Niš Fortress walls drilled for film festival banners

Opposition parties and experts in Niš have condemned the drilling of the Niš Fortress walls to install promotional banners for a newly established International Film Festival organized by the City of Niš. The fortress, which has remained largely unchanged since 1730, is a protected cultural monument of significant importance.

Jelena Milošević of the Freedom and Justice Party has requested information from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Niš regarding whether permission was granted for these works and who authorized the drilling. She stated that the fortress is not an advertising space and indicated intentions to file criminal complaints against those responsible for the damage.

The Movement for the Decentralization of Serbia (PODES) also demanded accountability, questioning who ordered the drilling and who will bear responsibility for the damage to the cultural asset. Critics have also noted discrepancies regarding the new festival, which has been marketed as a continuation of the 'Filmski susreti' tradition despite having a different scope and structure.