Olivera Kovačević, longtime editor of special programs for RTS and producer of the most recent edition of Pesma za Evroviziju, has been removed from her post.
Olivera Kovačević fired
The shakeup in RTS leadership comes after a member of the RTS board submitted a complaint in March regarding political statements made by certain contestants. Anti-corruption, student-led protests have been ongoing since November 2024. RTS officially took a pro-government stance and strove to keep pro-student messaging out of the broadcast; however, several contestants displayed badges or other symbols supportive of the students.
Board member Predrag Azdejković, who submitted the complaint, justified his actions on the grounds that political messaging goes against the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest–a rule that in and of itself has sparked controversy over the past few contests due to Israel’s increasingly debated inclusion in Eurovision.
Kovačević confirmed to N1 that “as an editor, I did not want to censor anyone at the competition” and added that the EBU does not have immediate jurisdiction over the production of national selections. She also pointed out that several interval act performers withdrew out of support for the students.
Serbia have already confirmed their participation in the 2026 contest.
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).
Princ represented Serbia at Eurovision 2025 in Basel with his song “Mila”. At this year’s competition, Serbia failed to qualify for the Grand Final, finishing in fourteenth place with 28 points in the semi-final.
What do you think of this change in RTS leadership? How might this impact Serbia’s participation at Eurovision? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky for all your Eurovision news!
News Source: Informer, N1
Photo Credit: ATA Images
Rory Gannon 
Thomas James