Dr. Miodrag Grbić, a globally recognized scientist residing in Tivat and an expert in genetic research, molecular biology, and entomology, has returned the Order of Karađorđe’s Star, second degree. This gesture, a protest against the Serbian government’s policies concerning the University of Belgrade, follows the award he received from President Aleksandar Vučić on Serbian Statehood Day, February 15, last year.

This prestigious honor is granted to individuals or organizations for their exceptional contributions to the Republic of Serbia and its citizens across various fields.

The Order of Karađorđe’s Star, which consists of three degrees, was established in October 2009, with its inaugural award given in 2012 to the famed tennis player Novak Đoković.

While born in Novi Sad, Grbić identifies as a native of Lastva, where he has owned a home since 1963. His residence is located in the small coastal community near Tivat, originally built by his parents, Dr. Vasa and Dr. Olga Grbić.

Tivat is the only place in the former Yugoslavia where Grbić owns property, as he departed nearly 30 years ago for doctoral studies in the USA and subsequent work in Canada.

In a statement to “Vijesti,” Grbić confirmed he returned the Order of Karađorđe’s Star as a sign of solidarity with professors and students protesting the government’s decree to limit scientific work to a mere hour a day (known as decree 5-35), which jeopardizes the university’s integrity as a scientific institution.

“In March, the Serbian government enacted a new ‘Regulation on Norms and Standards of Working Conditions of Universities and Faculties for Activities Financed from the Budget,’ reportedly to punish university faculty who backed students protesting against the Vučić government,” Grbić stated.

This regulation aims to dramatically cut professors’ salaries by altering the teaching-research workload from a previous balance of 20 hours each to a staggering 35 hours for teaching and just 5 for research, hindering any academic progress amidst ongoing student protests.

Over 450 faculty members from various departments, including Law, Civil Engineering, Dramatic Arts, Fine Arts, Music Arts, and Applied Arts at the University of Belgrade, subsequently filed a petition to the Constitutional Court of Serbia, questioning the constitutionality and legality of this controversial decree, which would considerably reduce salaries for professors at affected faculties.

“As a visiting professor at the University of Belgrade for seven years, I am horrified by Regulation 5/35, which drastically cuts the allotted time for professors’ research from 20 to only 5 hours per week. This regulation poses a direct threat to the essence of the University, the progression of knowledge, and the country’s scientific future. Having received an award specifically for my scientific contributions, I stand in solidarity with my colleagues and decided to return this award as a protest against the university’s decline and the diminished quality of education,” Grbić remarked to “Vijesti” yesterday.

He emphasized that we are living in the 21st century, an era defined by the knowledge economy, warning against techno-feudalism that could reduce technologically undeveloped societies to slaves of technology.

“For example, when Elon Musk disables his ‘Starlink’, Ukraine’s defenses falter. While we actively engage with artificial intelligence, the power to disable it rests with those who control it. In contrast, natural intelligence, strong education, and pioneering research cannot be switched off. However, this regulation effectively does just that and pushes society toward a future of technological subjugation devoid of knowledge and science,” the distinguished scientist stressed.

Dr. Grbić is currently an associate professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, where he directs programs in arthropod and agricultural genomics.

He completed his undergraduate and master’s studies at the University of Novi Sad in Entomology before obtaining his PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, as a Fulbright Scholar. His postdoctoral research was conducted at the University of Cambridge’s Wellcome Trust Institute as a Human Frontier in Science Fellow, after which he established his lab at the University of Western Ontario.

Dr. Grbić led a project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to sequence the first genome of a helicerate, the agricultural pest Tetranychus urticae. He also heads a program on Genomics in Agriculture, focusing on pest-plant interactions and developing genomic technologies for crop protection, funded by Genome Canada.

Recently, he has delved into archaeogenomics, studying the ancient DNA of Balkan peoples. His research has been published in top-tier international journals like Nature and Cell, earning him accolades such as the Premier’s Research Excellence Award in Ontario, the Marie Curie Incoming International Fellowship (EU), and the Vanguard Award for Patent Development (Canada), along with the Order of the Star of Karađorđe, Second Class, for his genomic research.

Grbić co-founded the biotechnology firm Nanomitech and serves as a visiting professor at both the University of La Rioja in Spain and the University of Montenegro in Podgorica. He regarded the awarding of the Order of Karađorđe’s Star as a significant acknowledgment of his scientific contributions by Serbian colleagues. His research, published in “Cell”, reflects the genetic composition of the Balkan population, revealing connections to ancient Balkan genes from the Bronze Age, intertwined with Balto-Slavic genes from migrating groups, establishing that the inhabitants of this region are original to it.

“Additionally, studies show no genetic distinction among modern residents of former Yugoslav republics, indicating that Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, and Montenegrins are genetically identical. The conflicts in the Balkans were, therefore, wholly unprovoked and fratricidal,” Grbić emphasized, recounting his lack of engagement with Serbian politics post the tragic canopy collapse in Novi Sad that claimed 15 lives, inciting large student protests against Vučić.

“Having lived next to that canopy in Novi Sad, I was profoundly affected by the tragedy. It revealed issues rooted in negligence, law violations, and ultimately, corruption. A lack of education and moral integrity, along with diploma scandals, creates a fertile ground for corruption,” said the esteemed expert who left the former Yugoslavia around 1988-89, during the rise of Slobodan Milošević and the surge of turbo-folk nationalism.

Grbić noted that moments he anticipated for democratization in the former Yugoslavia were often countered by setbacks.

“I often discussed with friends that a nation devoid of strong institutions and effective governance, while fixated on a leader, was bound to fail. I posed the question: ‘Do you know who the president of Switzerland is?’ Everyone fell silent, and I explained that the Swiss system operates seamlessly without a single leader but through robust institutions. Now, after 36 years, I see a new generation of students emerging, educated and culturally aware, desiring to build a country where knowledge, intelligence, and education are prized. They are championing these ideals that I advocated for so long ago. These brave young individuals are facing violence from the regime in their peaceful protests. My act of returning the medal is one small measure of support for their cause,” Grbić stated, articulating his reasons for returning the medal awarded to him last year.

News