A few hours before the start warning strike of the actors' union "Singlus" On the website of the National Theater in Belgrade, it was announced that "from today, October 3, 2025, within the next three weeks, the planned repertoire will not be held, and the management of the National Theater asks the audience for understanding and patience."
That the National Theater will be closed in October, announced the day before the start of the warning strike, the new President of the Board of Directors of the National Theater Dragoslav Bokan on Kurir TV.
"We will insist to the Minister of Culture that the National Theater be closed in October and that instead of performances, we ensure normal work, life and safety for everyone there," said Bokan.
The announcement about the closure of the National Theater was made jointly by the Ministry of Culture and the administration of the National Theatre.
"After the inspection of the Department for Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, we made a decision that parts of the National Theater building will be closed for use until the measures to eliminate illegalities and identified deficiencies are fulfilled."
They explain that the National Theater is obliged to implement 59 measures, "ignoring and not removing which would put the functioning of the theater in question, as well as the safety of the audience and employees."
"We emphasize that the inspection by the competent authorities took place on the initiative of the Acting Manager of the National Theater Dragoljub Bajić after assuming office, and that the illegalities established are the result of years of negligence in the actions of the competent services of the National Theatre."
They emphasize that "certain omissions were made as early as 2011", as well as that "as of 2024, the National Theater does not have a valid Fire Protection Plan, as the most important internal act of an object in the fire protection system."
They also say that "the management of the theater will implement all necessary measures to determine responsibility for the resulting omissions."
