ERIAC Member Zejna Murkić Competes in Serbia’s Eurovision Selection (PZE 2026)
The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) welcomes artist Zejna Murkić as a member of its international community, a network of Roma and non-Roma intellectuals, artists, and cultural practitioners committed to advancing Roma arts and culture across Europe.
The partnership with Zejna Murkić has evolved through her engagement in ERIAC’s regional and international initiatives. She was also nominated for the Tajsa Roma Cultural Heritage Prize 2025, conferred biennially in recognition of outstanding Roma cultural achievement. In 2025, she delivered a remarkable performance during the Tajsa Award Ceremony held at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest. These activities form part of a broader, strategic effort to strengthen the professional positioning of Roma artists and expand their institutional presence.
Within this framework, ERIAC expresses its full support for Zejna Murkić’s participation in Pesma za Evroviziju 2026 (PZE 2026), Serbia’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, where she competes with the song Jugoslavija.
Zejna will compete in the first semifinal on 24 February. Viewers in Serbia can support her by voting via SMS or televoting during the live broadcast. Supporters outside Serbia can help by sharing her song on social media, encouraging friends and family in Serbia to vote, and raising visibility for her participation in PZE 2026.
“As an artist, it is important to me that my work has meaning beyond the stage — that it contributes to greater visibility, understanding, and space for Roma art today. I see ERIAC as an institution that builds that space in a long-term and responsible way, and I am proud to be part of such a large community. Participation in PZE 2026 is an important moment, but what matters even more is what we are building together before and after it,” said Zejna Murkić.
Bratislav Mitrović, Acting Executive Director of ERIAC Serbia, emphasized: “For ERIAC, collaboration with Zejna Murkić is not about a single performance or a single event; it is part of a broader struggle for visibility, dignity, and recognition of Roma artistic excellence. When Roma artists gain space to be seen and acknowledged on major stages, it is not only a personal success — it is a step forward for the Roma community and for society as a whole. Our shared struggle is a struggle for space, for voice, for recognition of Roma contributions to European cultural values, and for the right of Roma art to be an equal part of the contemporary cultural scene in Serbia and across Europe”.
As an international membership-based organization, European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture is dedicated to the promotion, development, and institutional affirmation of Roma arts and culture. Through its programs and partnerships, ERIAC works to enhance the visibility of Roma contributions to European cultural heritage and contemporary cultural discourse, while actively countering stereotypes and structural marginalization.