Three trade unions of the National Theater ask the Government of Serbia to immediately cancel the appointment of Dragoslav Bokan as the president of their Board of Directors because he does not meet the moral requirements
The National Theater is "obligatory to his reputation and mission remain untarnished political influence and daily interests", they write on the occasion Appointments of Dragoslav Bokan for the president of the Board of Directors of this house of three trade unions of the National Theater - actors, ballet artists and musicians.
"We welcomed the appointment of Mr. Bokan with astonishment and deep concern. We consider it necessary to publicly present the unique and determined position of the employees of the National Theater: this appointment is unacceptable and we ask the competent authorities to immediately review and cancel it," say representatives of the employees of the National Theater.
In the explanation, which is based on the principles of legality, ethics and protection of cultural interests, they state:
"Mr. Bokan does not meet the basic moral requirements to lead the Board of Directors of an institution of national importance. His public biography - as the founder of a paramilitary formation active in war conflicts, and a person who has been convicted of criminal offenses on several occasions - is in sharp contrast to the values that our theater represents. The National Theater promotes art, humanism, dialogue and tolerance, not war heritage and intolerance. Even the perception that such a person is at the head of our Board of Directors causes immeasurable damage reputation of the house, scares our loyal audience and calls into question the trust we have built over decades."
Protection of artistic freedom
And further: "As employed artists, we are committed to preserving the freedom of artistic expression in our theater. We remind you that the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia guarantees the freedom of cultural and artistic creativity. We fear that the arrival of Mr. Bokan - known for his strongly political and ideological views - could threaten that freedom. His public appearances, in which he has repeatedly used hate speech against individuals and communities, cause fear that the role of the president of the Board of Directors could be misused for ideological purposes. directing the repertoire or censoring artistic programs. The National Theater must remain an open stage for all artistic ideas that respect human dignity, regardless of politics - and not a space subject to any kind of political propaganda."
Compliance with legal and international standards
"We hereby remind the Government and the Ministry of Culture that they are also obliged to follow the law and the international obligations of our country. The Republic of Serbia is a member of UNESCO and a signatory to numerous conventions that recommend that culture be protected from politicization and that inclusivity and tolerance be fostered in the work of cultural institutions. We believe that the appointment of Dragoslav Bokan is contrary to the spirit of those recommendations and that it harms Serbia's reputation in the international cultural community," the National Theater employees said in a statement.
Therefore, they demand that the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Culture urgently review and withdraw the decision on the appointment of Dragoslav Bokan and expect that "this decision will be canceled as soon as possible, bearing in mind the obvious damage it causes to the reputation and work of our house".
They are asking for "the appointment of a new president of the Board of Directors who will be a person of undisputed reputation in the world of culture and art, with proven professional and moral qualities", as well as to be consulted on that occasion.
They also call on "the Government and the Ministry to strictly take into account the autonomy of cultural institutions in the future. The National Theater must remain a place where art is nurtured for its own sake and for the sake of citizens, and not a tool for political calculations. We expect the authorities to publicly confirm their commitment to those principles and to take measures to restore the broken trust."
In the end, they say that they want a management that shares the same values with the employees, as well as that they "do not agree to silently observe the collapse of the reputation of their house".
Because, they say, "this is not politics - this is a fight for culture to remain free, pure and at the service of the people, as it has always been."
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