Members of the BU faculty council: Leaders of paramilitary formations and actors of the Milošević regime

The Government of Serbia "humiliated" the University of Belgrade and the entire academic public, because at the session on October 12, it appointed "chauvinists, thugs and thugs of Slobodan Milošević" as members of the councils of certain faculties, according to the announcement of the Democratic Party (DS).

It further states that Dragoslav Bokan, "a former commander of a paramilitary organization and a proven chauvinist, who also insulted Romanians in the media", was appointed to the Council of the Faculty of Philology.

The Government appointed Secretary General of the Government Novak Nedić to the Council of the Faculty of Law, whose connections with Belivuk's clan were written about by the weekly NIN, reminds DS. Ljubiša Ristić and Uroš Šuvaković were appointed to the Council of the Faculty of Political Sciences, and Branislav Ivković was appointed to the Council of the Faculty of Architecture, who, according to the DS, were the "hitting fists of Slobodan Milošević's regime".

"It should be said that some of those mentioned were already members of the faculty council. This applies, for example, to Novak Nedić, who was previously appointed to the council of the Faculty of Law, but also to Maja Gojković and Jadranka Joksimović, who are in the same body of the Faculty of Political Sciences, and were appointed during their ministerial mandate," he told the portal. "Vremena" is a professor at Union University Law School  and Member of Parliament Dr. Jelena Jerinić.

Photo: FoNet

She points out that the appointment of high-ranking officials of the Serbian Progressive Party shows that the University is another field that needs to be closely monitored.

"That is the main problem, because the appointment of such persons, despite the fact that they do not have a majority in the councils, represents a threat to the autonomy of the university guaranteed by the Constitution. Other appointments that have attracted public attention, including leaders of paramilitary formations or prominent actors of the Milošević regime, are part of the same approach, because they are people who wholeheartedly support the current regime of the Serbian Progressive Party and can be expected to implement its policies as members of the council. agenda," says Jerinić for "Vreme".

Scandalous and humiliating appointments

FPN professor and MP Đorđe Pavićević told "Vreme" that the Government of Serbia apparently decided to "refresh" the composition of the council as the elections for the leadership of the faculty and the University of Belgrade are approaching, so it appointed people who are more loyal to the party.

"Many appointments of members of the Council are scandalous and humiliating for the University of Belgrade, and in some cases illegal, because many of the appointees do not meet the conditions stated in the law," says Professor Pavićević.

According to him, the councils of the faculty and BU have a great influence on the policy of the faculty and the elections of the leadership. During the pandemic, the unanimous parliament changed the law that changed the ratio of council members to the detriment of teachers and employees and in favor of government representatives and student representatives, who most often vote like government representatives.

"During the pandemic, new members of the BU council and faculty were also appointed and there were also scandalous, humiliating and illegal decisions, which caused concern and unrest in some faculties. Thus, for the first time in the history of the University of Belgrade, it happened that the BU Council overrode the Senate during the election of the rector in 2021," adds Pavićević.

He also says that the new solutions, again before the elections at the university, are the reappointment of eligible ones, the replacement of some inactive members of the council, and in some cases the composition with politically strong and loyal members has been strengthened, both BU and those faculties that are not "on the line" and from which critical voices are heard, they would not receive inappropriate leadership.

Students of the Faculty of Philology launched a petition against Bokan

Students of the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade launched a petition against the appointment of Dragoslav Bokan as a member of the Council of that faculty and believe that the Government's decision is scandalous, because it does not reflect the values ​​that need to be promoted among young people, portal N1 reports.

Students believe that the Council of the Faculty of Philology, as one of the most important governing bodies of that higher education institution, must gather "extremely dedicated, noble and worthy individuals who, with their previous experience, knowledge and skills, reflect the breadth of sciences and disciplines studied at the faculty, which primarily related to language, literature and culture".

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