World National
©World National / Roger-Luc Chayer

Slovenian drag queens to play Eurovision?

SUMMARY: Gay organizations in Slovenia are fighting to stop challenges to results of the country's Eurovision song contest.

Gay organizations in Slovenia are fighting to stop the director of Slovenian National Television from trying to annul the results of the country's Eurovision song contest that was won by a drag queen trio called The Sisters.

Aleks Stakul, director of Slovenian National Television, wants to annul the results because there were problems with televoting. It was later agreed by a jury under broadcasting regulations that the results would stand.

The director, however, wants to repeat the televoting and judging with a different jury.

Gay groups believe that it is due to homophobia and that the director does not want drag queens representing the country.

The final decision on the dispute will be made by the TV Council later this week.

The Eurovision Song Contest is a festival of mostly entertaining songs selected by the television companies of Europe to represent local cultures. The 2002 contest will take place May 25 in Tallinn, Estonia. Previous winners include Dana International and ABBA.