# Dismissal and arrest of Novica Antić of the Military Union Category: Persecution Period: from 2016 Outcome: Indictment filed (as of 12 Aug 2025) As president of the Military Trade Union of Serbia, Novica Antić publicly criticised conditions in the army for years and was twice dismissed from the army on disciplinary grounds over his union activity and public statements; the Ministry of Defence denies this was the reason for the second dismissal. Since 2024 he has been arrested three times: on suspicion of embezzling union funds, for which he has been charged; then on charges of preparing a violent overthrow of the government; and, eight days before the elections, over a post about a military exercise. Antić calls the alleged embezzlement the union's normal business and a „staged political trial“. His custody was lifted on 27 October 2026; the proceedings are ongoing. ## Criticism of Vulin and loss of rank Novica Antić, a senior sergeant first class from Kragujevac, spent years as president of the Military Trade Union of Serbia publicly criticising conditions in the army and the work of Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin. Over his speeches at union protests in 2016 and 2017, disciplinary proceedings were brought against him, and on 6 September 2018 the Higher Military Disciplinary Court imposed the penalty of “loss of rank”, ending his military service. The union filed a criminal complaint against Minister Vulin; the outcome is not known. ## Expelled from the army a second time In February 2023, the Administrative Court annulled the acts ending his service, but on 26 July 2023, the same day the union published an open letter to President Vučić, Antić was expelled from the army a second time. The president of the only representative union in the army had thus been expelled twice through disciplinary penalties over his union activity and public statements. The Ministry of Defence maintains that his dismissal has nothing to do with his media appearances and that the Administrative Court upheld the 2018 ruling. ## Arrest for embezzlement About ten days after Defence Minister Miloš Vučević said that unions in the military were „the stupidest thing in the world“, Antić was arrested on 27 February 2024 on suspicion of embezzling union funds, along with two other union officials. He was removed as head of the union and spent about five and a half months in custody (163 or 173 days, according to different sources). According to his lawyer, he lost 35 kilograms. He has filed 48 lawsuits against media outlets over the campaign against him. The indictment for embezzlement and money laundering took effect in August 2025. Antić says the case concerns the union's regular business and is a „fabricated political trial“. ## Charged with plotting to overthrow the government by force Antić was arrested again on 25 June 2025, ahead of the Vidovdan protest, and charged along with five others with preparing a violent overthrow of the government. The Appellate Court released him on 4 September 2025. ## Arrest before the elections Antić was arrested a third time on 17 October 2026, eight days before the elections, over a post on X about a night-time military exercise. From 23 October he was held in custody at the Central Prison in Belgrade. A judge of the Higher Court in Belgrade lifted his detention on 27 October 2026, and the proceedings continue. According to Antić, the ruling states that the grounds for detention ceased once the elections were over. He says his family's company has been blocked and they have been left without a source of income. ## Antić's accusations against the VBA On 5 November 2026, Antić claimed on N1 TV that the director of the Military Security Agency, Đuro Jovanić, together with his closest associates, has for years been organising the wiretapping of journalists, political activists and opposition figures, and that he set up a bot centre that still operates in a military facility. He says he has evidence of this. The next day, the Ministry of Defence said that the VBA has no bot centre and has not wiretapped anyone. It called the claims "slander and malicious falsehoods" and described Antić as a "demoted non-commissioned officer" who is on trial in Novi Sad for alleged embezzlement. ## Participants - [Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/ministarstvo-odbrane): According to the Military Union's criminal complaint, its disciplinary bodies dismissed Antić over his public statements; the Administrative Court annulled the dismissal acts (responsible) - [Serbian Armed Forces](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/vojska-srbije): It expelled the president of the Military Union from service in 2018, and again on the same grounds in 2023, even though, according to Antić, the acts had been declared unlawful (responsible) - [Milan Mojsilović](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/milan-mojsilovic): According to Danas, as Chief of the General Staff he signed the decision by which the president of the Military Trade Union was expelled from the army for a second time (responsible) - [Aleksandar Vulin](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/aleksandar-vulin): According to a criminal complaint by the Military Trade Union, as defence minister he dismissed Antić over his public statements; the outcome of the complaint is not known (responsible) - [Miloš Vučević](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/milos-vucevic): He said that trade unions in the military were "the biggest nonsense in the world"; Antić was arrested about ten days later (commented on the case) - [Military Security Agency (VBA)](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/vba): According to a criminal complaint filed by lawyers, two of its members followed Antić's family and lawyers while he was in custody (responsible) - [Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/mup-srbije): It arrested Antić and searched his family's house, which his lawyer calls pressure; in 2026 he was arrested over a post on X (responsible) - [Tax Administration of the Republic of Serbia](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/poreska-uprava): It announced the arrest of the founder of several companies on suspicion of tax evasion worth 83 million dinars; according to the lawyer, this is Antić's brother (investigation and courts) - [Military Disciplinary Court](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/vojni-disciplinski-sud): At first instance it punished him with demotion to his previous rank, and a higher court stripped him of his rank in its ruling (investigation and courts) - [Administrative Court](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/upravni-sud): According