Serbia and Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004

ESC National Year
Year = 2004
Country = SCG
Preselection = Evropesma 2004
Preselection date = 21 February 2004
Entrant = Željko Joksimović
Song = "Lane Moje"
SF result = "Qualified" (1st, 263 points)
Final result = 2nd, 263 points

Serbia and Montenegro returned to the Eurovision Song Contest after a 12 year absence, previously as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Serbia and Montenegro decided their entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 through Evropesma 2004, where it was decided, through the use of 8 judges (4 from Serbia and 4 from Montenegro) and televoting, that Željko Joksimović, with the song Lane moje, would sing for Serbia and Montenegro at Eurovision 2004.

However, there was some controversy in the national final, in that the Serbian judges did not give a single poin to the Montenegrin songs. However, it was agreed on both sides that Joksimović's song was the best.

Evropesma 2004

The national final, Evropesma 2004, was held on 21 February 2004 in the Sava Center, Belgrade. 4 songs from the Serbian preselection Beovizija 2004, plus 20 pre-selected songs competed to represent Serbia and Montenegro at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul.

At Eurovision

As of 2004, the Eurovision Song Contest would include a semi-final to select 10 countries to progress to the final. Joksimović sang at the semi-final on 12 May 2004, singing 20th, following Denmark and preceing Bosnia and Herzegovina. The song came first in the semi-final, with 263 points, and progressed to the final.

At the final on 15 May, Joksimović sang 5th, following France and preceding Malta. The song came 2nd, behind Ruslana of the Ukraine, with 263 points, meaning that Serbia and Montenegro automatically qualified for the final in the 2005 contest.

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/national_finals_90s_00s/Serbia_Montenegro2004.html Serbia & Montenegro National Final page]