Boki 13 criticises absent stars at Marina Tucaković memorial

At the New Cemetery in Belgrade, a five-year memorial was held for the late songwriter Marina Tucaković. The gathering passed under a muted sky of attendance: aside from her husband Aleksandar Radulović – Futa, only Daniel Pavlović and Macedonian showman Bojan Jovanovski, known as Boki 13, were present among public figures who for years performed her songs.

Boki 13 travelled from Skopje for the commemoration and did not hide his disappointment with the many stars who publicly praised Marina but did not come to pay their respects in person.

Speaking to reporters at the cemetery he said, "I came from Skopje, and all these people live here, one minute from the cemetery. When they give statements to cameras, they all say how much they miss Marina, and today they are not here. That is great hypocrisy and a shame. Where is Ana Nikolić, who was her favorite? Where are the others?"

Defending his relationship with the family

Jovanovski also pushed back against rumours of a rift with Marina's husband. "Me and Futa in a quarrel? Never in my life. We are family, there is no problem here. Not a hundred Ceca's can make me fight with Futa," he declared, expressing how close he still feels to Marina's family. He added that pop star Jelena Karleuša had sent flowers the previous year and suggested she would have attended had relations with Futa been better.

The ceremony was an emotional return for Jovanovski, who has repeatedly spoken about the special bond he had with Marina and her son Milan (Laća). At the graveside he reflected on the family plot and on Marina's warmth and craft.

"When you look at that grave – a mother with both sons, with Miloš and Laća, it is morbid and sad. Marina was the most positive woman who never divided people, extremely intuitive and a woman who knew human nature and could make a hit in an instant," he said through tears and sorrow.

Jovanovski has also recalled that Milan visited him in hospital only about ten days before he was found dead in Israel. Reflecting on their closeness, he said in a podcast interview that, "For Marina and Futa and Laća my heart will forever be theirs. About ten days before he died, Laća (Marina Tucaković's son) visited me in the hospital, and about ten days later he perished. We had a special vibe. I heard many beautiful words from Marina that I will remember all my life, and one of them is 'It will be what it will be.'"

Marina Tucaković died on 19 September 2021 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 67. She was survived by her husband Aleksandar Radulović – Futa; her son Milan (Laća) died roughly one year after her death. Earlier in her life she had also suffered the loss of another son, Miloš, who died at the age of 24.

Photo: press material from the event