Aleksandra Stojsavljević, a public prosecutor at the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Subotica, had her car set on fire in the early hours of 10 December, right in front of her residence. In an interview with Nova.rs, she said the incident left her shaken and expressed fear for both her personal safety and that of her family.
Stojsavljević recounted that police arrived at her home around 4 a.m., confirming the vehicle on fire and responding alongside firefighters after a citizen’s report. She immediately saw that it was indeed her car.
“After the initial shock, I realized the fire was likely intentional. I have no personal or professional conflicts and have never been threatened, so the deliberate arson was especially shocking,” she said.
The prosecutor declined to discuss potential motives or ongoing investigation details, citing the need to avoid compromising the case. However, she confirmed that she was scheduled to conduct a hearing related to an assault case just hours after her car was burned.
“After this event, I feel my safety and my family’s safety are at risk. Other colleagues in the prosecutor’s office and the courts are also unsettled and no longer feel safe,” Stojsavljević added.
She emphasized the support she has received from colleagues, including letters from the Subotica prosecutor’s office, nationwide members of the informal group “Defend the Profession”, and senior officials such as Branko Stamenković, President of the High Council of the Judiciary, and Zagorka Dolovac, Serbia’s Supreme Prosecutor. In contrast, she noted that the Ministry of Justice has not reached out.
A professional gathering is planned for Saturday at noon to publicly show solidarity and condemn attacks on prosecutors. Stojsavljević stressed:
“Events like this cannot and must not go unspoken.”
The Academic Plenum also condemned the attack, linking it to broader threats to the rule of law in Serbia.
“This is no longer an isolated incident. Activists are assaulted for speaking, prosecutors are attacked for doing their jobs. This is the definition of a state where violence replaces institutions,” the Plenum stated.
The Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement strongly condemning the attack and confirmed it is being investigated as a potential crime against state authorities or the judiciary.
“This attack comes at a time when Serbia’s public prosecution faces unprecedented attempts to unduly influence its work through media attacks, statements by officials, and societal pressure against lawful prosecution activity,” the statement said.
