Jozinovic Sings Thompson on Video, Users Demand Serbia Ban
Sources disagree on where it was filmed: some write of a private celebration, others of a bar. Some users want him banned from performing in Serbia. The singer has not responded.
Telegraf and Mondo published stories on October 10 about a video in which Croatian singer Jakov Jozinovic sings “Ako ne znas sta je bilo,” a song originally performed by Marko Perkovic Thompson. The video has drawn comments on social media, and some users are calling for Jozinovic to be banned from performing in Serbia. The singer had not responded by the time those stories ran.
Where and when was the video filmed?
Telegraf reports that the video was first posted on a page called “Nasa Cukarica” and spread across the internet from there. The two outlets disagree on the setting: Telegraf writes about a private celebration, while Mondo describes a recording from a bar. Neither says when the video was made or gives an exact location. Telegraf adds that the clip alone does not reveal the wider context of the event.
What are users writing under the video?
Telegraf writes about thousands of comments and quotes four, each from an unnamed social media user:
- “Shame on you, you take our money at the Arena, then celebrate with Thompson!”
- “This is a knife in the back of every Serb who bought your ticket”
- “Ban him from crossing at Batrovci for all time!”
- “Go sing to him in Zagreb, you won’t be coming back to Belgrade!”
Telegraf adds that some users said the video disappointed them after the singer had won great popularity with domestic audiences. According to that story, some commenters consider singing Thompson’s songs sensitive because of crimes committed against Serbs in World War II.
Mondo reports that the video’s description asks for a “ban, quickly” and says Jozinovic can “sing it in his mom’s ear.” One commenter also asks “where was this video at the start of the craze” around the young singer.
Why is Thompson controversial in Serbia?
Thompson is controversial in Serbia because of the salute “Za dom spremni,” which he uses at some concerts and which is tied to the Ustasha regime of the Independent State of Croatia in World War II. Telegraf also notes that his performances and public image have been the subject of debate for years because of links to Croatian nationalism and Ustasha symbolism.
How many concerts has Jozinovic sold out in Serbia?
The reactions come as Jozinovic has recently drawn great attention from domestic audiences, with strong demand for his concerts. The figures in the two stories do not match: Telegraf writes that he sold out three Belgrade arenas in record time, while Mondo says he sold out 10 concerts at Sava Centar and the Belgrade Arena.
According to the stories published on October 10, Jozinovic has not commented on the video or on the reactions that followed.
