Slovenia's national broadcaster, RTV Slovenia, has confirmed it will not broadcast this year's Eurovision Song Contest. The decision follows the country's withdrawal from the event due to Israel's participation. Instead of the music competition, RTV Slovenia will air a film series titled 'Voices of Palestine,' featuring Palestinian documentaries and feature films.
Slovenia joins Ireland, Spain, and Iceland in refusing to take part in the 70th edition of the competition. These nations cited the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) decision to allow Israel to compete, despite criticisms regarding its conduct in the war in Gaza. Spain's RTVE and Ireland's RTÉ have also announced they will not broadcast the event. The Netherlands and Iceland will show Eurovision on their national broadcasters.
This year's Eurovision, scheduled for May 12-16 in Vienna, has been called the most controversial edition yet. Critics accuse the EBU of hypocrisy, noting Israel's participation while Russia remains barred since 2022. The decision to allow Israel to compete, while Russia was banned following its invasion of Ukraine, has drawn significant backlash.
Thousands of artists, including Massive Attack and Sigur Rós, signed an open letter urging a boycott. The letter stated, "We reject Eurovision being used to whitewash and normalise Israel’s genocide, siege and brutal military occupation against Palestinians." It called on public broadcasters, performers, and fans to boycott until the EBU bans Israeli broadcaster KAN. Israel denies committing genocide in Gaza, though a UN inquiry concluded otherwise in September 2025.