LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — The national television network in Slovenia announced Thursday that it will not broadcast this year’s Eurovision Song Contest following the country’s decision to withdraw from the competition because of Israel’s inclusion.
The annual musical competition featuring 35 nations is set to take place May 12-16 in Vienna.
Slovenia has joined several other European nations — Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain — in refusing to participate due to organizers allowing Israel to compete.
“We will not be broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest,” stated Ksenija Horvat, director of RTV Slovenia, in comments to The Associated Press. “We will be airing the film series ‘Voices of Palestine,’ featuring Palestinian documentaries and feature films.”
Competition organizers made the decision in December to permit Israel’s participation, which led to the withdrawal of Slovenia and the other protesting nations. Slovenia has been outspoken in its criticism of Israel regarding its military actions during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
While the Eurovision competition aims to prioritize popular music over political issues, it has frequently become entangled in global conflicts. Russia faced expulsion from the 2022 contest following its comprehensive military assault on Ukraine.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has also created turmoil for the event, sparking demonstrations outside competition venues and forcing organizers to implement stricter rules against displays of political symbols.
