Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK) is gearing up to host the third edition of its Song Festival on November 6, 7, and 8. The three-night event will feature a blend of well-known artists and emerging talents, celebrating Kosovo’s vibrant music scene.

To discuss final preparations, RTK Director Rilind Gërvalla, Artistic Director Florent Boshnjaku, and members of the production team met this week. They also visited the festival venue to inspect the ongoing work on stage preparations.

“This is the most important cultural event in the country; there is no greater cultural event than the RTK Song Festival,” said Gërvalla.

“We will strive to preserve and further elevate the quality seen in the past two editions. This festival will carry a special symbolism, serving as a tribute to all artists who have made significant contributions to Kosovo’s cultural and musical life.”

Gërvalla also highlighted financial challenges in organizing the event. “The biggest challenges are financial. RTK is not in a strong financial position, even though it is regulated by law. This year, we plan to make a public call for businesses interested in contributing to the festival, which belongs to all citizens of Kosovo. It would also serve as an example to the European Broadcasting Union that we are ready for Eurovision,” he noted.

Artistic Director Florent Boshnjaku emphasized that, despite some limitations with the venue, this year’s festival will bring fresh energy and surprises to Prishtina.

“We are eager to continue the festival we started two years ago, and I believe the audience will enjoy it again this year,” Boshnjaku said. “We have received more song applications and have included more entries in the competition. The new songs, along with an engaging artistic program, will make this festival even more dynamic.”

In its first edition, the RTK Song Festival was won by La Fazani with the song “Oj Kosovë”, while Endrit Krasniqi took the top prize last year with “Flas me gjethen.”