The Serbian regime seems to have created a new “job position”—a role dedicated to devising small-scale cruelties to make life unbearable for citizens supporting protests. These actions, while seemingly minor, often carry major consequences for those targeted.
Targeting Protesters and Independent Citizens
Authorities are ready to infiltrate every level of society to suppress any move toward institutional independence. Police, courts, prosecutors, school directors, and state propagandists participate in these daily acts of harassment, which are often framed as “justified penalties for protestors” but in reality threaten livelihoods and safety.
The Case of Milomir Jaćimović
Milomir Jaćimović, a businessman who provided free transport to students supporting protests, has faced continuous harassment, including police arrests and repeated vehicle seizures. On 7 November, he was detained for “disturbing public order” after blocking the municipal building in Žabalj with his bus in protest. Even after multiple arrests, attacks on his vehicles by unknown assailants continued. Jaćimović eventually resorted to a hunger strike to protest this systemic harassment.
Illegal Detentions
Vladimir Štimac faced unlawful detention despite a court ruling that should have secured his release. The police issued a new detention order even though there was no legal basis, highlighting the regime’s disregard for judicial authority.
Targeting Educators
Over 200 teachers employed on temporary contracts were dismissed before the new school year, many of whom had supported student protests. The dismissals were deliberately timed after job openings had closed, ensuring these educators struggled to find alternative employment. Even university professors have faced restrictions on research time, threats, and deliberate attempts to create discord with students.
Harassment of Farmers and Business Owners
Farmers protesting in September faced arrests despite provocations by infiltrators. Business owners supporting protests, such as a bakery owner feeding students in Kragujevac, were fined or shut down for minor infractions, such as failing to issue a receipt for 270 dinars.
Psychological Harassment
Authorities have even resorted to psychological harassment, such as blasting war-mongering songs at Dijana Hrka, a woman on a hunger strike outside the Serbian Parliament seeking justice for her son who died under the collapsed canopy in Novi Sad.
This systematic harassment illustrates how far the Serbian regime will go to intimidate citizens, suppress protests, and maintain control over society, using both legal and extralegal methods to punish dissent.
