ANOTHER SERB FIRED OVER SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT

SARAJEVO, SEPTEMBER 19 /SRNA/ – Marijana Močević from Istočna Ilidža, a student at the Faculty of Security Studies in Banja Luka, is the latest person to lose her job at a company based in the Federation of BiH over social media posts.

Močević, whose father was killed in the war, said in a statement to SRNA that she had worked as an accountant at a company in the Federation municipality of Ilidža and was dismissed over posts related to the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland, led by General Dragoljub Mihailović, which she described as a recognized anti-fascist movement, as well as posts referring to highly decorated Serb officers. According to the dismissal decision, she was fired for what was described as a "serious breach of work duties." "In their view, the Serbian flag, which is the flag of a legitimate state, as well as the military cap known as a šajkača, incite hatred," Močević said. According to her, after the social media posts, she was subjected to provocations from former colleagues and later received death threats following the disciplinary proceedings. "They insulted me and my late father. I am extremely proud and I believe that my father, together with all the fighters, those who were killed and disabled war veterans, helped create this state. They are the foundation of this state, of Republika Srpska. They are the reinforcement holding it together. This land is soaked in blood and we must be aware of that," she stressed. Močević added that she did not intend to remain silent or bow her head because she is a Serb or because her father gave his life for Republika Srpska. She said that in her response during the disciplinary proceedings, she explained that she had merely shared the posts on her birthday and that the symbols shown in them were connected with her identity, heritage and flags she considered appropriate. "These are posts that do not incite any kind of hatred - racial, national or religious, as was alleged in my disciplinary proceedings. They concern identity, origin and simply my faith," she underlined. The dismissal decision states that Močević was fired for what it described as a "serious breach of work duties" because she had allegedly committed an act or engaged in conduct constituting national, racial, religious or other hatred, either at the workplace or outside it. Her employer was reportedly particularly concerned by a flag bearing the slogan: "With faith in God - freedom or death."