgaria now faces the responsibility of hosting the Eurovision song cotest.

Milena Milotinova, Director General of BNT:

“What lies ahead for us is the role of host, and we must rise to the occasion and be at the highest level. Bulgaria fully deserved to host Eurovision, even though we had not participated in the contest over the last three years. Bulgaria returned to this stage and did so with an incredible triumph.”

• Bulgarian song "Bangaranga" won Eurovision with a historic lead

The Director General said preparations for organising next year’s contest will begin immediately, with a meeting already scheduled with Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev.

Milena Milotinova, Director General of BNT: “The European Broadcasting Union has very high requirements for Eurovision. Every host country must meet these standards. That is exactly why we started work on our hosting plans yesterday. BNT will have the support of state institutions. We are beginning discussions with the Minister of Culture on the very first working day, at 9 a.m. Organising a contest of this scale is extremely labour-intensive. It involves many people and large teams. Most likely, we will also bring in experts from abroad to assist us.”

Milotinova also presented BNT’s Eurovision trophy and noted that it represents a great deal of work, dedication and professionalism.

Milena Milotinova, Director General of BNT: "It was an incredible night and an even more incredible day after, with the welcome at Vasil Levski Airport.

• DARA turned Vasil Levski Airport into a stage

Milena Milotinova, Director General of BNT: “Everyone is talking about us, everyone is talking about Bulgaria’s performance, everyone is talking about DARA. Bulgaria received tremendous representation at Eurovision, and I believe we achieved it in the best possible way.”

The Eurovision Grand Final attracted nearly one million viewers to BNT screens, according to measured television audience data. At its peak, one in every two viewers chose to watch BNT’s broadcast.