In Slovenia, doubts have been raised about Ukraine's victory at Eurovision 2022
In Slovenia, claims have been made that Ukraine’s victory at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest was allegedly unfair, which immediately sparked a wave of debate within the music community. The head of the Slovenian broadcaster also stated that the contest has become increasingly dependent on the political context in recent years. Separately, she mentioned other stages of voting, which, in her opinion, also raise questions about objectivity, according to the Slovenia Times.
The head of the Slovenian broadcaster, Natalija Horšak, sharply criticized Eurovision, stating that the contest is gradually losing its musical character and becoming a platform where political sentiments are having an increasing influence, rather than just the songs and performances of the artists.
According to her, she considers the results of 2016 and 2022 to be turning points. Commenting on the victory of the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra with the song “Stefania,” Horščak noted that the composition did not contain direct political content, but its success, in her opinion, was more symbolic in nature.
She stated: “That result was unfair, and the victory that year should have gone to the UK’s representative, Sam Ryder.” She also recalled that the Slovenian side allegedly filed complaints with the European Broadcasting Union regarding possible political influence on the voting results even after Jamala’s victory in 2016.
Separately, Horščak touched on the future participation of countries in the contest, stating that Slovenia might reconsider its decision regarding Eurovision if Israel is admitted. This position sparked further debate, as statements about the need for the contest to be “apolitical” were made at the same time.
Against this backdrop, the Slovenian broadcaster’s decision and rhetoric appear contradictory: on the one hand, there is a call to avoid politics; on the other, the statements themselves and potential boycotts only intensify the debate over whether Eurovision remains a purely musical contest or has become a platform for international disputes and symbolic gestures.
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