Nikola Selaković, the Serbian Minister of Culture in the caretaker government, has faced backlash from publishers following the announcement of a new policy regarding the acquisition of books for public libraries.

Members of the Association of Professional Publishers of Serbia, part of the Association of Publishers and Booksellers of Serbia, along with independent publishers, have decided to boycott the recent Call for Book Purchases issued by the Ministry of Culture.

This boycott is primarily driven by the perceived neglect of publishers' proposals and concerns regarding the new policy which stipulates that future acquisitions will only include books published in the Cyrillic script.

This decision has been condemned by publishers who argue it restricts access and publication opportunities.

Minister Selaković responded indirectly through a local media outlet, addressing the negative reactions to the Ministry's decision.

He attributed the government's focus on the Cyrillic script to the 2021 Law on the Protection of the Serbian Language in Public Space, which underscores the use of Cyrillic in official communications and publications.

Pointing to a decline in the number of books published in Cyrillic, Selaković stated, "One of the reasons for the reaction from publishers is certainly the fact that my predecessors did not engage with this sector in such a manner and that the ministry has not allocated sufficient attention to this area."

Selaković further claimed that the passive attitude of the state over the past three decades has resulted in a decline of Cyrillic as the native script of the Serbian people.

He emphasized the Ministry's role in safeguarding the Serbian language and Cyrillic script, emphasizing the urgency of this initiative.

In addition to the Cyrillic policy, Selaković addressed concerns regarding budget cuts for book acquisitions, attributing these reductions to demands from students.

He stated, "I regret that this year, due to unforeseen circumstances that required a budget reduction to meet the fourth demand of students, we were unable to increase the funds for mandatory book purchases."

The current competition for book acquisitions has not been limited to publications from the most recent year but spans a two-year period, covering 2024 and 2025, a shift from previous practices where funds were allocated annually.

Publishers view the September deadline for submission as unfavorable, as many new titles are released just before the October Book Fair, making it difficult for publishers to include their entire production in the application.

Selaković defended the new competition terms, asserting that they are not against the interests of publishers, noting that commissions will convene multiple times throughout the year.

Historically, the government allocated approximately 110 million dinars annually for the purchase of newly published books.

However, recent governmental decisions have cut this amount nearly in half, partially reallocating funds from the already approved budget to state reserves.

This reduction has intensified the ongoing disputes between the Ministry and the publishing sector.