Bojovic, Djokic Removed from Posts over Neglect of Duties, Political Activity

Rector Vladan Djokic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN ILIC)

The Ministry of Science reported in an Aug. 17 press release that Professors Nebojsa Bojovic and Vladan Djokic had been removed from their posts as the president and a member, respectively, of the Management Board of the Institute of Architecture and Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia over "neglect of duties and disregard for Serbia's interests in decision-making, as well as because of their political activity that undermines the Institute's scientific integrity."

The ministry said in the release that Bojovic, the University of Belgrade’s deputy rector in charge of international cooperation, and Djokic, the rector, had been removed from their posts "in accordance with the Law on Science and Research, following a reasoned proposal" the Ministry submitted to the Government of Serbia. The Ministry said it had made the proposal solely to protect the integrity and quality of scientific research in Serbia, which it said had for too long been held hostage to vested interests and the political ambitions of irresponsible managers and members of management boards whose actions had jeopardized Serbia's interests.

The Ministry dismissed attempts to "attribute political motives" to the personnel changes. Rector of the University of Belgrade Vladan Djokic is a full professor at the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade, while Bojovic, who chaired the Assembly of the Serbian Railways Infrastructure enterprise when a canopy at the Novi Sad railway station collapsed on Nov. 1, 2024, killing 16 people, is a full professor at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering in Belgrade.