Parents file criminal complaint against Serbian Education Minister

A group of parents from the ‘Jožef Atila’ Elementary School in Novi Sad has filed a criminal complaint against the Minister of Education, Dejan Vuk Stanković. The complaint alleges abuse of official position regarding the reappointment of school director Slobodanka Beuković.

According to the parents, Beuković first assumed her role on December 15, 2022, without a required director's license. While the deadline to pass the licensing exam was December 15, 2024, records indicate she did not pass the exam until March 25, 2025. The parents argue that the Ministry failed to follow proper procedures, noting that candidates must be notified of exam dates at least 15 days in advance, making it impossible to meet the deadline under the circumstances described.

The complaint highlights that after the Administrative Court annulled a previous appointment, Minister Stanković issued a new decision on January 23, 2026, appointing Beuković for a four-year term. The parents claim the Minister was aware of inspection reports and provincial secretariat data suggesting grounds for dismissal, yet the Ministry's response indicated that facts from extraordinary inspections regarding the director's license were not considered during the reappointment process.