EXIT Festival might be leaving Serbia

The organizers of the EXIT Festival have told the IQ magazine that the festival might be forced to leave the country due to its position on the ongoing student protests.

The organizers say that this year’s festival might be the last one in Serbia, after 25 years, due to “the growing pressure and threats aiming to silence our right to free expression,” reports the Ravno do dna portal.

– Soon after our founding, we grew into one of the biggest music festivals in the world, bringing Serbia multiple awards for the best European festival, as well as nearly EUR 300 million in tourism income – say the organizers in a statement for IQ.

– To our great regret, since we have expressed solidarity with students in their fight for a more just and tolerant society, we have been facing growing pressures and threats aiming to silence our right to free expression. Due to that, we are now seriously considering the possibility of leaving Serbia. However, we owe our native city – and our faithful audiences worldwide – one last dance on the Petrovaradin Fortress. That is why our whole team is more determined than ever to make this year’s edition the most emotional and unforgettable one yet. If we are forced to leave, we will do so with our heads held high, carrying the same spirit of independence and solidarity wherever we go – the organizers say.

It is worth noting that the EXIT Festival was launched in 2000 precisely as part of the then student movement throughout Serbia, which played a significant role in bringing down former president of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic.

After the 2000 Yugoslav elections, the festival moved to the Petrovaradin Fortress in 2001, where it is still held.

As a festival which arose from a student movement, the EXIT team has publicly expressed solidarity with the protesters, providing them with food, sleeping bags and helping them with other needs.

The jubilee 25th edition of EXIT is planned for July 10-13.

– For 25 years now, EXIT has been a symbol of Freedom and positive social changes, having been formed as a student and youth movement for peace and democracy in Serbia and the Balkans – the organizers told IQ.

EXIT Festival Novi Sad

EXIT Festival

support to students