Belgrade Philharmonic: Bojan Suđić is a morally unacceptable personnel solution

Belgrade Philharmonic se opposes the decision that Bojan Suđić will be the acting director of this institution, it is written in the title of their announcement.

They state that "while the Belgrade Philharmonic was together with Zubin Mehta on a visit to India, during which it achieved unprecedented international success, the Government of Serbia made a decision on the appointment of Bojan Suđić as the acting director of this institution".

"According to data from APR, Suđić is the majority owner of the Serbian Philharmonic, and he once shared co-ownership of the private orchestra with Dragoslav Bokan."

They point out that Suđić, "former director of the Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the RTS music production, ended his mandate in this institution with a court decision, the explanation of which states that he was responsible for mobbing an employee from the National Orchestra that operates within RTS."

They remind that "the crisis in the Belgrade Philharmonic, which has lasted since February 2024, led to the institution going on strike in March 2025" whose "main strike demand was the announcement of a public competition for the director of the Belgrade Philharmonic."

"At numerous meetings with representatives of the Government of Serbia, with authorities from the Ministry of Culture, as well as within the composition of the Board of Directors of the Belgrade Philharmonic until recently, the employees were explicit about Bojan Suđić as a candidate who does not have their support. They were repeatedly given a public promise and assurance that Suđić will not be a candidate that the Government will propose or appoint," say the philharmonic players.

"The key arguments for the opposition of the Belgrade Philharmonic relate to the fact that Bojan Suđić is a personnel decision that is morally unacceptable and which contradicts itself due to the history of relations with former employees. Also, Suđić is known for monopolizing the positions he held at the same time: chief conductor of the SO RTS, director of RTS Music Production, professor of conducting and orchestra subjects at FMU and selector of Bemus in several mandates."

"Instead of long-term benefits for the collective, the employees of the Belgrade Philharmonic believe that such a personnel decision is a product of deception and that it is solely about personal interest without a sustainable effect for an institution such as the Belgrade Philharmonic," the members of the Belgrade Philharmonic concluded in their statement.