The Slovenian public broadcaster RTVSLO threatens to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is welcome again next year. The broadcaster has “serious and increasing concerns” about Israel’s presence and the voting process.
“As director of Television Slovenia, I am once again addressing you with my serious and increasing concern about Israel’s continued participation in EBU events, especially the Eurovision Song Contest,” writes RTVSLO director Ksenija Horvat in a letter to the board of Song Contest organizer European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Horvat writes that she already expressed her concerns last year, but then did not receive a “convincing or concrete explanation” from the EBU. According to her, the concerns have only grown since then, partly due to the outcome of this year’s edition. The Israeli entry finished in second place thanks to a large number of public votes.
“Many viewers in Slovenia and elsewhere have expressed serious doubts about the credibility and transparency of the voting process, especially in the political context surrounding the competition,” Horvat writes in the letter. She points out that political interests can influence the voting results and thus undermine public confidence in the impartiality of the EBU.
The Slovenian broadcaster, which has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest thirty times, says it will soon ask the EBU concrete questions about the voting process. “If the EBU does not take concrete steps and address these issues, we will reconsider our participation in future Eurovision events,” said Horvat.
Spain and Belgium also critical, Netherlands wants to talk
Earlier, the Spanish broadcaster RTVE and the Flemish VRT, among others, expressed criticism about the voting system and Israel’s participation. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced that it wants to talk to the EBU about the ‘basic principles’ of the event. They state that the event is increasingly under pressure from social and geopolitical tensions.
Eurovision director Martin Green announced last week that the EBU will evaluate the voting during the festival. According to the EBU, the Song Contest is a “non-political event”. Israel’s participation has been under fire for several years because of the conflict in Gaza.