Marunović Expelled from Serbia After BIA Interrogation: Cultural War or Political Persecution?
Early this morning around 9 AM, Montenegrin director Danilo Marunović was detained by Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) in Belgrade. The reason? Unclear, but serious enough that after questioning, he was immediately ordered to leave Serbia. To make things even more surreal, agents raided his hotel room while he was in Belgrade for the performance of the play “Gospoda Glembajevi” at the National Theatre.
Marunović entered Serbia without any border issues, accompanied by his father, actor Slobodan Marunović. However, following the BIA’s intervention, he was forced to return to Montenegro immediately. Reports say agents escorted him all the way to the border. The rest of the theatre troupe from Podgorica is now at the Montenegrin Embassy in Belgrade, desperately trying to find out why their director was detained.
The theatre community is in shock, and reactions are pouring in. The Montenegrin ambassador to Serbia confirmed the detention but could not provide details. All relevant authorities have been informed, and Montenegro has sent a formal protest note to Serbia.
Political Witch Hunt on Artists?
This is not an isolated incident. Abaz Dizdarević, vice president of the DPS and a member of Montenegro’s parliament, condemned Marunović’s detention as part of an ongoing crackdown by Belgrade on those loudly defending Montenegro’s interests. He reminded that recently, Ivan Vuković, also a DPS vice president, was detained under similar circumstances.
“What threat can a university professor or a director possibly pose to Serbia? It’s clear they are targeted because of their unwavering stance and exposing Aleksandar Vučić’s intentions towards Montenegro,” Dizdarević said.
Mirko Stanić, president of the SDPA’s main board, added that now Montenegrin actors are also in the crosshairs. “Walk tall, don’t cry at foreign doors,” he quoted Krleža, hinting at the tough position of artists caught in this political storm.
Cultural War or Open Persecution?
This case casts a dark shadow over Serbia-Montenegro relations, especially in the cultural sphere. Has art become the new battleground for political vendettas? Will artists and intellectuals now fear stepping foot on Serbian soil?
While the theatre troupe fights for answers and justice, the public remains confused and concerned. Is this the start of a new era where freedom of expression is stifled by state security forces?
Conclusion: Where is the line between politics and culture?
As political tensions between Serbia and Montenegro escalate, the Marunović case clearly shows that culture is not spared. Detaining and expelling a director who came to present an artistic work in Belgrade feels like a direct blow to artistic freedom and Montenegro’s cultural scene.
If you think this is just the beginning, you’re probably right. Stay tuned, keep watching, and if you have a good joke about how actors are now being spied on, feel free to share it — because in this soap opera, humor might be all we have left.
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