The announcement of a concert by Serbian singer Jelena Karleuša, scheduled for the feast of the Assumption, has triggered a strong public reaction. Citizens and veterans' associations have expressed strong opposition to the performance, citing the singer's previous political statements, which they consider offensive to Croatia and the Croatian people.
The mayor of Vodic, Ante Cukrov, commented on the controversial announcement, stating that the event is inappropriate for the local community. He pointed out that the local administration has no legal authority to influence the programmes of private clubs, as they are only responsible for organising events on public land. However, he noted that he has received a large number of reactions, calls and messages from citizens regarding the case.
Cukrov explained that the issue is not the singer's origin from Serbia, but rather the public statements made by Jelena Karleuša. According to him, the singer is not welcome in Vodic because she has made negative comments about Croatia. The mayor stressed that this is a reaction to specific controversies, not a nationalist stance.
The media have previously reported on statements by the singer in which she referred to the Croatian language as a dialect of Serbian, and wished the Croatian people a fall from grace. The singer is also described as being close to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, which further complicates her public image in the region.
Citizens and veterans' associations have announced quiet protests in response to the concert announcement. The protests are expected to be joined by associations from outside the Šibenik-Knin County, indicating wider regional concern. Despite these protests, many performers from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries regularly perform in Vodic, and their previous performances have not been the subject of controversy.
