Stojkovic Accuses Jovina School Judges of Coup

Radivoje Stojkovic, director of the Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj Gymnasium in Novi Sad, held a press conference today, September 4, at 11 a.m., accusing judges at the Basic Court in Novi Sad of staging a coup. He announced an appeal against the court’s ruling, filed requests for restraining orders against two people barring them from the school, and called for the introduction of remote classes. The move followed a court decision that temporarily reinstated professors who had earlier been suspended pending disciplinary proceedings.

The conference opened with an incident. Stojkovic began by having Goran Radojev, a professor at the Faculty of Sciences in Novi Sad and a former expert associate of the school whose child attends the gymnasium, removed from the room.

“Under our new protocol, for every unauthorized entry into the school premises, we will notify the police and ask that the person who entered without authorization leave the premises escorted by police,” the director said, justifying the move.

According to Stojkovic, Radojev “blocked classes at the faculty and at the gymnasium,” and in January 2025, he claims, gave a lecture at the school without approval from its authorities. Because of this, the director asked the court to bar both himself personally and Radojev from approaching the school, requesting an exception to the rule that otherwise applies to former employees.

The same measure was sought for professor Marija Vasic. Stojkovic said that on September 2, even though she was suspended and barred from entering the school or contacting students and staff, Vasic nonetheless entered the building and mingled with students, giving them instructions that day.

“Even though she was under suspension and barred from entering the gymnasium and from contacting students and staff, she came and entered the school and mingled with the students,” Stojkovic claims.

The ruling that reinstates Vasic, according to the director, is not final. The court decision in question reinstated professors suspended pending disciplinary proceedings, and Stojkovic says he will appeal and is seeking the recusal of the four Basic Court judges in Novi Sad who issued it, claiming they acted unlawfully and, in his words, “against the constitutional order.”

“This school has been under siege for two years. This school has been under blockade for two years, both from outside and from within. From within, when teachers cannot be mobilized because they will face direct legal consequences, and parents who will also face direct legal consequences, then underage students start engaging in unlawful actions,” Stojkovic said.

What the director says about the students and yesterday’s rally

The director stressed that, in his view, the students bear no blame for the “latest coup,” arguing instead that it is the judiciary’s assault on education, and through education on the constitution and the laws, which is why he is seeking the suspension and recusal of all the judges involved. He offered a similar assessment of yesterday’s rally outside the school, which he claimed was entirely contrary to the law and was organized by two education workers, one of whom, he said, is a senior official of an opposition party.

“The students are not to blame, they were given an order and their parents’ approval to exert unprecedented pressure on teaching staff loyal to the state of Serbia,” the director added.

Alongside the restraining order requests, Stojkovic announced disciplinary proceedings against professors he accuses of an unlawful strike, as well as a request to the authorities to introduce remote classes because of what he described as a threat to safety at the school. According to the director, the conference also referenced Rion Francer, Danijela Grujic and Goran Radojev.

“We are seeking serious protection from the competent institutions, from the prosecution, so that a restraining order is imposed on these people who are taking part in the process of persecuting and abusing, now not only the director but all employees loyal to the constitutional order,” Stojkovic concluded.

School denies dismissals, union demands inspection

The school’s administration, for its part, had earlier denied dismissing anyone. “We have not dismissed anyone so far, we simply are not extending the contract,” the school says, pointing out that under the education law, suspension results in the termination of an employment contract, not a dismissal.

Meanwhile, the Serbian Education Workers’ Union Confederation has requested urgent inspection oversight at the Jovina Gymnasium. Some parents of students are still demanding the director’s removal, and, as we reported earlier, a solidarity protest was held outside the school in support of the professors whose contracts were not renewed.

The dispute over the Jovina Gymnasium is now in its second school year. The court has not yet ruled on the recusal request, and the relevant ministry has not yet commented on the announced request for remote classes.