A recent video by Spanish YouTuber Luca Garzeli has ignited discussions among Eurovision enthusiasts. Known for his detailed analyses of the contest, Garzeli suggests there is a persistent anti-Greek sentiment in the voting, particularly from Scandinavian and Baltic countries.
“Welcome to my channel, friends,” he opens the video, introducing what he calls the “wall of shame.” “I’ve spotted an anti-Greek trend in Eurovision. Let’s dive into it.” He reviews the results of this year’s semifinal, where Greece and Klavdia with “Assteromata” secured fourth place.
“They had us on edge; we nearly had a heart attack,” he quips. His primary concern was the scant support from specific countries. “One 12-pointer for Greece, a few 10s… but look at the discrepancies: 1 point from Finland, 0 from Latvia and Lithuania. All other countries cast their votes—except those two. Very suspicious.”
Garzeli claims the situation worsened in the final, noting no points came from Scandinavian nations—neither from the public nor the juries. He displayed a table tracking the public votes for Greece from Nordic countries over the past decade, revealing disappointing figures: 9 points from Denmark, 0 from Estonia, 3 from Finland, 1 from Norway (excluding 19 points for Amanda Georgiadi because of her Norwegian ties), 5 from Sweden, 6 from Iceland, 0 from Lithuania, and 2 from Latvia.
“How are we ever going to win with these scores?” he laments, visibly exasperated. “If we in the Mediterranean don’t support one another, how can we expect to win the trophy?” He had anticipated more backing from Southern countries, but was let down: “Only Cyprus consistently voted for us. The rest? 20 from France, 12 from Spain, 26 from Portugal, 16 from Malta, 17 from Italy. It’s not enough.”
Garzeli added a humorous touch by reading some sarcastic comments he received, including a Turkish joke: “Long live Gayreece,” which prompted him to wave Greek and Cypriot flags. He jokingly remarked, “This Friday is Euroleague: Panathinaikos vs. Fenerbahce. We must win!”
Reflecting on his initial support for Evangelia during the Greek national final, Garzeli admitted:
“I wasn’t a fan of Klavdia at first. I supported Evangelia. She should’ve gone with the music she usually makes, not a song that sounds like a football chant. I enjoyed ‘Vále’, but it’s not the same. She needs to stick to her style.”
While some critics suggest he analyzes Eurovision merely for views, Garzeli responded:
“The earlier videos with Klavdia weren’t meant for profit, as they featured Assteromata. Love isn’t about money. However, this one? Yes, it’s for views—especially since it doesn’t include a song. I need to recover the €20 I spent voting for Klavdia, which proved pointless. I was the only one who voted for Greece from Spain.”
He even shared a viewer message from someone who tried to vote from Spain but received a notification saying the number was invalid. “President, resign! We want to vote for Greece!” he quipped.
Garzeli wrapped up by mentioning he’s preparing one final video on Klavdia’s Eurovision journey, promising to stay connected with his audience. He also applauded ERT’s plans to revamp the national final, following the format of Sweden’s Melodifestivalen.
“After this year’s ratings, ERT is seriously considering an expansion. The semifinals and finals generated €465,000, while costs were €400,000. If not for Assteromata, nothing would have changed. The energy of that song resonated with the Greek people,” he noted.
After a decade of lackluster results, Klavdia’s 6th-place finish this year marks what Garzeli calls a “historic success.” He concluded with:
“History shows that Greece needs powerful, emotional songs with strong voices.”
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