RTVSLO’s Natalija Gorščak comments on Eurovision 2022, Ukraine, and Israel’s Eurovision 2026 participation debate.
Natalija Gorščak, head of the Slovenian national broadcaster RTVSLO, who led the move against Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026, recently made a controversial statement claiming: “Ukraine should not have won in 2022, but the United Kingdom.” The remark raises serious questions about voting patterns and perceived fairness in the contest.
Slovenia is one of the countries that led a hardline stance against Israel in Eurovision 2026 and withdrew from the competition following its participation. The Slovenian national broadcaster fully politicized the contest, and its director now complains: “We did not withdraw only because of what is happening in Gaza, but because Eurovision cannot escape politics, even if it claims to do so.”
Ukraine as a Case Study in Eurovision Voting
Gorščak points to Ukraine as a central example. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine’s 2022 Eurovision entry was officially classified as non-political by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The same applied to Ukraine’s 2016 entry, which referenced a historical event and was approved under the rules.
Gorščak argues that the performances carried deep symbolism, even though the songs were approved as non-political. “The performers and what they represented told us everything,” she said. According to her, even without explicit political messaging, the war context shaped how audiences interpreted the performance – and she claims this resulted in unfair voting dynamics.
She further stated: “If you position yourself as a victim, everyone will vote for you.” In her view, geopolitics and empathy override musical quality. However, she does not address jury voting at all, including the juries of her own national broadcaster, which reportedly showed strong bias against Israel and likely voted in a politically influenced manner.
Slovenia’s Withdrawal and Political Context
Slovenia became one of the most vocal countries against Israel and did not hesitate to mix politics and the Gaza conflict into the contest discourse. The timing of its withdrawal was not coincidental – a left-wing government with a hostile stance toward Israel had been elected in the country years earlier, along with a foreign minister linked to Iran. The Slovenian national broadcaster, heavily influenced by this political environment, intensified its criticism of Israel starting from Eurovision 2024.
Recently, elections in Slovenia ended without a clear majority, but the right wing, seen as more Israel-friendly, gained parliamentary strength. If coalition agreements are reached and a government is formed, the Slovenian national broadcaster – should it remain unchanged – is expected to undergo personnel shifts away from officials hostile to Israel. This could potentially pave the way for Slovenia’s return to Eurovision in 2027.
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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Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
