Detonations, police, forensics, blockade of the Rectorate's work - all this happened in the previous two days in the building of the Rectorate of the University of Novi Sad. Students of informal groups "ATTITUDE" by they block for the fifth time elections for the Student Parliament of the Faculty of Philosophy.
The rector's office is blocked, they explained on social networks, because there are elections for the student parliament Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad (FFUNS) re-announced with the announcement that it will be held in the building of the Rectorate, which is contrary to the Rulebook on conducting elections.
Meeting with the rector
This group of students met today in the building of the Rectorate with Rector Dejan Madić.
When asked what the conclusions of the meeting were, Mila Pajić from the informal student group "STAV" told "Vreme" that it was said at the meeting that the elections would no longer be held in the Rectorate building.
"We don't have any guarantees for that, and I don't know what we could have, except that the rector now understands that it can create problems like this, making the rectorate unable to work," indicated Pajić.
Another thing, our interlocutor notes, is that the Rectorate will not be unblocked until they have a meeting with the president of the FFUNS student parliament, Ivana Macak, and "most likely with our dean, considering that then the dean and the rector could be mediators at that meeting because the other the party does not want to respond to the invitation to a meeting from our side".
Pajić adds: "The rector undertook to call the representatives of the FFUNS student parliament and believes that they will respond." It is about the fact that we have to stay in the Rectorate and continue to exert pressure considering that the Rectorate now has some work to do, like this one today - the graduation ceremony that was scheduled did not happen due to the blockade. Now it is clear to the employees of the Rectorate, but also to other academic workers, generally university professors and students, that something is happening on the campus and that perhaps they should ask themselves if there is any point in going like that, as they do every day, in the habit of job and receive a diploma as a recognition for a doctor of science, while we know that the regulations of one of the faculties are being violated in the Rectorate".
Madic: Peace and agreement should be given a chance
The rector of the University of Novi Sad, Dejan Madić, said on Tuesday, regarding the blockade of the Rectorate building held by the students of the informal group "STAV" due to the election for the student parliament of the Faculty of Philosophy in that city, that peace and agreement between student groups should be given a chance.
In an interview with N1, he said that he gave the agreement a chance and that both student groups should sit down and reach an agreement.
He explained that the intention is for the elections for the student parliament of the Faculty of Philosophy to be held in the Rectorate of Dobra.
According to him, the elections can be held anywhere, and "perhaps it is best to be held at the Faculty of Philosophy".
"But the most important thing is for students to be united and not get up from the table until they find a common solution," said Madić.
Previous meeting attempt
Earlier, a meeting of the students of the informal group "STAV" was held with the representatives of the student parliament FFUNS, but no agreement was reached.
Pajić says that Ivana Macak (president of the FFUNS student parliament) said at that meeting that she was willing to talk and that they should come to an agreement.
However, "they wanted this election cycle to end, so that we would discuss this rulebook with the new convocation of the parliament." I believe it's just shifting the responsibility to some new people who would be there and we don't have enough trust to let it just happen like that. So we did not agree to withdraw and end that election cycle. Considering that their mandates last until December, we have until December for this convocation to be responsible for everything that has to do with those elections," explains Pajić.
The student also recalls that after that meeting there were blockades where Ivana Macan hit her, and Aleksandar M. Gajić, a doctoral student and vice president of the Student Parliament election committee, hit Lazar Dinić, also a member of the informal group "STAV". but also that in the end Ivana Macan was taken to the emergency room.
Detonation and the police
During the night, a detonation was heard near the Rectorate building. Pajić says that part of the group that was on the terrace saw a flash, and that detonation was heard twice within a few seconds.
"We called the police and they came." There is talk of some stronger explosive device. The police went around the area and found nothing. We assume that those detonations had something to do with us, because they happened right behind the Rectorate," our interlocutor points out.
The student recalls that the police came to the Rector's building three times yesterday, and there was also forensics once.
"One (of those three times) the police came at the call of the security chief who secures the Rectorate because one of the doors, which according to him was locked, was open at that moment." It was about the fact that it was a door that could be opened even if it was locked, but there was no damage to it," explains Pajić.
He goes on to say that security called to report a change in the situation in the facility, and the police came and investigated.
"Forensics came to photograph the condition they found. After that, they managed to re-lock the door as it was and there was no material damage," says Pajić.
What next
Mila Pajić says that they are now expecting an agreement with the current student representatives of FFUNS.
"Currently, a proposal for a new rulebook is being written in line with the rulebooks of other faculties. When the session of the parliament, which is currently in session, is called and when they adopt that rulebook and call a new election cycle, in that case we will unblock the Rectorate. That in the elections for the student parliament we have at least two, three options on paper, that we have several candidate lists", concluded Pajić - because now only one list with current representatives in the FFUNS student parliament was nominated in the elections.
The demands of the students of the informal group "STAV" remain the same, namely the amendment of Article 19 of the Rulebook on conducting elections and the re-announcement of elections. And the blockade will last until the demands are met.
