Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest

Infobox Eurovision country
Name = Yugoslavia

---

Caption = (1961–1991)
Flag2 = Flag of FR Yugoslavia.svg
Caption2 = (1992)
Member station = JRT
National selection event = Jugovizija
ESC apps = 27
ESC first = 1961
ESC last = 1992
ESC best = 1st, 1989
ESC worst = Last, 1964
Website =
EBU page = http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=67&country=7

Yugoslavia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 27 times, debuting in 1961 and competing every year until its last appearance in 1992, with the exceptions of 1977–1980, and 1985. Yugoslavia won the 1989 contest and hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 1990.

History

1961–1991: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961. The national pre-selection organized by its national Yugoslav Radio Television (JRT) was called "Jugovizija", and it featured entries submitted by the subnational public broadcasting centers based in the capitals of the each of the constituent republics of the Yugoslav federation: SR Bosnia and Herzegovina (RTV Sarajevo), SR Croatia (RTV Zagreb), SR Macedonia (RTV Skopje), SR Montenegro (RTV Titograd), SR Serbia (RTV Belgrade) & SR Slovenia (RTV Ljubljana) and also the broadcasting services of the constituent autonomous provinces: SAP Kosovo (RTV Priština) and SAP Vojvodina (RTV Novi Sad). [http://free-st.t-com.hr/eurodalmatia/statistika.htm Jugovizija statistics by year] , "Eurodalmatia" official ESC fan club, Dalmatia, Croatia] The first to compete in 1961 were Belgrade, Ljubljana and Zagreb, while the others joined in the following years. [http://free-st.t-com.hr/eurodalmatia/statistika.htm Jugovizija statistics by year] , "Eurodalmatia" ESC fan club, Dalmatia, Croatia]

During its existence, SFR Yugoslavia was represented by a variety of artists from five of the eight Yugoslav federal units. These artists were from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia, with Macedonia, Vojvodina, and Kosovo never passing the national pre-selection. Croatia was the most successful constituent republic, as its performers won the national contest 13 out of the 26 times SFR Yugoslavia took part in the contest. From 1977 to 1980, Yugoslavia didn't participate, but the national competition was still held from 1978 until 1980. Maja Odžaklievska from Macedonia won in 1980, [http://free-st.t-com.hr/eurodalmatia/statistika.htm Jugovizija statistics by year] , "Eurodalmatia" official ESC fan club, Dalmatia, Croatia] however due to the Yugoslav withdrawal, she did not perform in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, leaving the constituent Socialist Republic of Macedonia without its own Yugoslav representative.

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia won the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 with the song "Rock Me" by the group Riva. Following the rules of the contest, the Eurovision Song Contest 1990 took place in Zagreb, as the entry came from Croatia.

1992: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

During the process of breakup of SFR Yugoslavia in 1991, the former constituent republics Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia proclaimed independence and hence withdrew from "Jugovizija", while the then-leaderships of Serbia and Montenegro agreed to maintain a close alliance. On March 28, 1992, the countries that still (at least formally) constituted the fading and shrunken former Yugoslav federation took part in 1992 "Jugovizija" held in Belgrade. It included artists not only from Serbia and Montenegro, but also from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although the latter declared independence on March 1 of that year, it was still not recognized by the international community until April 6. Among it candidates was Alma Čardžić, who later represented the modern day independent Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest with the songs "Ostani kraj mene" and "Goodbye" in 1994 and 1997 respectively. [http://www.almacardzic.com.ba/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=28 Alma Čardžić Bio - Official Site] bs icon] The winner of that pre-selection was "Ljubim te pesmama" performed by Extra Nena (Snežana Berić) from Serbia. [http://www.extra-nena.com/biografija.htm Extra Nena Bio - Official Site] sr icon] Before that year's ESC took place, on April 28, a new federative state was formed consisting of Serbia and Montenegro called Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which was represented by the previously mentioned Extra Nena in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992 held on May 9. [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/05_may/06/eurovision7.shtml|title=Eurovision Trivia: Did you know...|date=2005-05-06|publisher="BBC News"|accessdate=2008-08-26] [cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/specials/read/9315|title=Interview with Extra Nena|last=Klier|first=Marcus|date=2007-09-28|publisher="ESCToday"|accessdate=2008-08-26] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4337783.stm|title=Eurovision shows political side|last=Deniz|first=Jose Miguel Galvan|date=2005-03-14|publisher="BBC News"|accessdate=2008-08-26]

1993–present: After the breakup of SFRY

After the dissolution of SFR Yugoslavia its former constituent republics proclaimed independence. The once subnational public radio and TV stations changed to national but under new names, including: RTV Slovenia, Croatian RTV, RTV Serbia, Macedonian RTV and so on. Since joining the EBU respectively, all of the ex-Yugoslav countries have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia.

Overall the results of the new republics have been mixed: Croatia had some early successes in the mid-1990s, and the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have enjoyed some success in recent years, while the F.Y.R. Macedonia have never secured a top 10 result despite making it through to the final each year until 2008, in which it lost at the semi-final stage. In 2004, the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro debuted and came in 2nd and in 2007, Montenegro joined the contest but failed to qualify for the final, while Serbia won the Eurovision Song Contest the first time it entered as an independent nation.

Contestants

Source: [cite web|url=http://www.eurovisioncovers.co.uk/xtyug.htm|title=Points to and from Yugoslavia (1975-1992)|publisher="EurovisionRecords"|accessdate=2008-09-27]

Hosting

ee also

*Yugoslav pop and rock scene

References

External links

* [http://www.eurovision.tv/ Eurovision official website]