Serbian singer Svetlana Spajić was found guilty by the Municipal Court in Zadar for posting a recording of the traditional song “Oj Krajino, moja mila mati” from the 19th century, as well as for failing to register her stay in Croatia.
She was given a suspended sentence of five days in prison and a fine of 50 euros.
Spajić was detained after performing at the Žegar Encounters near Obrovac, and police determined that during her six-day stay in Croatia she had been staying with friends in Kaštel Žegarski but had failed to register her stay, as required under Croatia’s Foreigners Act, Zadarski list reports.
During the proceedings, it was also established that on March 6, 2024, Spajić had posted a roughly one-minute recording on social media in which she performed the traditional song “Oj Krajino, moja mila mati.”
The Serbian singer initially denied responsibility for disturbing public order and peace, explaining that the song belongs to the oral tradition of the Krajina region and that its performance is associated with the 19th and 20th centuries. Svetlana Spajić’s band recorded and released the song on an album back in 2012.
However, during the proceedings, Spajić changed her statement and pleaded guilty.
“I should have informed myself better about what the word Krajina means to the Croatian people. Obviously, it reminds them of paramilitary formations during the war, while I look at all of that somewhat differently. I am sorry that everything turned out this way. In the future, I will pay attention to these things and I promise that I will remove this video immediately so that I no longer disturb Croatian citizens,” the singer said.
She added that if performing the song had offended the feelings of Croatian citizens, she accepted responsibility.
“If the lyrics of this song really offended the feelings of Croatian citizens, I apologize and accept full responsibility. I consider myself guilty of this offense and I apologize to the Croatian people,” Spajić stated.
The court concluded that by admitting guilt, the singer had confirmed both offenses. According to the verdict, by posting the recording on a publicly accessible social network, she “insulted the dignity of citizens,” particularly those who had been exposed to wartime suffering.
“Through such behavior, she disturbed the lives of Croatian citizens of both Croatian and Serbian nationality,” the verdict states.
As mitigating circumstances, the court took into account her admission of guilt, expressed regret and apology, as well as her promise to remove the recording.
In addition to the suspended five-day prison sentence, Spajić was also fined 50 euros.
Who Is Serbian Singer Svetlana Spajić, Who Was Detained?
Svetlana Spajić was born on August 19, 1971, in Loznica and is one of the best-known and most influential performers of Serbian traditional music. For more than three decades, she has been dedicated to researching, performing and preserving traditional vocal heritage, and is particularly known for her fieldwork with the oldest traditional singers. Her repertoire includes traditional forms from various regions where Serbs lived, from Podrinje and Šumadija to Dalmatia, the Bosnian Krajina and other areas.
Throughout her career, she has collaborated with numerous domestic and international artists, including Marina Abramović and Robert Wilson, with whom she took part in the 2011 theater project The Life and Death of Marina Abramović. She has performed in major concert halls and at festivals around the world, including WOMAD and WOMEX, as well as at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Konzerthaus in Vienna and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
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Izvor: Danas, Foto: D. Talajić