Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
RTV director Ksenija Horvat said the broadcaster would instead schedule programming focused on Palestine.
“We will not be broadcasting the Eurovision song contest,” she said, confirming a full blackout.
Horvat added that the channel would instead air “Voices of Palestine,” a collection of documentaries and feature films.
In total, five countries have now withdrawn from participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026: Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland. Of these, Ireland, Spain and Slovenia have also confirmed they will not broadcast the contest, amounting to a full boycott, while the Netherlands and Iceland are still expected to air the event domestically despite not competing.
The boycott stems from criticism of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for allowing Israel to compete amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The EBU has not publicly responded to the latest decisions by participating broadcasters.
Despite the withdrawals, the contest - marking Eurovision’s 70th anniversary - is set to proceed in Vienna from 12 to 16 May, with 35 countries expected to compete.
The Eurovision Song Contest, long promoted under the slogan “United by Music”, has increasingly struggled to avoid political controversy. Organisers have introduced new rules this year aimed at limiting external influence on voting and promotion.
Romanian authorities say they have uncovered a sabotage network allegedly coordinated from Russia and linked to...
The Council of the European Union has approved a new support package worth nearly €4.9 billion ($5.4 billi...
Harry Kane has been crowned the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner, completing a journey that saw him rise from a youn...
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heritage of Samarkand belongs to Persian or Iranian-Islamic civilisation, Tashkent's Foreign Ministry said.
Serbia's Aleksandar Vučić has conceded defeat after a student-led protest movement took the majority of seats in Sunday's parliamentary elections.
Russian strikes hit several parts of Ukraine overnight, injuring at least six people and targeting energy and port infrastructure, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S. warnings about imminent Russian ballistic missile attacks had resumed.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council says senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye will travel to Tehran to discuss regional security.
Protests against war and rising living costs took place in major Italian cities on Saturday, with some incidents of violence and clashes, a week after unrest erupted across the country.
Iran is looking to turn its centuries-old tea culture into an opportunity for trade, industrial development and tourism as it held the Second Tea Festival in the northern province of Gilan bordering the Caspian Sea.
The 12th Baku International Book Fair has opened at the Baku Expo Center, bringing together writers, publishers and cultural representatives from 30 countries to promote literature and international cultural exchange.
Here are five major events bringing sport, cinema, literature and the arts to Baku this October, as Azerbaijan’s capital welcomes international talent and visitors for a packed cultural calendar.
Baku is welcoming filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts for the 17th edition of the Baku International Film Festival (BIFF), bringing together Azerbaijani and international productions. The festival began on Wednesday and will run for six days.
A former gang leader was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on Tuesday for orchestrating the 1996 drive-by shooting death of hip-hop star Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas, capping the prosecution of a long-unsolved murder that shaped the golden age of rap music.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment