Eurovision 2026: Ahead of the decisive moment, the director of the Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO reveals she is convinced the discussion will be decided in Israel’s favor.
While representatives of the EBU gather for a dramatic debate on the future of Eurovision, Natalija Gorščak, head of the Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO, known for her outspoken political stance against Israel, gave an interview today (Thursday) to the BBC. In that interview, she claimed that, much to her regret, the General Assembly will most likely decide that Israel will participate as usual in Eurovision 2026, which is set to be held in Vienna, Austria.
A ceasefire had given Eurovision fans in Israel hope that the threat of expulsion would be lifted and that Israel’s path to participate in Eurovision 2026 would be cleared. However, countries such as Slovenia, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland quickly warned that they would refuse to take part in the contest despite the end of the war.
Natalija Gorščak, head of the Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO, said in an interview to the BBC that she expects the vote on Israel’s future in the contest to end in its favor. At the same time, she stressed that if this is indeed the outcome, Slovenia will refuse to participate in or broadcast Eurovision. According to her, she understands that fans in the country are disappointed, but insists that it is more important to stand by their principles. She emphasized that sometimes it is necessary to choose to be “on the right side of history”, and that this is a moment in which, in her view, Slovenia is firmly on that right side.
BBC Eurovision commentator Paul Jordan described the situation as “a significant breaking point for Eurovision and the EBU”. He added that there are no winners here, and said it is deeply regrettable that a contest meant to be free of politics has turned into a political battleground.
What is the general assembly of the EBU?
The EBU’s General Assembly is an annual meeting at which all member broadcasting corporations come together to make key decisions on policy, regulations, membership, budgets and other sensitive matters, including questions related to Eurovision. The assembly convenes regularly once a year, but in urgent cases special meetings can be called to address issues that cannot wait until the next regular session.
The October 7th war has generated intense criticism of the State of Israel. This criticism has not remained confined to the political arena and has spilled over, with considerable force, into the Eurovision Song Contest. For two consecutive years (2024 and 2025), the Israeli entry sent to the competition has become a charged political issue, beginning with calls from various countries to withdraw from the contest (which they often later retract), continuing with artist boycotts across Europe, and culminating in vocal demands to expel Israel from the competition.
Slovenia at Eurovision 2025
“How Much Time Do We Have Left” is the title of the song performed by singer Klemen in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2025. Slovenia failed to qualify for the grand final, after two consecutive years of success. The country finished 13th out of 15, earning only 23 points.
Eurovision 2025: This was Slovenia’s 30th participation in Eurovision. Slovenia joined the competition in 1993 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 1995 and Eurovision 2001 after finishing seventh twice.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
