Slovenia undecided on Eurovision participation 2026
Former Slovenian entrant says her country won't take part if Israel still in contest
Slovenia’s national broadcaster, RTV Slovenia, has told Jewish News that no decision has yet been taken on the country’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026.
The response came after a previous Slovenian entrant to Eurovision, soprano Alenka Gotar, claimed that the country would not take part in the contest — due to be hosted in Vienna next year — if Israel were to be accepted in the competition.
Gotar, who represented Slovenia in Eurovision in 2007, was formerly chair of the Music Committee of the Programming Council of RTVSLO — the advisory body of the Slovenian national broadcaster.
She no longer occupies that role, but posted on Twitter/X: “Unfortunately, I am no longer a member of the council, so I have no influence anymore. But I think you will not be celebrating. I am almost 100% convinced that, due to Israel’s non disqualification from the contest, Slovenia will not participate in Eurovision”.
But a spokesperson for the broadcaster told Jewish News: “RTV Slovenia has not yet decided whether it will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest next year. There is still sufficient time to make a final decision and the adoption of the Annual Programme Plan for 2026. Statements made by individuals on social media do not represent the official position of RTV Slovenia; we have no influence over them and therefore cannot comment on them”.
A number of countries have energetically campaigned to throw Israel out of the annual contest since the Hamas attacks on southern kibbutzim and a music festival in October 2023. Last year’s Israel representative, Yuval Raphael, was herself a survivor of the Nova music festival, and, like her predecessor Eden Golan in 2024, suffered insults from fellow competitors and audiences alike. Despite this, Eden Golan came fifth and Yuval Raphael finished second.
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