Who Is Olivera Kovačević

Olivera Kovačević (born in Zrenjanin on 23 March 1967) is a Serbian journalist, television host and editor. She is best known as the author of the political show “Da, možda, ne” on Radio Television of Serbia (RTS). She later spent eight years editing the public broadcaster’s Entertainment Programme.

According to sources, she was also supervisor of the Pesma za Evroviziju festival. She is currently president of the Executive Board of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia. She is known for her outspoken views on media freedom, which have repeatedly made her a target of criticism and pressure.

Early Life and Childhood

Olivera Kovačević was born on 23 March 1967 in Zrenjanin, then part of the Socialist Republic of Serbia. In an interview with Hello magazine, she spoke about her hometown and the carefree days of her youth. According to some sources, she wanted to become a doctor as a child.

Information about her family and parents is not publicly known. For that reason, this biography does not include it.

Education

She attended secondary school at the “Koča Kolarov” grammar school in Zrenjanin. She then enrolled at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade, where she graduated in sociology. She has said that her professors were great authorities for her.

During her studies, she conducted public opinion polls at the NIN Forum. According to several sources, she also sang in the “Branko Krsmanović” choir, which provided backing vocals for Biljana Krstić.

Early Career

She began her journalism career in 1993 at Television Politika. According to sources, she spent around eight years there. After the political changes of October 2000, she moved to Pink television, where she hosted her own show, “Klopka”. She also worked at BK television until it shut down.

She joined Radio Television of Serbia in 2006, at the invitation of its then director Aleksandar Tijanić. That marked the start of her long period at the public broadcaster.

Rise to Prominence: “Oko” and “Da, možda, ne”

At RTS, she first created, edited and hosted the show “Oko”. She then launched the political show “Da, možda, ne”, which she hosted from 2008. The newspaper Danas credits her as the first journalist to bring dynamic talk-show formats, with direct questions and short answers, to Serbian television.

Her guests included the poet Duško Trifunović. Kovačević singled him out as a favorite guest, and he once joked on the show that it was time for him to marry. “Da, možda, ne” stopped airing in 2019. She was then offered a choice between the News Programme and the Entertainment Programme, and she chose Entertainment.

Editor of RTS’s Entertainment Programme

The RTS Board of Directors appointed Olivera Kovačević editor-in-chief of the Entertainment Programme on 20 July 2015. In that role, she announced that there would be no reality shows. The programmes “Slagalica” and “Žikina šarenica” stayed on air, and she said she would rely on talent and knowledge.

By her own account, she launched several formats during that time. They include “Luda noć”, “Najlepše narodne pesme”, “Pesma za Evroviziju”, “Bunt rok festival” and “Karavan najlepših narodnih pesama”. She also listed eight New Year’s programmes, as well as marking the centenary of the start of the First World War, sixty years of television in Serbia and one hundred years of Radio Belgrade.

After her term ended, she was not returned to the News Programme, but remained in Entertainment. Sandra Perović replaced her as editor-in-chief.

Pesma za Evroviziju

The Pesma za Evroviziju festival, formerly known as Beovizija, was revived under her editorial leadership. Eurovision fan portals wrote about her contribution to bringing the competition back. She remained supervisor and editor of the festival until the summer of 2025.

The “PZE25” edition took place amid a boycott by a number of musicians who cancelled their appearances in the revue part of the programme. Kovačević says that edition showed RTS could be open to artistic freedom of expression. She also notes that the European Broadcasting Union had no objections to the festival, as it streamed the final evening on its official YouTube channel.

Conflict with Informer and the Lawsuit Against Aleksandar Vučić

For years, the tabloid Informer added the label “yellow Olja” next to her name in its articles. In 2016, the Journalists’ Association of Serbia accused that paper of sexism towards her, and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality described it as inappropriate belittling. In 2018, the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia condemned threats directed at her and her colleague Ivan Ivanović.

In January 2025, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić claimed that she chooses the jury members and decides who represents Serbia at Eurovision. Kovačević rejected those claims and announced a lawsuit. According to her, she then filed it over the untruths that were stated.

Dismissal as Editor of Pesma za Evroviziju

RTS Director General Dragan Bujošević dismissed her in late July 2025 from the post of supervisor and editor of the festival. Kovačević told N1 that the stated reason was “disobedience”: she had refused to stop participants from expressing support for the student protests at the festival. She believes her public support for students, her signing of a letter by part of the RTS staff and her lawsuit against Vučić were also reasons.

RTS Board of Directors member Predrag Ajzdeković stated that the dismissal was the outcome of his complaint against her to the European Broadcasting Union. Kovačević replied that the union has no jurisdiction over national selections and had no objections to the festival.

Greatest Achievements

• Author and host of the political show “Da, možda, ne” (from 2008 to 2019).
• Creator and editor of the show “Oko” on RTS.
• Editor-in-chief of RTS’s Entertainment Programme (from 2015).
• Editor and supervisor of the Pesma za Evroviziju festival.
• President of the Executive Board of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia.

Public Engagement and Views

Olivera Kovačević often speaks about the position of the media. In September 2022, at a conference in Rovinj, she said that everything RTS and HRT do is “read” as the state’s position. At a rally in support of Zoran Kesić and the team of the show “24 minuta sa Zoranom Kesićem”, she said that his laughter frees people from fear.

In August 2025, she was the godmother of the Belgrade Pride. On that occasion, she assessed that the current situation in society is the biggest crisis since the assassination of Zoran Đinđić.

Private Life

She lives and works in Belgrade. Her partner is the politician Borko Stefanović. In one interview, she said she is happy in a long relationship and does not believe in papers as a guarantee of emotional happiness. Other details of her private life are not publicly confirmed and are therefore not included.

Interesting Facts

• She played herself in the series “Bela lađa” (from 2007 to 2010).
• In 2013, she appeared in the documentary theatre production “Sedam”.
• According to several sources, in 2004 she posed for the Serbian edition of Playboy magazine.
• She is an ambassador of the “Tijana Jurić” Foundation.

Awards and Recognition

In January 2017, she received the “Ivan Marković” award, presented by the “Odbrana” Media Centre. She is an ambassador of the “Tijana Jurić” Foundation.

Legacy and Influence

As the author of a political talk show, Olivera Kovačević shaped the way television conversations with politicians are conducted in Serbia. As an editor, she brought the Pesma za Evroviziju festival back to audiences. Her public engagement, especially in the Journalists’ Association of Serbia, makes her one of the recognizable voices in the debate on media freedom.