In yet another chilling example of Serbia’s shrinking space for free expression, Partizan fan Velimir Đurović has revealed that his season ticket has been revoked — all because he dared to raise a banner critical of President Aleksandar Vučić.
During Partizan’s EuroLeague match against Paris in the Belgrade Arena, Đurović unfurled a banner that read:
“Students IN, Vučić OUT, Traitor. Who’s coming? BIA Čačad.”
What followed was immediate — commotion in the stands, pressure from security, and, soon after, the full weight of political retaliation disguised as ‘disciplinary action’.
Partizan’s management — under what many suspect to be political pressure from Vučić’s circle — announced that Đurović’s season pass had been cancelled, citing a supposed “violation of EuroLeague conduct rules.” But the reality is clear: his only ‘crime’ was dissent.
On his X (Twitter) account, Đurović fired back at the club’s decision, exposing the hypocrisy and intimidation tactics behind it:
“Abolished seasonal. Maybe they confused me with those hundred or so hooligans who mistreat people as soon as they mention the violation of Serbia’s positive regulations. I see no other reason. Privatization of the club in action. My ticket, our club, not yours or the regime’s. We will not give it. Napred Partizan.”
His words echo a sentiment felt by many fans — that Partizan, once a proud symbol of sporting spirit and defiance, has been hijacked by politics. Under Vučić’s Serbia, even football clubs are pressured to serve as propaganda tools, and any voice of protest — no matter how peaceful — is silenced.
The incident underscores a dangerous pattern: in Serbia today, criticism of the regime carries a price. Whether it’s journalists, students, or now sports fans, anyone who dares to speak out risks harassment, punishment, or exclusion.
Đurović’s revoked season ticket is more than a sports story — it’s a warning shot to every citizen who still believes in free thought and the right to dissent.
