As the first semi-final gets underway tonight (February 25th), Serbia’s selection – Pesma za Evroviziju has been rescheduled. As a result, the final will take place on February 28th – this Friday.
No reason given for date change to February 28th
In an update revealed on their official website, Serbian broadcaster RTS confirmed that it will bring forward the remaining dates of the selection. Initially the selection had been due to be held on February 25th, 27th and March 1st. This has now changed, with both semi-finals taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday (February 25th and 26th), with the final now on Friday (February 28th).
RTS has not given an exact reason as to why this decision was made. Instead, the press release confirmed where fans in Serbia and abroad can watch the show live.
It comes following the withdrawal of host Slavko Došlo from the competition. Slavko had been due to present the show for the second year in a row, but confirmed on February 20th he would not be involved in the show. Giving his reasons for withdrawing from his hosting role, Slavko stated it was due to RTS’ reporting of anti-corruption demonstrations in the country. In a post on Instagram, he wrote:
With great gratitude to the RTS Entertainment Program team for the invitation and with respect for their efforts in organizing this complex event, I would like to inform you that I have made the decision not to be a part of the Eurovision Song Contest this year.
In the current social circumstances, I do not see the possibility of carrying out the job of hosting this competition with full integrity, nor of standing behind myself or the event itself in a way that I consider right. Thank you to the audience for your understanding.
Thirty acts are in contention to represent Serbia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The winner will be determined through a 50/50 combination from the jury and the televote.
Serbia’s Eurovision journey
In 2007, Serbia made its debut as an independent country, having previously participated as part of Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro. There, they were represented by Marija Šerifović with “Molitva”, which managed to win the competition. Since their debut, Serbia has participated 16 times (13 of which, where they qualified for the Grand Final).
Teya Dora represented Serbia at Eurovision 2024 in Malmö with her song “Ramonda”. At this year’s competition, Serbia managed to qualify for the Grand Final, where they placed 17th. At the close of voting, she received 54 points – 22 coming from the jury and 32 from the televote.
What do you think of the schedule changes in Serbia? Will they affect Pesma za Evroviziju 2025 for you on February 28th? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2025!
News Source: RTS
Photo Credit: RTS
Giwrgos Oiko