Marija Serifovic has kick-started an era of joy and celebration in Serbia as winners of the Eurovision Song Contest with their first entry as an independent country. Marija's victory was so important to the country that news of her win caused the interruption of a late-night parliamentary session where ministers were debating the creation of a pro-EU government.

Vojislav Kostunica, hoping to becoming the new Serbian prime minister in the next few days wrote to Marija with the message: "Well done Marija! The whole of Serbia is proud tonight and celebrates thanks to you."

Within moments of Serifovic's win, crowds started pouring onto the streets in central Belgrade to celebrate. Flares were fired, car horns were sounding through the night and the people were repeatedly singing Molitvar, the song that will take the Eurovision Song Contest to Serbia for the first time in 2008.