"Serbian Jury's Zero Points for Croatia Sparks Controversy on Eurovision"

Members of the Serbian professional jury for Eurovision 2026 have come under intense criticism following their decision to give Croatia zero points. The controversy has centered around young singer Lores, who was part of the jury and has since faced public backlash.

Lores, known for her participation in "Pesma za Evroviziju," publicly addressed the criticism she received, emphasizing her commitment to voting based solely on musical affinities and not political considerations.

In a heated response, Lores stated, "Do I think our neighbors deserved zero points? Absolutely not! I can't understand why you want to hear my votes just because someone decided to spit first without thinking."

She further criticized the mixing of politics and national identity in music, pointing out her own multicultural background. "The most important thing to me, which probably doesn't matter to you, is that I don't care about nationalities and such. As a Serb born into a multicultural family, I can assure you I will never address that," she emphatically declared.

Lores clarified that her voting was purely professional. "Everything done that day was purely and solely professional, not influenced by family ties. I consider Eurovision purely a musical competition."

"We Felt Like Queens on the Eurovision Stage"

The Croatian group Lelek, representing their country, finished 15th, while the Serbian band "Lavina" ended up in 17th place. The controversy over the zero points has sparked a debate on social media.

"We felt like queens on the Eurovision stage! We gave it our all, and in the final, we truly felt the presence of the audience. We are happy! Thank you to everyone who voted and supported us from the heart," the Lelek members said after the competition.

The Croatian group also noted they had no issue with the Serbian band Lavina. "We have no problem with Lavina. In fact, we spent time together in Vienna, and the guys told us they supported us wholeheartedly."