Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis responded on Thursday, 11 December, to the question submitted by SYRIZA regarding Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026 and ERT’s overall stance on the issue. Marinakis defended Israel’s right to participate, arguing that those demanding Israel’s exclusion are exhibiting racist behavior toward the Israeli people and Jews as a whole. He also commented on the opposition, using Eurovision terminology, saying that “if there were a contest for dogmatic opposition, we would get 12 points from every country.”
The matter of Greece’s participation in Eurovision 2026, amid growing calls not only from social media commentators but also from parliamentary parties for an immediate withdrawal due to Israel, was raised during Thursday’s briefing of political editors and foreign correspondents by the government spokesperson. This came after SYRIZA issued a statement urging the government to follow the example of the five countries that have withdrawn so far (Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland) in protest of the EBU’s decision not to exclude Israel from Eurovision, by withdrawing ERT’s participation.
Marinakis referenced ERT’s announcement, stating that during the EBU General Assembly, it was decided that there was no basis to consider Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision 2026. He concluded that “if certain national public broadcasters chose not to respect that decision, that concerns only them,” criticizing the five broadcasters for ignoring the majority vote and the collective decision of the EBU’s General Assembly.
Marinakis went further, characterizing as racist the behavior of those demanding Israel’s removal from the contest.
“Eurovision is a cultural music competition that unites. Ideological fixations and political disputes have no place. These are acts of grandstanding… There is racist treatment against the Israeli people and Jews by those who demand Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision.”
Naturally, he did not miss the opportunity to direct a political remark at the opposition, addressing them with irony and borrowing again from Eurovision terminology:
“If there were a contest for dogmatic opposition, we would get 12 points from every country.”
Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all developments!
