Welcome to Serbian justice – where fairness isn’t equal for all, and the law changes like the weather! At a debate in Novi Sad titled “Who’s Crushing Us, Who’s Protecting Us?” a real drama unfolded: identical cases of violence against students and citizens are handled completely differently depending on who the accused is, who the defense lawyer is, or who the prosecutor is. Yes, you read that right – justice in Serbia isn’t blind, it’s selective and often serves the interests of the powerful, not truth or law.
Bojana Savović, a prosecutor from Belgrade and member of the Center for Judicial Research (CEPRIS), warns that there are only a handful of so-called “loyal prosecutors” in the judiciary – those ready to “close” any case as needed, but at the expense of justice. These people, she says, are dangerous for society because they turn the judiciary into a game of power and interests, not a service for citizens.
The examples are shocking: six suspects accused of violent attempts to change the government pleaded guilty, but cases of violence against female students in Belgrade and New Belgrade are treated as different crimes – ranging from attempted murder to offenses against public safety. How come? It depends on who’s on the defendant’s bench and who holds the prosecutor’s baton.
Predrag Voštinić, an activist from Kraljevo, bluntly says citizens have no right to be naive and ask why institutions don’t do their job. “Who’s crushing us? The one who promoted it and gave it the right! And the cure for that? Cold water!”, he paraphrases President Vučić’s statement with bitterness and irony that stings the eyes.
At the start of the debate, a part of the documentary film “Chronicle of Foretold Violence” was shown, depicting how citizens are crushed by blockades while paying tribute to the fallen at the Novi Sad railway station. Jovana Polić, a journalist and co-author of the film, reminds us that violence isn’t new – it has lasted for decades, only the intensity changes. Today, the targets are people fighting for truth, freedom, and justice, and this has been going on for 13 years straight.
This debate isn’t just about the judiciary; it’s about social chaos where institutions don’t protect citizens but crush them. If you think justice in Serbia is blind, think again – it sometimes closes its eyes, and sometimes opens them only for those in power.
If you think this is just another story about problems, remember that justice is the pillar of society. And when that pillar starts to shake, we’re all in danger. So, what do you think – who’s really crushing us and who’s protecting us? Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or just laugh at this judicial farce. Because if we can’t laugh, what’s left for us?
