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Constant row with Tijanić
Marija seeks support from Serbian president
The singer claims that the president should talk to Tijanić as he is "his man", ie a supporter of the moderate, left-wing, pro-EU Tadić. She is suing Tijanić for not inviting her.
At a press conference, Marija appeared with members of Tadić's opposition, the right-wing extremists the Serbian Radical Party. She is supporting their candidate Tomislav Nikolić in the ongoing elections, the run-off of which takes place this Sunday. Marija has also performed at the radicals' pre-election campaigns, where badges were worn depicting their leader Vojislav Šešelj, currently imprisoned in the Hague on trial for war crimes.
Serbia's 2004 Eurovision Song Contest runner-up Željko Joksimović took part in Monday's draw instead of Marija.
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I find it bizarre that Marija Serifovic would back a far right party when she is clearly a lesbian
Surely they would not support that!
I just dont get her. Maybe he did not invite her because she is a total menace and has a bad attitude?
UWE
Artists are prefectly allowed to do politics. your forgetting that eastern europe is FAR more politicised than the west. Its a sad state of affairs really that more western people dont take an interest, i mean if it wasn't for politics reaching the majority rather than the privilaged minority, all countries would be dictatorships.
Also there is a VERY big difference between Ruslana and Marija, Ruslana stood up for democracy in Ukraine in the Orange Revolution, Marija is standing up for Genocide in a presidential election.
She s already forgotten outside Serbia. What a Pity, she has a great Voice, but did nothing from her Eurovision Winning.
Verka Serduchka should have been Number One.
Why do they ALL want to do Politics in East Europe, incl. Ruslana, are they not happy with their MUSIC?
@ Owen Williams
Once more, I fully agree with you.
Marija is - as ESC-winner and EU-ambassadress - in a position where she is obliged to choose her words carefully...
Well, worded that way I agree, Owen.
That's sweet, Darko, thank you. 
Marija Serfovic is a very troubled young individual who has all her life had extreme problem of not fitting in because of her looks and the fact she is a lesbian. Now that she has made some success she thinks she is the most powerful person in the world and behaves outrageously by displaying crudeness and utter stupidity (although intelligent). By making decisions she has made recently it is obvious that many people that used to like her will not only cease to do so but will start hating her! I never liked her, now I loath her!!!
DOWN WITH NARROW-MINDEDNESS!!!DOWN WITH THE UGLY L.E.S.B.I.A.N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Djamila
Did i say that all Serbians are radicals?
No on the contrary I said they weren't! I just don't want someone like that representing Serbia again! She is racist and backs genocide, its not the best advertisement for a country that supposedly wants to join the EU or even whats to be seen as a real power on an international scale, or for that matter a country that has had the history that Serbia has had!
VN I'm not comparing Germany with Serbia (in fact Germany NOW is 100 times better than the vast majority of Europe), and yes other countries have far right parties doing well, the difference is that they haven't just won and international event and got the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest backing their far right party!
Most people accept that Serbia committed genocide, and nearly EVERYONE accepts Germany did, the difference is you wouldn't have got Nicole backing the neo-nazis in Germany!
Anyway, at the end of the day she is backing a neo-nazi, far right wing party that advocates genocide! Something that is inexcusable considering her involvement in a peaceful, supposedly non-political contest! No matter how you look at it!
maria explained that stood up for radicals.because when she came back from esc to serbia she just got chocolate from democratics.they love more mtv awards fore best adria act instead of eurovision which become freakshow during this past years!maria deserved victory!we ll see all performers this year
and who is better tnan her.
@Djamila: very sorry to hear you still have your doubts about visiting. We had a similar discussion last time we spoke and I remember feeling a little sad about it then. Had I not been fully booked already with a couple of friends visiting I would have made it my mission to bring you over, seriously. And I wouldn't treat you as a member of family - that can be too overpowering and imposing at times - but as a dear guest of honour. It looks like we'll have to wait for another chance to do that.
can you please stop write stupids?
like germany,spain,france,italy,uk are saints!
well yogoslavia had a civil war in 1990 s.
All new countries who came out of this nightmare neeedeed to buld a new strong nationla identity.
serbs are nationalists -more than western citizens -cause of that -lets no forget war of 1999 . Same happens with countries as croatia-bosnia even fyrom. When u are in danger u bult myths to survive.
serbs might think that they are the best or anything or that they live with inferiors around them.
Let them bilieve it. Sooner or later they will face the truth.
Owen, it's because of people with views such as your own that it is a great fortune Serbia is organizing this year's Eurovision. And I don't blame you for your views, I've certainly held far worse views of Serbia and, to be honest, you'd have to drag me kicking and screaming to visit that country even today. But Serbia is suffering from something similar to what Arabs are suffering from. You have a minority of people with radical views and the outside world knows so little about Serbs or Arabs that they paint them all with the same brush. Eurovision is going to draw out the best of Serbian society, the liberals and others, who are more likely to enjoy this sort of thing. I know that if I could bring myself to visit Belgrade for the show, I would be welcomed like a part of the family by most people and that's true for every nationality that will visit. It's unfortunate that Marija has chosen to take the first shot at ruining this opportunity for Serbia to change its image, but she is still just one woman just the same. She represents only herself when she goes on about these things. Once everyone gets to Belgrade, they'll get a much different impression.
