Ethical complaints at the Faculty of Philosophy against professors: 'There is no Alanović because of whom I will remain silent in the face of injustice'

A significant dispute has erupted at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, involving Dean Milivoje Alanović and professors Dinko Gruhonjić and Nevena Jevtić. Dean Alanović has lodged complaints with the faculty's Ethics Committee against both professors. His action against Professor Gruhonjić stems from criticisms Gruhonjić voiced during a faculty council meeting concerning the management. Simultaneously, Alanović has targeted Professor Jevtić for remarks she made at a peaceful demonstration in September 2025, an event marred by the deployment of an unidentified gas and other incidents.

Professor Jevtić, in her defense, refutes the dean's interpretation of her speech, which Alanović characterized as hate speech. Jevtić explains that her words, particularly the metaphor about professors standing with students facing potential "execution," were intended to convey solidarity in difficult psychological and security situations. She argues that the dean's interpretation is factually unfounded and misrepresents her message as a call to violence. While her position is not directly threatened, Jevtić expresses concern that the Ethics Committee's decision will permanently impact her professional and academic record.

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there is no Alanović because of whom I will remain silent in the face of injustice.

Professor Gruhonjić, facing multiple proceedings initiated by Alanović, asserts his right to critique as an academic citizen, protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. He likens the current climate to the Middle Ages, where criticism is treated as heresy. Gruhonjić has also filed a counter-complaint against Dean Alanović, citing reasons such as the dean's decision to involve the police on campus and the perceived malicious nature of the complaints against him. He states firmly, "there is no Alanović because of whom I will remain silent in the face of injustice."

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What he highlighted there is a stylistic figure, a metaphor, which I used when talking about the duty of professors and teachers to stand and be in solidarity with their students when they find themselves in a very difficult security and psychological situation. I said that professors should keep in mind that it is our duty to stand by them when they are taken to be executed, especially when they are taken to be executed.