Turkey to ignore 2018 Eurovision

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag denied reports that Turkey will end its protest against the Eurovision song contest and return to the competition in 2018. 

"There is no such a thing at this moment," Bozdag told journalists in Ankara on Aug 7.

Turkey has not participated in Eurovision since 2012 in protest at changes in the contest’s voting system that introduced a 50/50 jury and televoting deliberation, as well as the “Big Five” rule that allows Spain, Italy, the U.K., France and Germany to automatically qualify every year for the final.

Turkey's Sertab Erener won the Eurovision Song Contest 2003.