to Danas, in February 2023 it annulled the decisions ending his service; the ministry says it upheld the ruling on loss of rank (investigation and courts) - [Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/vjt-novi-sad): It did not respond to questions about the arrest and sought detention, and the embezzlement indictment was confirmed (investigation and courts) - [Higher Court in Novi Sad](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/visi-sud-novi-sad): A judge refused detention; after an appeal a panel ordered it and extended it several times because of witnesses (investigation and courts) - [Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, Special Department for Combating Corruption](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/vjt-beograd): It indicted Antić and five others on suspicion of preparing to overthrow the government by force (investigation and courts) - [Court of Appeal in Belgrade](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/apelacioni-sud-beograd): It upheld the defence's appeals and released him from detention after more than two months (investigation and courts) - [Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, Special Department for High-Tech Crime](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/vjt-beograd-vtk): It ordered Antić's arrest over a post on X about night-time military exercises, on suspicion of causing panic and disorder (responsible) - [Higher Court in Belgrade](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/visi-sud-beograd): It rejected detention, then ordered it on appeal, and lifted it on 27 October 2026; it is also hearing the lawsuits against media outlets and the indictment (investigation and courts) - [Military Trade Union of Serbia](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/vojni-sindikat-srbije): The union Antić led; a new leadership was elected after his arrest (harmed) ## Victims and others harmed - [Novica Antić](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/novica-antic) ## Sources - [Radio Slobodna Evropa: Punishment for a 'disobedient' Serbian soldier](): 2 Nov 2018 - [Vreme: Military Trade Union members released, lawyer says the case is “political”](): 29 Feb 2024 - [Kurir: MILITARY TRADE UNION PRESIDENT LOSES HIS JOB: Military court strips Novica Antić of his rank](): 2 Nov 2018 - [N1: Vojni sindikat Srbije tužio ministra odbrane Vulina](): 27 Dec 2018 - [Danas: International Labour Organization opens investigation into Antić's dismissal](): 21 Dec 2018 - [Danas: Military union president dismissed again, announces lawsuits and criminal complaints against the military leadership](): 4 Aug 2023 - [Danas: Military Trade Union of Serbia: The Ministry of Defence persists in trying to cover up the facts of the Novica Antić case](): 6 Aug 2023 - [Nova.rs: The persecution of military trade unionist Novica Antić in three acts: a minister's statement, a media witch-hunt, then an arrest](): 28 Feb 2024 - [Danas: Ministry: Antić's professional military service was terminated by a ruling of the Higher Military Disciplinary Court](): 5 Aug 2023 - [Radio Slobodna Evropa: Arrested officials of the Military Trade Union of Serbia released from custody pending proceedings](): 29 Feb 2024 - [Radio Slobodna Evropa: Military Trade Union of Serbia president held in police custody for 48 hours](): 27 Feb 2024 - [Vreme: Novica Antić goes on hunger strike after being ordered held for up to 48 hours](): 27 Feb 2024 - [Insajder: Lawyer: Novica Antić detained again](): 1 Mar 2024 - [Vreme: Novica Antić removed as president of the Military Trade Union of Serbia](): 15 Mar 2024 - [N1: Tabloids have forgotten Novica Antić: his detention keeps being extended, with no trial in sight](): 10 May 2024 - [Radio Slobodna Evropa: Indictment confirmed against former president of the Military Trade Union of Serbia and nine others](): 12 Aug 2025 - [N1: Novica Antić's detention extended again](): 2 Aug 2024 - [Vreme: After a government campaign, Novica Antić files 48 lawsuits against the media](): 14 May 2024 - [Vreme: Novica Antić released from prison: “He lost 35 kilograms, but kept his honour as a soldier”](): 21 Aug 2024 - [N1: Novica Antić: The authorities are still persecuting my family, we were turned back at the border](): 7 Oct 2024 - [N1: Novica Antić: The only thing they haven't done yet is shoot at me, and I have committed no crime](): 18 Oct 2024 - [Vreme: Novica Antić's brother ordered held for up to 48 hours](): 30 Aug 2024 - [Radar: Novica Antić, the vilified Military Trade Union president: the persecution of his family](): 19 Sep 2024 - [Danas: Danas learns: Novica Antić arrested](): 17 Oct 2026 - [N1: Indictment filed against Novica Antić, Ivan Matović and others](): 25 Jul 2025 - [Vreme: Ninić: Antić and Momčilović to be released, Matović placed under house arrest](): 4 Sep 2025 - [N1: Suspicious details of the arrest of Matović, Antić and others: "The media published it, police waited in the flat for a warrant"](): 23 Jul 2025 - [N1: Ninić: Novica Antić and Branko Momčilović Majkan to be released](): 4 Sep 2025 - [Nova.rs: “I'm not on the list and I'm glad about that. Those people are now in an unenviable position because they can't refuse”: Matović on Vučić's pardons](): 29 Sep 2026 - [Danas: Higher Public Prosecutor's Office confirms Novica Antić has been arrested](): 17 Oct 2026 - [021.rs: Former Military Trade Union of Serbia president Novica Antić arrested](): 17 Oct 2026 - [Danas: Novica Antić placed under house arrest](): 18 Oct 2026 - [Glas Šumadije: Novica Antić's house arrest revoked, moved to Central Prison](): 23 Oct 2026 - [Danas: Novica Antić being taken into custody](): 23 Oct 2026 - [Nova.rs: Criminal Police Directorate raids Novica Antić's house again, lawyer Ivan Ninić speaks out](): 23 Oct 2026 - [Nova.rs: "I don't know whether someone's conscience kicked in. I'm sorry I wasn't free on 25 October": Military veteran Novica Antić's first words after his detention was lifted and he was released from prison](): 27 Oct 2026 - [N1: Novica Antić's detention lifted](): 27 Oct 2026 - [Vreme: Novica Antić's detention lifted](): 28 Oct 2026 - [N1: Novica Antić after detention lifted: The court was under improper influence from the executive](): 27 Oct 2026 - [N1: Ministry of Defence: the Military Security Agency has no bot centre and has not wiretapped students, journalists or activists](): 6 Nov 2026 - [N1: Antić: Vučić's supreme loyalist heads the VBA – Jovanić responsible for wiretapping, also set up a bot centre in a military facility](): 5 Nov 2026 --- Source: Odgovornost, https://odgovornost.rs/en/afere/novica-antic-vojni-sindikat As of: 6 Nov 2026 Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)