Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTVSlovenija received 20 complaints over their decision to boycott the 2026 Contest, in Vienna. The complaints were reported in the May Report of the Ombudsman for Viewer and Listener Rights in the country.
RTVSlo faces complaints
The Ombudsman for Viewer and Listener Rights received 20 complaints over RTVSlo’s decisions to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, held in Vienna. The Slovenian broadcaster did not take part in the 70th edition of the Contest, and instead of showing Eurovision aired a block of programmes titled ‘Voices of Palestine’.
Many of the complaints directed at RTVSlo point out that the broadcaster is a public service, funded by license fee payers. The complaints suggest RTVSlo should ensure access to one of Europe’s biggest television events. Many stated that Eurovision is primarily a musical, cultural and entertainment event, that unites European nations. Some therefore believe that political issues should not affect broadcasts.
In the Ombudsman’s report, some complaints claimed Slovenia’s non-participation is a loss of an important international platform for promoting Slovenian culture and music. Some even compared the decision to the Slovenian Olympic team hypothetically not participating in the Olympic Games or other international competitions.
Of the 20 complaints received, 4 were rejected by the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman for Viewer and Listener Rights also recorded 3 messages of praise for the broadcaster’s decision to air the ‘Voices of Palestine’ programming. The Office of the Ombudsman praised the writing of one of the programmes shown in place of the Eurovision broadcast.
Decision on 2027 participation
A decision has not yet been made on Slovenia’s participation at the 2027 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. RTVSlo has confirmed that a decision will be made at the at the RTV Council of Programming Planning meeting later in the year, and will be communicated before the end of the year.
The decision on participation may not be as simple as politics for RTVSlo, however. RTVSlo has reportedly been facing financial constraints for many years, and the broadcaster may take funding considerations into account before any other decision on participation. Eurovizija.com report that the 2025 cost of participation, including the EMA national final in Slovenia, exceeded €300,000.
Slovenia’s Eurovision history
In 1993, Slovenia made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest with 1X Band and the song “Tih deževen dan”, which placed 22nd. Since their debut, they have participated 28 times – of which, 16 were where they qualified for the Grand Final.
Slovenia’s recent Eurovision participation saw them being represented by Klemen, who sang “How Much Time Do We Have Left”. Performing at the first semi-final, Klemen failed to qualify, placing thirteenth with 23 points from the televote. The broadcaster RTVSlovenija decided to boycott the 2026 contest in Vienna, alongside broadcasters from Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands and Spain.
What do you think of the complaints made to the ombudsman in Slovenia? Do you think the will see RTVSlo back at the contest anytime soon? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, Bluesky, and ZOOP for more information about Eurovision 2027!
News source: Eurovizija.com / RTVSlovenija / Slovenian Ombudsman for Viewer and Listener Rights
Image credits: Alesh Maatko / RTVSlovenija
Rory Gannon