IMPULSE Keeping Focus: Reporting developments in Serbia Pressure from the EU mounts as the Serbian government attempts to further curtail judicial independence Overall assessment: The adoption of controversial amendments hindering judicial independence provokes protests and criticism from the European Commission The European Parliament mission to Serbia exposes worrying developments and is met with anti-EU campaign by the government The government formed a new coordination body for EU accession, aiming to show devotion to the process at the time of increasing criticism by the European Commission The dismissal of professor Jelena Kleut higlights pressures and revanchism against the academic community Continued pressure on the academic community – the case of Jelena Kleut Political, financial and administrative pressure on the academic community has intensified over the past year. The strong support by universities to the student protests in Serbia since November 2024 has been followed by sustained measures of pressure from the executive branch. The most recent case involving Jelena Kleut, a professor at the University of Novi Sad, has once again brought to the fore concerns about political retaliation against members of the academic community. The dismissal of Jelena Kleut, an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Novi Sad, has prompted criticism from segments of the public and accusations that the move sets a troubling precedent for the university sector. Critics argue that the termination of her employment was a consequence of her public support for student blockades and protests. She was formally served with a notice of dismissal on 21 January 2026. The dispute over Professor Kleut’s status dates back to November 2025, when the Senate of the University of Novi Sad declined to appoint her to the rank of full professor, 1