Quotes
I think the decision was mostly inspired by the references to Palestine last year,
Vuletic said
It's impossible to depoliticise the event,
Dean Vuletic, a historian and the author of the book "Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest", told AFPNo country boycotted Eurovision because of Israel" and the country garnered a high score
he pointed outGiven the current political climate, ... that idea of European unity against the outside is a strong thing."
she saidNo, absolutely, (we) won't pull out of it."
Asked if RTE would pull its Irish entry – the song Laika Party performed by singer Emmy – out of the competition, he said
I didn’t know about it so I didn’t raise it.”
Asked on Thursday why the matter wasn’t raised by RTÉ at various Oireachtas committee meetings it has attended in recent times, Mr Bakhurst, who assumed the role of director general in mid-2023, said
Notwithstanding the fact that the criterion for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest is membership of the European Broadcasting Union, RTÉ has nonetheless asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel’s inclusion in the contest.”
He addedIt’s very unfortunate to lose that amount of money” ... It was not hidden in any way.”
He said ... but addedIt is a very complicated issue and I’m very well aware that a number of EBU members would not be in favour of excluding Israel.”
He also saidIn doing this, we are mindful of RTÉ’s obligations as an independent, impartial public-service news and current-affairs provider, and of the need to maintain RTÉ’s objectivity in covering the war in Gaza.”
He also said