Lithuania Rules Out Eurovision Boycott Despite Ireland, Netherlands Exit
(MENAFN) Lithuania's public broadcaster said Monday it has no plans to pull out of the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, breaking from broadcasters in Ireland and the Netherlands that have moved to boycott the competition over Israel's participation.
Lithuanian Radio and Television (LRT) said it would defer to the stance taken by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organization behind the contest, according to Lithuanian news agency BNS.
“LRT adheres to the position of the European Broadcasting Union and is not currently considering the possibility of withdrawing from the Eurovision Song Contest,” LRT's administration told a news agency.
“The EBU decides on matters related to the organization of the contest, and LRT, as a member of the EBU, adheres to and respects the decisions made collectively within the organization,” it added.
The broadcaster said preparations for 2027 are already underway, noting it has opened applications for artists hoping to compete in Lithuania's national selection process, EUROVIZIJA.LT.
Lithuania's decision to stay in the contest stands in contrast to moves by Ireland's national broadcaster and a Dutch broadcaster, both of which have confirmed they will sit out the 2027 edition specifically over Israel's involvement.
Those announcements extend a wave of withdrawals that began ahead of the 2026 contest. The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all skipped the 2026 competition entirely, while Spain, Ireland and Slovenia went a step further and declined to broadcast it as well.
Lithuania, by contrast, competed in 2026, with representative Lion Ceccah placing 22nd in the Vienna final in May with the song "Solo quiero mas."
The 2027 Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place May 15 in Burgas, a Black Sea city in Bulgaria.
Lithuanian Radio and Television (LRT) said it would defer to the stance taken by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organization behind the contest, according to Lithuanian news agency BNS.
“LRT adheres to the position of the European Broadcasting Union and is not currently considering the possibility of withdrawing from the Eurovision Song Contest,” LRT's administration told a news agency.
“The EBU decides on matters related to the organization of the contest, and LRT, as a member of the EBU, adheres to and respects the decisions made collectively within the organization,” it added.
The broadcaster said preparations for 2027 are already underway, noting it has opened applications for artists hoping to compete in Lithuania's national selection process, EUROVIZIJA.LT.
Lithuania's decision to stay in the contest stands in contrast to moves by Ireland's national broadcaster and a Dutch broadcaster, both of which have confirmed they will sit out the 2027 edition specifically over Israel's involvement.
Those announcements extend a wave of withdrawals that began ahead of the 2026 contest. The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all skipped the 2026 competition entirely, while Spain, Ireland and Slovenia went a step further and declined to broadcast it as well.
Lithuania, by contrast, competed in 2026, with representative Lion Ceccah placing 22nd in the Vienna final in May with the song "Solo quiero mas."
The 2027 Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place May 15 in Burgas, a Black Sea city in Bulgaria.
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