Kovačević founded the LZŠ in 1997 and appeared in the lead position on its electoral list for Kragujevac in the 1997 Serbian parliamentary election.

Kovačević was given the eighteenth position on the DOS's list and received a parliamentary mandate after the alliance won a landslide victory with 176 out of 250 seats.

[7] In October 2001, Kovačević organized a declaration on the future of the Šumadija region that was endorsed by the LZŠ and other parties, including G17 Plus and Social Democracy.

Kovačević was given the lead position on the coalition's Together for Tolerance (Zajedno za toleranciju, ZZT) list in the 2003 Serbian parliamentary election.

Kovačević ran for mayor of Kragujevic in the 2004 Serbian local elections and was defeated, finishing last in a field of eleven candidates.