The Niš court president, a parole and a Zlatibor voucher

Category: Above the law

Period: from Feb 2023

Outcome: Complaint dismissed or proceedings halted (as of 2 Nov 2026)

In 2023, the Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime arrested Dragana Živadinović, president of the Higher Court in Niš, on suspicion that she had granted a convict parole and in return spent seven days with her family at a hotel on Zlatibor, paid for by the convict's son's company. Her trial for abuse of office and forgery of a document was in its final stage when Aleksandar Vučić, by a decision of 27 September 2026, released her from criminal prosecution. As a result, there was no verdict and her guilt was never established.

Parole for a voucher

On 19 October 2023, the Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime arrested Dragana Živadinović, president of the Higher Court in Niš, whose immunity the High Judicial Council lifted the same day.

According to the prosecution, between February and August 2023, by prior arrangement with the convict R. M., she issued a ruling as presiding judge of the non-trial panel granting his application for parole, and in return used a seven-day stay with her family at a hotel on Zlatibor. According to the Interior Ministry, the voucher was worth 112,700 dinars and was paid for by the convict's son's company.

Detention and trial

At her questioning, Živadinović remained silent. According to the prosecution, she was held in custody until all the witnesses had been questioned, and according to the daily Danas, she was temporarily suspended as court president.

On 18 December 2023, the prosecution filed an indictment for abuse of office and forgery of a document, and according to Južne vesti, the trial before the Special Department for Organised Crime of the Higher Court in Belgrade began in September 2024. In July 2026, the court said the evidentiary stage was nearing its end, but that the prosecution was seeking an expert assessment of her health, that is, of her fitness to stand trial.

Released from prosecution before a verdict

Aleksandar Vučić released Živadinović from criminal prosecution by a decision of 27 September 2026, before he resigned, so there was no verdict and her guilt was never established; the Higher Court in Belgrade announced this on 2 November. The pardon is part of Vučić's pardons of 49 people of 27 September.

Earlier cases and appointment as president

Earlier, according to KRIK, Živadinović, as a judge of the Court of Appeal in Niš, presided over the panel that acquitted Zvonko Veselinović of illegal gravel extraction. A few months later, in 2019, the High Judicial Council nominated her as president of the Higher Court in Niš.

Participants

Dragana Živadinović: According to the Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime's indictment, as presiding judge of a panel she granted a convict parole and in return received a voucher for Zlatibor (responsible)
Aleksandar Vučić: By a decision of 27 September 2026, he pardoned and exempted from prosecution a judge on trial for granting parole in exchange for a voucher (responsible)
Public Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime: Arrested the president of the Higher Court in Niš and charged her with abuse of office and forgery of a document (investigation and courts)
High Judicial Council: Lifted the immunity of the president of the Higher Court in Niš and approved her arrest; in 2019 it nominated her for that post (investigation and courts)
Higher Court in Belgrade: Tried the president of the Higher Court in Niš before its Special Department for Organised Crime and announced that she had been pardoned (investigation and courts)