@owen williams quote: VN and if Nazi Germany was to hold the Eurovision Song Contest you would still be as lenient?
what sort of argument is that? I said that serbia is no more nationalist than many western countries are. Though it faces a big national problem (with Kosovo) and though its been less than 2 decades that it was in war the country is no more racist or far-right than those peaceful western european countries.
I say get the nazi out of ESC...and so i support the appeal to forbid to Marija to sing in the night cause it has made it clear she goes on insulting people and countries.
But its statements like that...comparing a proud democratic nation like Serbia with nazi Germany that makes me more sick these days.
And Owen Williams if u think Serbia can be compared with nazi Germany what would u say about contemporary Austria?
Anyway throw the any kind of racists out of esc and let serbia organise, what i hope it will be, one of the best esc ever
........Lesbian!!!!!
Wow Mila, where were you hiding? Good to read you again.
I was willing to give her to benefit of the doubt last year when she gave the three-fingered salute. It means different things to different people. My own dear friend Mirjana, a Serb, did it in one of my wedding pictures. For her it's just a subconscious gesture she makes when she's excited - it's cultural. It's the same reason I wear so much eyeliner, neither one of us thinks about it. But, since then, Marija has proven to be a true nationalist and I can't support her in anything. The only thing I can do is listen to the Bosnian version of her song with Deen and Feminnem, hahaha: http://youtube.com/watch?v=NBAQQ_Q5Mi0
After what she said of Finns (even though it was claimed to be a joke afterwards and might so be) people stop liking her. It's a pity since Molitva was really liked here in Finland during the Eurovision time. She could have made some money here, but not anymore after her present opinions.
@ hanne gundersen
Why did she canceled several concerts in Scandinavia? Had she not sold enough tickets for them? Were too few people interested in listening to her? Or did she has another reason?
It is also not helping her case that she sing Molitva at Serbian Radical Party events. The song itself get in this way a political connotation and the ESC should be political neutral.
I dont understan why she is so keen on being there. I meen she has cancelled several conserts around in Scandinavia and she has NOT been a good ambassedaur for her contry.
personally i hate the woman. I hope she dont get invited to the real show in Belgrade at all!
What was the accusation for Helsinki? Kind of do not remember.
VN and if Nazi Germany was to hold the Eurovision Song Contest you would still be as lenient?
We're not saying ALL Serbs are radical ect. thats rediculous of course they aren't but ESC was created to bring together a war stricken Europe no matter what the political situation, how big the country was or what religion it was! Marija has gone DIRECTLY against that aim! she has come out as not only a radical but a racist and someone who advocates genocide and the harsh rule over "inferiour" neighbours or races!
THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE THING FOR AN ESC WINNER TO SAY!
Now i'm all for freedom of speech but there HAS to be limits! she is in a very powerful situation, winning ESC brings great responsibility and responsibility that was increased when she became an EU ambassador! This responsibility means she (unlike other people) CANNOT say things like this without consequences!
Sure, its about politics but she made it about ESC the minute she decided to sue the Serbian Television broadcaster!
Short of stripping her of ESC winner I think every effort should be taken to take her out of ESC involvement!
@Darko S
No, I don't want Maria to sing in ESC 2008. Hope my message won't be translated in that way.
lol...the blood starts heating
why is it everytime a country is hosting eurovision all the rest of us must accuse it of something???
ukraine was accused that it will not be able to host the contest cause of political turmoil, everyone was laughing against greece that they would not build the stage in time, even poor finland was accused by some that it will not have enough accomodation...and now because of neo-marija (a person whose views from what i understand from serbian fans r laughed at even in her country) the whole country is asked to ask sorry for her and for those who support the radicals.
Its just a contest! Get over it!
@ darko
Actually what he implies is that a lot of serbians share the same views as Marija by supporting the radicals. What he doesnt want to see is that we r talking about a country that is about to lose a big part of it without any objection of EU and under such circumstances radical political parties r ready to exploit any fear or indignation of people.
What he does not want to see is that, maybe not yet in Sweden, but in most of the peaceful Western European parliaments nazi and ultra-nationalist parties r trying to reborn and in some of these parliaments they hold significant parts even majorities.
What he does not want to see, is according to recent political surveys, Sweden is considered the 5th most nationalistic country in europe.
There r everywhere idiots that will promote their racist cretinisms. But when u start calling a whole country responsible according to its parliament moronity percentage...then u just become a perpetuation of stereotypes yourself.
w s: I don't think anything will visibly and immediately change if Nikolic wins on Sunday, the world won't stop. it would be extremely problematic and upsetting for the pro-European political forces in Serbia and would cause serious commotion in the government, but it doesn't mean that any European ESC visitors would have their eyes poked out the moment they touch the runway in Belgrade. My hunch is that the radicals themselves will try and make sure everything goes smoothly with the ESC. We definitely should brace ourselves though for an eventful festival, if she turns up on stage there's sure to be a reaction of some sort - I'm thinking of the Monenegrin jury in 2006 and how they were chastised for a lot smalled "sin". Of course I could be horribly, horribly wrong.
@ Bjorn: I see where you're coming from in your question to vn. But what you're saying indirectly implies that it would be OK for Marija to have radical views and sing on stage - provided the radicals didn't have such big support in Serbia (just as the equivalent Swedish political party is marginal in the parliament there). I don't think that's right. Right wing extremism is made up of the same diseased tissue anywhere in the world, or so is my belief.
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