Serbia appears to be pursuing a new strategy to silence and intimidate those who speak out against the regime, by exerting direct pressure on educational institutions and the academic community. This assessment comes from university professor Janko Baljak in an opinion piece published in Radar.
According to him, the plan to build a large police complex near the Faculty of Dramatic Arts Belgrade is not merely an urban development project, but part of a broader trend aimed at controlling and disciplining critical spaces in society.
Baljak describes the project as the creation of a major police “facility” with thousands of personnel, surveillance cameras, and a heliport, to be located adjacent to the faculty effectively turning the academic environment into a monitored and militarized zone.
He compares the potential atmosphere to scenes from Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola, where helicopters and constant noise create a sense of fear and pressure, making normal artistic and academic life difficult.
According to Baljak, this development clearly shows that in Serbia, education, culture, and the arts are being marginalized, while the security and control apparatus is gaining priority. He warns that such an approach could further weaken institutions and push critical voices out of the public space.
Meanwhile, students and local residents have filed hundreds of complaints against the project, raising concerns about safety, the environment, and its impact on daily life. However, according to him, these objections are being ignored by the authorities.
