Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO joins three other countries in withdrawing from Eurovision 2026 following the confirmation of Israel’s participation in the contest.
Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO joins three other countries – The Netherlands, Spain and Ireland in withdrawing from Eurovision 2026 following the confirmation of Israel’s participation in the contest. The general assembly of the European Broadcasting Union has decided that Israel will participate in Eurovision 2026 after rules changes were overwhelmingly approved, with no vote required on Israel’s participation.
Natalija Gorščak, head of the Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO, known for her strong political stance against Israel, told Slovenian media after the meeting:
“Slovenia will definitely not take part in Eurovision. It’s certain that Spain, the Netherlands, and Ireland will also not participate. Our message is clear: we will not be part of Eurovision if Israel is there. This is in memory of the 20,000 children killed in Gaza.”
Slovenia Leaded Calls for Eurovision Boycott Over Israel
Slovenia has been one of the most vocal opponents of Israel’s Eurovision participation, repeatedly stating it would withdraw and refuse to broadcast the contest if Israel competes. The Netherlands, Ireland, and Spain have already announced their withdrawals due to Israel’s presence, and now Slovenia officially joins this boycott.
RTVSLO has yet to issue a formal official statement beyond Gorščak’s remarks and a notice on its website listing Slovenia among the withdrawing countries.
RTVSLO’s Political Position and Concerns
Natalija Gorščak explained:
“Our news reporters were not — and still are not — allowed to enter Gaza, where over 200 journalists have been killed. Last year, we saw the Israeli performance was political. Don’t forget, we also banned a similar performance by a Russian artist in Ukraine. In 2017, we opened Pandora’s box when a political song won – and ever since, we’ve been fighting politics on the Eurovision stage.”
She added understanding of the Israeli national broadcaster’s position, recognizing that withdrawing could lead to government pressure:
“We are all caught in a trap. We are pawns in the political interests of the Israeli government.”
Gorščak emphasized that she speaks not personally but on behalf of RTV Slovenia, the Slovenian public, and the country’s artists:
“For three years straight, the public demands that we say no to the participation of countries attacking other nations. We must uphold European standards of peace and understanding. Eurovision has always been a place of joy and happiness — music that unites artists and audiences — and it must remain so.”
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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Tal Dahan – Journalist, radio broadcaster, and Eurovision content creator.
Tal Dahan is an Israeli journalist and editor specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest, working with the EuroMix editorial team for four years. Since 2022, she has provided regular on-site coverage of Eurovision from the host city, and from 2023 has also reported directly from the press room—offering the Israeli audience live updates, exclusive interviews, and in-depth commentary.
Tal is a member of the Eurovision tribute and parody band “EuroFalsh,” a radio broadcaster, and a student of political science and communications.
She is considered one of Israel’s leading young Eurovision experts. In addition to covering the main contest, Tal has reported from Eurovision pre-parties and national selection events across Europe (in Thessaloniki, Stockholm, Madrid, and more), been interviewed by major media outlets in Israel and internationally, and presented Eurovision-themed podcasts and radio shows.
