'Sisters' for Eurovision leave nation reeling

The tiny country of Slovenia has been rocked to its foundations. Society has split into two camps, there have been protests on the streets. And all because three men in lipstick, high heels and bright red air hostess uniforms were chosen to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest.

The row was finally resolved yesterday after the manager of Slovenian television, which organised the contest to pick a Eurovision representative, backed down from his demand for a revote.

For a country that broke away from Yugoslavia in a war only 10 years ago, it might seem rather a slight affair to get so steamed up about – after all, Eurovision was won only a few years ago by Dana International, an Israeli who had a sex change from man to woman.

But when the group Sestre, or Sisters – which is made up of Miss Marlena, the lead singer, and Daphne and Emperatrizz -- were named as winners of the television contest with their song "Only Love", despite losing the viewers' phone vote, there was a furore.

The decision was made by a combination of the phone-in and two juries, which plumped for Sisters, who won on points – by a tiny margin. The atmosphere in the studio turned ugly. There were rumours of a head-butting backstage.

Conservatives in the mainly Catholic country were enraged. Meanwhile it emerged there had been irregularities in the phone-in. The manager of Slovenian television, Aleks Stakul, wanted to start again.

Then international gay rights groups got involved, accusing Mr Stakul, and Sisters' opponents, of homophobia.

Finally yesterday, Mr Stakul agreed to let the result stand. But he has warned that Slovenian television is now facing a drastic fall in revenue from viewers so incensed at the result that they are refusing to pay their licence fees.