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Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it won’t air this year’s Eurovision Song Contest after the country previously pulled out of the event over Israel’s participation.
Instead of broadcasting the world’s largest live music event, they will show a series of films about Palestine.
“We will not be broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest,” Ksenija Horvat, RTV Slovenia director told AP. “We will be airing the film series ‘Voices of Palestine,’ featuring Palestinian documentaries and feature films.”
Slovenia stands alongside Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Iceland in refusing to take part in this year’s 70th edition of the competition due to the EBU allowing Israel to compete despite criticisms of its conduct in the war in Gaza.
Spain’s RTVE reiterated its decision not to air Eurovision last week – a first since 1961 – and Ireland’s public broadcaster RTÉ announced last December it would neither broadcast nor participate in the event.
As for the Netherlands and Iceland, Eurovision will be shown on their respective national broadcasters, NPO and RÚV.
This year’s competition, Eurovision’s 70th anniversary, will have 35 competing countries and is scheduled to take place in Vienna from 12-16 May. Despite their slogan “United by Music”, this year’s Eurovision is without a doubt the most controversial edition yet. The event has been accused of hypocrisy for allowing Israel to take part, as Russia has been barred from Eurovision since 2022, after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Slovenia’s announcement comes days after thousands of artists including Massive Attack, Kneecap, Mogwai, Brian Eno, Sigur Rós and Nadine Shah signed an open letter calling for fans to boycott the event.
“As musicians and cultural workers, many living within the reaches of the [EBU], we reject Eurovision being used to whitewash and normalise Israel’s genocide, siege and brutal military occupation against Palestinians,” the letter, organised by No Music for Genocide and the BDS movement, said.
“We stand in solidarity with Palestinian calls for public broadcasters, performers, screening party organisers, crew, and fans to boycott Eurovision until the EBU bans complicit Israeli broadcaster KAN.”
Israel has consistently denied that it is committing genocide in Gaza. However, in September 2025, a UN inquiry concluded that Israel is committing genocide.
Eurovision is the world’s biggest music event, attracting 166 million viewers last year. This year’s 70th edition is set to take place in Vienna, Austria. The final will be on 16 May 2026.
