Our country at the Eurovision song contest

Alongside the new manner of choosing a representative at the "Jugovizija" festival, Yugoslavia participated in the contest during the 1980s (with the exception of 1985, when it withdrew from it, because the date of the Eurovision coincided with the date of Tito's death, May 4^th) until the disintegration of the state in 1992, when it participated, incomplete (without Croatian and Slovenian television), for the last time.

Due to sanctions, expulsion from the United Nations and the Council of Europe, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro) could not apply for the membership in the European Broadcasting Union. Not until the political changes took place, the regime of Slobodan Milošević was overthrown and pro-European forces took over could the process of rejoining the United Nations and the Council of Europe be initiated, which was the precondition for the membership in the EBU.

Next year, in 2005, the representative of Serbia and Montenegro was the group "No Name" from Podgorica, whose song Zauvijek moja (Forever Mine) took 7^th place.

In 2006, the national selection for the representative of Serbia and Montenegro was rocked by a scandal, as the result of intense emotions in the two republics due to the initiative of Montenegrin authorities to hold a referendum regarding the independence of Montenegro. Poison arrows fired from both broadcasters, biased voting of Montenegrin jury members and the audience booing and leaving the Sava Centar hall in a protest at the national finale resulted in Serbia and Montenegro's withdrawal from the competition in Athens, although remaining a passive participant by joining the countries who had the right to vote, which is why the name of our country was, nevertheless, heard in the broadcast.

As early as next year, in 2007, Serbia and Montenegro, which had in the meantime become independent, performed at the competition in Helsinki. What happened there on May 12^th shall be remembered by Serbia and its citizens as the most joyful moment in its recent history... Marija's Molitva (Prayer) conquered Europe!

The winner of the national competition for the representative of Serbia in 2008 in Belgrade was Jelena Tomašević with the song "Oro", composed by Željko Joksimović and written by Dejan Ivanović. Jelena's magnificent interpretation and quality of the composition "Oro" did not go unnoticed. Serbia finished sixth in the 53^rd Eurovision Song Contest.

"Cipela" (Shoe) by Marko Kon in 2009 did not reach the final in Moscow, whereas in Oslo, Milan Stanković finished 13^th with the song "Ovo je Balkan" (This is the Balkans") by Goran Bregović, at the 55^th Eurovision Song Contest.

The charming and talented Nina Radojičić was the fifth Serbian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf. The song "Čaroban" (Magical) by Kristina Kovač was given enough points for the final by the large Eurovision audience and jury. In the final rankings, Serbia occupied the 14^th place, out of 43 participants.

In 2012, the Radio Television of Serbia made a decision to appoint Željko Joksimović to represent Serbia at the 57^th Eurovision Song Contest, which, for him, was the second time as the performer, and fifth in his career, at this prestigious musical event. He represented Serbia with the song "Nije ljubav stvar" (Love is not an Object), which occupied the splendid 3^rd place, in the competition of 42 countries.

Serbia was, in 2013, represented by the group "Moje 3" with the song "Ljubav je svuda" (Love is everywhere), which did not manage to qualify for the final.

After a one-year pause, in 2015, Serbia returned to the jubilee 60^th Eurovision Song Contest with the song performed by Bojana Stamenov who occupied the 10^th place in the final.

In 2016, at the Eurovision, Serbia was represented by the young and talented Sanja Vučić with the song "Goodbye". She finished 18^th in the final.