Slovenia's national broadcaster, RTV Slovenia, has announced it will not air this year's Eurovision Song Contest, joining a growing list of countries boycotting the event due to Israel's continued participation. The decision follows organisers' allowance of Israel to compete, despite Slovenia being a vocal critic of Israel's actions in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Alternative Programming
Instead of Eurovision, RTV Slovenia director Ksenija Horvat confirmed they will broadcast the film series Voices of Palestine, featuring Palestinian documentaries and feature films. This move aligns with the broadcaster's stance against what it perceives as the normalisation of Israel's policies.
Growing Boycott Movement
Slovenia joins other nations, including Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain, in boycotting the main competition scheduled to take place in Vienna from 12 to 16 May. The boycott comes shortly after over 1,000 artists, including Paul Weller and Massive Attack, signed an open letter urging fans to boycott Eurovision, stating the event should not be used to 'whitewash and normalise Israel’s genocide'.
This development marks a significant escalation in the cultural boycott of Israel, with more broadcasters refusing to air the contest. The Eurovision organisers have faced increasing pressure to exclude Israel but have maintained that the competition remains apolitical.
