Belgrade Drama Arts school defends director attacked by authorities

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The Belgrade Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) said on Monday that it was standing by movie director Goran Markovic following attacks on him by the authorities over his warning to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Markovic gave an interview to Novi Magazin weekly in which he said that Vucic should remember what happened to Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu who was executed by firing squad in a rebellion against his regime. Markovic was attacked by regime-controlled media and public officials.

“Every ill-intentioned and impassioned attack, especially those against the work of a teacher demands reaction and protection. In that sense, the FDU stands in defense of the artistic and teaching efforts of its professor emeritus Goran Markovic,” an FDU statement said.

It said that differences in views between Markovic’s political stands and the authorities “cannot be subject to aggressive and incorrect interpretation because then it becomes a call to lynch and jeopardizes the safety to the individual”.

“This manner of communication, regardless of whether it comes through official channels or ssocial networks is extremely dangerous when state officials stand behind it. The FDU strongly protests that attacks on Goran Markovic’s professional and artistic work as well as the insults against him,” it said.

The FDU is part of the Belgrade Arts University. President Vucic’s media advisor Suzana Vasiljevic was recently named by the government to the FDU Council, prompting one of the professors to resign from the Council. Vasiljevic’s appointment is viewed by regime critics as an attempt to take control of the FDU as a possible opposition stronghold.