Suviste, who won Eesti Laul, the annual competition to pick Estonia's Eurovision representative in late February, was given the surprise news on Wednesday evening's edition of ETV current affairs show "Ringvaade", by Eesti Laul producer Tomi Rahula, ERR's Menu portal reports.

The 2020 event had been due to take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with the semi-finals on May 12 and 14 and the Grand Final on May 16. Suviste would have needed to get through the semi-finals first, with his song "What love is", to reach the final.

Suviste won the Estonian Song 2020 contest with the song "What Love Is" but due to the absence of Eurovision the musician will not be able to represent Estonia this year.

Since the song contest was cancelled, a decision made official on Wednesday, this was off the table, though talks are reportedly in progress to hold the 2021 event in Rotterdam

In any case, Suviste will have to enter with a new song as will all competitors regardless of whether they were entered for 2020.

"I believe I will definitely participate when the place already exists," Suviste said on Ringvaade, noting that the cancellation of this year's event was sad, but inevitable due to the coronavirus spread.

""Am I unhappy? Of course I am a little bit, and of course I'm sorry, but I need to look at the seriousness of the situation," Suviste said.

Suviste also noted the stage show planned for his 2020 entry had been substantial.

"It would have been quite an expensive undertaking, both in time and in financial terms," ​​Suviste said, noting that the announcement of the cancellation came in enough time to mitigate most of this.

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