How Marija Šerifović managed to conquer both Serbia and Europe

May 13th 2007 Before Marija Šerifović won the Beovision song contest, everybody in Serbia were saying that there is no chance that some “dyke” and a “Gypsy-girl who looks like a guy” will get to represent them at the Eurovision song contest, and that no one in Serbia would vote for her. The general manager of the Serbian National TV (RTS), Aleksandar Tijanić (who claims today that RTS will provide the funds to award Marija the same way the athletes get awarded for special achievements) even refused to approve the participation of the song at the contest if Marija’s manager accompanies her, which was something she insisted on. In the end he gave in, but he refused to approve the funds for making the video for the song, writes Goran Miletić in his blog at B92... A couple of hours ago, Marija was greeted in Belgrade by the crowd of about 50 – 70 000 people at the town’s central square, and everybody in Serbia now takes pride in her victory at the Eurosong. “Why didn’t you care about her before, why do you do now? She has done this all more or less by herself”, writes Miletić. On the croatian lesbian portal the following comment was posted, complimenting the idea for the performance: “…a gay scenery, but at the same time “decent” enough for the older generation abroad not to be able to connect the dots. And so Marija got the votes of both the gays and the gastarbeiters all across Europe.” And how did she get to represent Serbia in the first place? Probably due to the fact that her styling for Beovision was also wisely planned – it was the exact opposite of the styling presented at the Eurosong.  p. s. the web-site for the Eurosong 2008 is already up and running.