Eurovision win boosts Serbia mood

By Ellie Tzortzi

BELGRADE (Reuters) - It's been a long time since Serbia won a popularity contest, and the country is going wild.

Some 25,000 people gathered in downtown Belgrade to welcome back Marija Serifovic, winner of the 2007 Eurovision song contest, waving flags and singing her passionate ballad "Molitva" (Prayer) again and again.

It was one of few reasons for national celebration this country has had in over 15 years of troubles, from war in the Balkans to international isolation and politics plagued by a nationalist hangover.

"A rare time when I was proud to be Serb," wrote user Zarko on the Web site of the popular B92 broadcasting network.

"I'm so glad it wasn't some war song," said Aleksandar Tijanic, director of RTS state television.

"Hosting this event in Belgrade next year will mean we have finally crossed into normality."

The victory could go some way towards assuaging Serbia's persecution syndrome: the country's role in the Yugoslav wars made it an international pariah for a decade. Many Serbs feel they were unfairly blamed by Western politicians and media.

"To those who say 'the world is against us', this shows Europe doesn't hate us, it gives ample reward when it's due," another user wrote on the B92 blog site.