Aleksandar Tijanic, the general manager of Serbia’s state broadcaster RTS, has said that Serbia should participate at Eurovision 2014, even if music in the contest “isn’t that special.”

Speaking to Serbia’s Telegraf newspaper, Tijanic encouraged people to look past the 350,000 euros it costs to field a contestant. He said the nation has a “duty” to participate in the contest and pointed out that it is more successful at ESC than it is in the European football championships. “In football, Serbia persistently plays in the Qualifications for the European Championships, without achieving positive results,” he said. “Seeing as no one is asking for the football team to quit playing the Qualifications, why would then Serbia withdraw from Eurovision?”

He also criticized Croatia for dropping out of next year’s contest, and for being surprised that Klapa s mora didn’t do well. “Croats gave up not because of money but because they did not record any success [at the contest],” he said. “They wandered with concepts, and recently sent a vocal group. It would be like [Serbia] sending some folk performers.”

Don’t get too excited about Serbia’s return just yet. Tijanic points out that he can count on around 200,000 euros coming in from sponsors and advertisers to support Serbia’s Eurovision big. But he’ll still need to make up around 150,000 euros. We think he should ask Eurovision 2007 winner Marija Serifovic for the cash. She hosted a blinged-out party at the mansion of a friend in Malmö, so we think lady has some DEEP pockets.

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Photo: Eurovision.tv (EBU)

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Petar
Petar
11 years ago

@Cleo Most of the thing you said are non-sense: “7 years participated and only 1 win!!! (why not 10 wins) ?” So they should win 10 times in 7 years… You’re silly. Look about other countries and their results. They aren’t great as Azerbaijan but better then 2/3 of all countries. And no one expected from Moje 3 to win. But it is a disaster for not making the final.

Comy
Comy
11 years ago

Well,it’s sad that here in Balkan we don’t take ESC seriously 🙁
I just hope that Serbia will bring us good show like last year 😉
Greetings from Dancing Montenegro 😀

Cleo
Cleo
11 years ago

and they aren’t always in top 5… They try to be wannabe Azerbaijan crying about ”bad” results, but well, did Serbia really thought they will win with Mojr 3 getting 400+ points??

Cleo
Cleo
11 years ago

I heard from some serbians that they will probably withdraw because of bad results… Yeah, their results have been horrible! 7 years participated and only 1 win!!! (why not 10 wins) and when they get to the final they are always in top 15 (why not top 2) and

Arianna
11 years ago

Perhaps they will send a cheesy entry next year, but taking a chance on them returning with an improvement is better than not coming back at all. Plus the song was received really well, Moje 3 sang fine, it’s just those ridiculous outfits that did them in. & That Aleksandar guy has a point, why should the song contest, a one time event, which gives joy to people take a back seat behind sports, while sports are like constantly played

Charles
Charles
11 years ago

When I read this article the only thought crossing my mind about this guy Aleksandar Tijanic was: desperate or suffering depressively much? Plus: I could not hold my laughter when I read this one part “even if music in the contest isn’t that special” as it pretty much sums up to me the participation quality of many countries in Eurovision: taking music seriously? No way … Serbia has been doing the quality one year, the bad taste the other, on and off, on and off … it just bores me their lack of consistency – they either do great songs… Read more »

Marion
Marion
11 years ago

Alex, ahahahah !!!

Alex
Alex
11 years ago

They should send the guys who did Cipela and feature Andrius Pojavis for a truly epic operetta about shoes.