Serbia picks ex-paramilitary to head theatre board

Serbia has appointed Dragoslav Bokan, a former paramilitary leader and nationalist figure, to head the board of its National Theatre, sparking backlash from staff and rights advocates.

The decision, published Thursday, gives Bokan control over artistic policy and leadership selection at the country’s top cultural institution.

Bokan once led the White Eagles militia during the Yugoslav wars. He has admitted sending fighters into Croatia in the early 1990s. In 2009, he was convicted in a wartime robbery case—though he claims the verdict was later overturned.

The theatre’s staff union condemned the move, citing Bokan’s “criminal record and political ideology.” They warned of censorship and “ideological control” over the repertoire.

Bokan, a staunch supporter of Serbia’s ruling party, has held positions at the Faculty of Philology and the Institute for National Strategy. He ran for president in 1992 under the slogan “Eternal Serbia is Always Modern.”

No comment yet from the culture ministry.