In early June more academic communities started a petition for the announcement extraordinary parliamentary elections. These include: Academic Plenum, MASA, Free University of Niš, Free University of Kragujevac, Free State University in Novi Pazar and Proactive University of Pristina with temporary headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica.
They invited all formal and informal organizations, groups of citizens, movements and congregations to take part in collecting signatures.
"With this action, we want to show that a large number of citizens support the students' request for extraordinary parliamentary elections, which would be a solution to the great social crisis in which Serbia is", they stated.
On Tuesday (June 17), the collection of signatures began in Niš. Tijana Dimitrijević from the Free University of Niš and the Faculty of Electronics told "Vreme" that they collected between 1600 and 1700 signatures in two days. "On the first day, there was a greater response from citizens even though we were available for a shorter time. In principle, we are satisfied," she says.
Further, in Niš, signature collection was announced on Thursday (June 19) in St. Sava Park, and on Friday near Tvrđavski Bridge and on Saturday in the center of Niš. The time is the same - from 19:23 to XNUMX:XNUMX.
After this, says Dimitrijević, he will announce new locations for signing. "So, we will not stop only at these locations, but we will extend the initiative as long as there is interest in signing in order to cover other parts of the city," he explains.
The interlocutor of "Vremena" adds that she has information that on Wednesday signatures were collected at the meeting in the municipality of Pantelei, but they still do not have information on how many signatures were collected. "Tonight, the assembly of citizens of the municipality of Medijana should gather and consider the joint collection of signatures. So, the assemblies are joining us in this action, so we hope there will be an even greater response," emphasizes Dimitrijević.
Mia Knežević from the Academic Plenum tells "Vreme" that so far they have collected almost ten thousand signatures in a very short period of time, and that as the campaign expands, more and more cities join in the collection.
"This weekend, a large number of cities will join. In Kruševac, it will be possible to sign the petition in the next three days, and citizens can participate in signing also in Priboj, Prokuplje, Čačak, Kraljevo, Kragujevac and Niš. In Novi Sad, signatures are being collected tomorrow (Friday) from 19:22 to XNUMX:XNUMX on Republic Square, between Jovina Gymnasium and Riblja Pijaca," Knežević points out.
Citizens' reactions
When asked what citizens say, Dimitrijević states that usually when they approach the stand they say: "Good luck to you", and then correct them and say: "Good luck to us".
"Many of them have not seen our posts on the networks, so when they pass by, they are interested," says our interlocutor.
He emphasizes that in order to sign the petition, it is necessary to have an ID card with you.
Furthermore, concludes Dimitrijević, they expect the greatest possible response from citizens because the initiative is spreading throughout Serbia.
All signatures will be submitted to the Government and the Presidency of Serbia at the end of this action, in agreement with the students. According to Mia Knežević, it is planned to submit the petition in July.
Another proof of the will of the citizens
Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences Marko Vujić told Nova TV that according to the law, 30.000 signatures of citizens are enough for the petition to reach the Assembly.
"However, practice has shown that even 200.000 signatures when it came to the work of REM, not even 300.000 against the Rio Tinto project, was not enough to be present at the Assembly session," Vujić pointed out.
However, he added that the undoubted importance of this petition is another demonstration of the will of the citizens. "I have no doubt that this petition will have several hundreds of thousands of signatures to go to the elections," Marko Vujić concluded.
Knežević explains that a petition is one of the fundamental democratic ways to inform the government of a country, if it has missed it, about what its citizens want. "It's not some kind of request, drawing or letter that we send to the government, but a serious document that citizens sign with their name, surname and social security number, and to which the government has an essential obligation."
