Serbia’s Ministry of Defence has terminated its cooperation agreement with Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) for the production of the long-running television programme “Dozvolite…”, citing the public broadcaster’s failure to meet its contractual obligations.
In a statement, the Ministry said RTS had repeatedly been warned about deviations from the commitments outlined in the cooperation protocol, with the aim of resolving the issues and maintaining the partnership.
However, despite several months of efforts, no progress was made, prompting the Ministry to terminate the agreement.
The project was carried out under a contract between the Ministry’s Military Film Centre “Zastava Film” and RTS, together with a cooperation protocol. The partnership officially ended on November 5, 2026.
Following the termination, the Ministry of Defence will no longer authorise RTS to film or produce new episodes of the programme or use the Ministry’s and Serbian Armed Forces’ logos, symbols and other official insignia, including those of their organisational units.
RTS is also prohibited from identifying any member of the Ministry of Defence or the Serbian Armed Forces as an author, co-author or contributor to the programme, or from creating the impression that the Military Film Centre “Zastava Film” remains involved in its production.
The Ministry and the Serbian Armed Forces have further distanced themselves from any episodes broadcast after November 5, 2026.
A programme with more than six decades of history
“Dozvolite…” first aired on October 1, 1965, under the title “Od jutra do povečerja” (From Morning Until Lights Out). The programme initially focused on the everyday lives of ordinary soldiers serving in the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), which at the time had approximately 240,000 personnel. Danka Novović was its original presenter.
In the mid-1970s, the programme was renamed “Dozvolite da se obratimo…” (Allow Us to Address You), a phrase traditionally used by soldiers when addressing their commanding officers. During the 1990s, it adopted its current title, “Dozvolite…”.
Until the breakup of Yugoslavia, the programme was broadcast approximately once a month. From the beginning of the 1990s, it became a weekly broadcast.
Last Saturday, the programme aired its 1,941st episode at noon. Over the decades, more than 2,200 hours of content have been produced.
The Ministry of Defence thanked RTS employees who had contributed to the programme over the years and decades, highlighting their role in informing the public about the activities of the defence system and the Serbian Armed Forces.
It also said it remained open to cooperation with other media organisations on projects aimed at informing the public, promoting the Serbian Armed Forces, and highlighting military service and tradition.
