Veljko Ražnatović expressed dissatisfaction with a state preschool in Titel on Thursday after discovering his youngest son dressed in a ladybug costume featuring a red tulle skirt.
The controversy began when Bogdana Ražnatović arrived at the local kindergarten to pick up their youngest child, Isaija, and found him wearing the costume. Ražnatović expressed outrage on social media, arguing that the outfit resembled a women’s skirt and conflicted with traditional values, as reported by Banjaluka.net.
The boxer said that his wife discovered the child in the red tulle skirt during pickup, prompting him to share photographs of the attire with his followers online.
When the family asked staff about the attire, employees explained that the facility operates under a new program allowing children to select any costume regardless of traditional gender divisions in clothing, according to HotSport.
Dissatisfied with the explanation, the boxer announced plans to withdraw his children and criticized the institution’s approach. In his public statements, he maintained that educators should guide children to understand conventional distinctions between garments designated for boys and girls.
Jovanka Andrić, director of the preschool in Titel, addressed staff and parents following the public backlash, emphasizing that the children were simply engaged in role-play. The establishment, identified as the “Plavi čuperak” preschool, maintained that all costumes remain freely accessible to every pupil without restriction.
“A two-year-old boy who chose to wear a skirt has done nothing unusual or concerning”, the administration said, noting that two-year-old children do not make the same divisions in clothing as adults, as noted by Blic.
Andrić added that the objective is to encourage spontaneous play and exploration without judgment. According to the director’s communication to staff, toddlers explore and test options naturally at this stage of development without attaching adult connotations to their clothing choices.
The incident triggered widespread debate across regional media and social platforms, drawing comments from various public figures. Folk singer Halid Muslimović weighed in on the discussion while speaking to reporters in Belgrade.
“It is not my place to comment. I think a parent should be a participant in all of that, whatever the parent approves for a minor child, that is how it should be, it is not my place to talk”, Halid Muslimović said, as reported by Mondo. Additional backing came from Ceca Ražnatović, who shared the post and photographs on her social media account to support the family’s stance.
Halid Muslimović added that “Parents should have participated in that” and maintained that “I know it’s a kindergarten, but they must contact the parent whether they will put a dress on a boy or something else on a girl”. Another prominent artist, Darko Lazić, likewise utilized his official profile to share the video recording of Ražnatović explaining his decision to pull his children from the educational facility.
In addition to individual commentary, a petition titled “We demand accountability and clear rules in educational and upbringing institutions” began circulating online and was shared by Ražnatović on his social media profile, according to Banjaluka.net.