Serbia has been turned into a progressive country.
This was demonstrated once again at the competition for financing and co-financing of projects in the field of culture in AP Vojvodina for the year 2025 at which the Academy of Arts from Novi Sad she didn't get a single dinar.
In principle: we will not give even a penny to those who protest to play violins, guitars or sculpt and paint and organize exhibitions.
The government once again demonstrated how institutions that oppose Aleksandar Vučić's policy in any way will pass by - they will simply be excluded from financial flows. A far-reaching law on higher education is also being prepared, the intention of which is to abolish the financial autonomy of state universities, with the aim of suppressing the germ of rebellion.
The revenge of the Serbian Progressive Party, whose top controls the state institutions, so they act in the interests of the party, not the public, has been experienced for three months by the professors of the rebel universities, who were punished by reducing their salary to half of the minimum wage. They will receive the means of living when they comply with the demand that the students in the blockade be forced to go back to school, so that the image of normality is re-established.
Vučić is suppressing the current rebellion with existential violence: those who will not listen will be denied money.
Stop and rule.
The Novi Sad Academy of Arts reacted to the results of the provincial competition on its official Facebook account: "After significant reductions in wages, minimum payments for contributions, cancellation of material costs and accumulated debts for electricity, water and other obligations - now we have also canceled funding for projects in the field of culture."
"This decision directly threatens the implementation of numerous significant artistic and publishing activities that the Academy traditionally carries out and which are recognized and supported by the public and the professional community," the statement continued.
And these are projects of special importance for the cultural life of Vojvodina, the quality of which has been confirmed by many years of continuous and successful practice.
Among those projects are concerts of the Symphony Orchestra of the Academy of Arts, Meetings of guitar students of academies and faculties in the region, Biennial of student photography, Workshops of the Department of Sculpture, the Differences project and the scientific magazine Proceedings of the Academy of Arts Novi Sad.
Brutal punishment
The Academy was "brutally punished" because it "bravely, dignified and uncompromisingly stood by the students and against violence", announced the Bravo Civic Movement.
"This is not a mistake. This is a message," he writes further, adding that the government is sending a signal to everyone who "dare to raise their voice against the regime."
And "it is particularly disgusting" that the funds were allocated to "those who nodded their heads to the regime, kept silent, calculated, sat on two chairs, and now present themselves as allies of the students."
"While the real institutions were on the street, in front of their students, they were in silence, waiting to see the outcome of events," believes the Bravo Movement and calls on all those who received funds and allegedly supported the students to publicly declare and support the Academy of Arts.
Because: "Culture is not decor. Art is not a tapestry to promote the regime. Culture is the first line of defense against collapse."
Source: FoNet/021.rs
