Lithuanian Broadcaster LRT Rejects Eurovision Boycott Over Israel
Lithuanian broadcaster LRT stated it will not boycott Eurovision 2027 over Israel, while former Lithuanian entrant Lyon Syka criticized the pro-Palestinian movement online.
Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT has confirmed it has no intentions of boycotting the Eurovision Song Contest 2027 despite Israel's participation, according to a statement provided to the BNS news agency. This comes after Ireland's national broadcaster announced it would pull out of the competition over Israel's ongoing military campaign in the Gaza Strip. LRT, however, has chosen to align strictly with the policies of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
LRT Backs EBU Guidelines
"LRT adheres to the position of the European Broadcasting Union and is not currently considering the possibility of withdrawing from the Eurovision Song Contest," the network stated. The EBU handles all organizational matters regarding the contest, and LRT, as an active member, respects the collective decisions made within the organization.
"The EBU decides on matters related to the organization of the competition, and LRT respects the decisions made collectively within the organization."
Eurovision Contestant Speaks Out
Meanwhile, Lithuania's representative for Eurovision 2026, Lyon Syka, has entered the political fray. Syka, who maintained a neutral stance during the contest and was considered one of its colorful participants, shared an Instagram story featuring a sharp critique of the pro-Palestinian movement. The video claimed that chanting slogans like "Free Palestine" requires no courage and is instead a sign of cowardice and ignorance, alongside a brief reference to the October 7 attacks and allegations that radical Islamic networks fund and fuel the movement.
The response was swift. A prominent Eurovision fan tagged Syka in a critical post, writing: "It takes two seconds to educate yourself and understand decades of occupation and violence against Palestinians; Lyon Syka, you should be ashamed of yourself." Syka fired back bluntly, telling the user to learn history and stop tagging him. He later shared another story referencing Ed Sheeran's decision to drop Macklemore from his tour over pro-Palestinian statements, continuing his critique of the movement's pressure on artists.
