Following the recent resignation of Vladana as the Creative Director of Montesong, broadcaster RTCG has issued a public statement in response.
RTCG respond to Vladana’s public resignation
In the aftermath of a dramatic Montesong 2024, which saw winners NeonoeN withdraw from the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Vladana also withdrew from further involvement with Montesong.
Vladana Vučinić represented Montenegro at Eurovision in 2022, in Turin, with the song, ‘Breathe’. After two years out of the contest, she was among those supporting a Montenegrin comeback to Eurovision, and used her position as Creative Director at RTCG to support the launch of a new national selection, Montesong. She acted as Artistic Director and co-host of the show, which was held last week, on Wednesday.
Hours after the announcement of Neonoeon’s withdrawal, Vladana reacted with a statement of her own. On social media, she outlined her reasoning for resigning from the role of Artistic Director. As well as this, Vladana posed several questions to RTCG. These questions related to the transparency and funding aspects of the national final. “When things are done transparently, there is no need to keep quiet about them.”
The statement below are the words of RTCG
“Vladana, with her energy and lion-like work, carried the enormous burden of this project, successfully achieving one of the most important musical events of the year. She did it on behalf of RTCG, with dedication and professionalism that were inspiring for the entire team involved in this demanding project.
For the sake of the Montenegrin public, it is important to emphasise that Vladana led the entire project without any financial compensation.
Although she announced her withdrawal from RTCG, Vladana’s contribution remains immensely significant not only in the case of the festival, which is why we hope that our cooperation will continue, because the Public Media Service is based on the dedication of the people who make it up, and Vladana has proven this with her work.
Regarding the questions that Vladana raised with the public, we emphasise that the festival was organised transparently and with the support of the Association of Entertainers, which covered the bulk of the costs. It is also important to emphasise that the script and the selection of the host were not within the jurisdiction of RTCG.
The mistakes that occurred during the festival do not diminish the positive impression it left on the audience. On the contrary, they will serve solely as an incentive for the improvement of subsequent editions and further raising standards.
Therefore, we firmly believe that this much effort behind the organisation and realisation of Montesong should not be a reason for criticism, but an opportunity to recognise the success of the festival, but also its importance for the Montenegrin music scene.
It is time to turn to the evaluation of the invested work, effort and creativity of all participants. Only through the affirmation of positive examples can we together build an even stronger and higher quality platform for the promotion of domestic art and culture. In this sense, Montesong has proven that the Montenegrin music scene pulsates with talent and ideas that deserve attention and support.
We thank all partners, performers and audiences for the support and trust they have shown us. RTCG will remain committed to supporting projects that promote our artists and cultural scene, both here and on the European scene,”
RTCG are expected to announce a new representative for the Basel contest next May, in the coming days. This is a developing news story.
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