A student-citizen front, composed of professors and experts elected by the students, should be formed and create a unique "student list". At least this is the concept proposed by the Blockade Students as a solution to the political and social crisis in the country. The university professors met this news cautiously.
It is officially clear to all of them that in the coming months, but also years, they could be an important link in the political decision-making chain, as well as in the next elections.
WHATEVER YOU NEED
Marija Draškić, a retired professor of family law from the Faculty of Law in Belgrade, would be happy to respond to a potential call from students to be on the electoral list. "Yes, I would agree," says Draškić for "Vreme". "But only temporarily, during a transitional, expert government."
Ana Vuković Vimić, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture in Belgrade, tells "Vreme" that "she would do whatever it takes for the students." He adds that it "depends solely on the students, discussions and agreements with them. The most important thing is that they be informed about my experience and the way in which I am able to contribute, as well as what I am not qualified for. I personally think that I could contribute the most in an advisory capacity, due to my experience in creating policies, but not in political engagement. Like any professor or scientist, my place is in spreading the representation of new knowledge in practice and strategic planning, but not in engaging in politics."
The professor of the Faculty of Agriculture emphasizes that she considers "engaging in politics in its narrower meaning, that is, activities related to exercising power and making political decisions." He also states that these activities in many departments "should be based on close communication with the profession and science, where we return again to the importance of the advisory role of the scientific and research organizations of our country".
DO THE DEANS HAVE TIME?
The deans from the University of Belgrade mostly answer that they don't have time to get directly involved in politics and put their name on the "student list". However, the majority adds that they are ready to jump into the fight for student and educational rights in Serbia in other ways, during the election process. Thus, Danimir Mandić, dean of the Faculty of Teachers, told "Vreme" that it would be an honor for him to be on the list of students, but that, due to health problems, he is not ready for it. "I will try to help in every way", he adds.
Branislav Bajat, dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, was very involved in the work of the specialized groups that evaluated the work of the authorities after the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad. Although during the previous months he repeatedly defended students and his own colleagues from the attacks of the ruling party, he tells "Vreme" that he would not agree to his name being among the holders of the "student list". "I never had ambitions to be involved in politics," adds Bayat.
Goran Roglić, dean of the Faculty of Chemistry, tells "Vreme" that he would not be on the student list simply because "he has too many obligations as a dean".
POLITICIANS AMONG PROFESSORS
Many university professors are active in political parties, and some of them are members of the National Assembly. Until now, students have distanced themselves from the views of all political parties in the country, including the opposition. The question is whether they would now agree to certain professors being on their list, if they are already party-oriented.
Jelena Jerinić, law professor and member of the "Green-Left Front", told "Vreme" that she does not think she meets the conditions to be on the list for which names will be chosen by students, and other politicians among the professors respond similarly. Those with whom the editorial staff of "Vremena" spoke say that they would not be on the list itself, but not because they would not want it. "Probably the students wouldn't even want me," says one of them unofficially.
His colleague, who also insists on anonymity, says "it would be much easier if the students would accept at least some of those who are active in politics. I am not a member of the party, so I have no direct benefit from this position, but I think it is unfair that certain professors are eliminated, especially those who entered politics only in recent years and did everything to help students. Both in the Assembly and as professors at their faculties, they are quality people".
WHOEVER HE IS - WILL BE A COMPETITOR
Political scientist Dejan Bursać sees the students' decision to demand elections and create some kind of list bearing their name as a logical evolutionary continuation of the student protest.
"If the regime won't meet your demands even after six months, then it's time to change the regime. It's a political articulation that has been talked about for months," he added for "Vreme".
If they stick to the request that there are no political figures on their list, Bursać says that we will have an interesting political dynamic in the extraordinary elections.
"It seems to me that it will remain so, that the students will ask the opposition to be some kind of support for them and not to participate in the campaign," says Bursać. "Based on the views of a large number of voters, I believe that it could be good for the opposition in the long run, that is, for a large social movement to fight the SNS. In the event that it succeeds in defeating it and democratizing the country, the opposition political parties will be able to realize their own interests and profit in the future."
In the coming period, it will be interesting for Bursać to see how that "student list" will be formed. Whoever is on it, he adds, will be a competitive competitor of SNS for the first time after 13 years.
"Despite all the advantages in the electoral process, money, media, now they cannot even count on a convincing victory, and the question is whether they can count on a victory at all. We can now say again that we will have uncertain elections in Serbia, after a long time," says the political scientist.
NO ONE HAS QUITE REFUSED
The editors of "Vremena" spoke, which is logical, only to the professors who support the students in the blockade. Out of at least 30 of them, almost no one answered that they would not because they were not interested in it. Those who said they would not be on the list cited personal or professional reasons for preventing them from being directly hired. And they mostly explained them unofficially.
"Simply, I'm not trained for it, I'm not that personality profile. It sounds rude, but I know myself so well that I know what I would be good at and what I wouldn't be good at. I certainly wouldn't be in this," says one of them.
Kosjerić and Zaječar – a good demonstration exercise
While Serbia is waiting for us with the question of whether and when extraordinary parliamentary elections will be held, the local elections in Kosjerić and Zaječar on June 8 could tell us a lot about political activity and the participation of students and professors.
In Kosjerić, both students and the opposition, united on one list, will participate in the election process. The holder of this list is Dragana Perišić, professor of mathematics and computer science. The decision on the participation of students in this election process was not made by the plenums, but rather the local activation of students from Kosjerić. One of their conditions was that the opposition parties on the "United for Kosjerić" list remove their party symbols. On the other side, in Zaječar, the students did not activate, and the opposition united, so they will go in two columns.
Kosjerić, according to political consultant Dušan Lj. Milenkovic, a precedent in political practice in Serbia: "The political power of the new political actor - the students - actually shaped the model of going to these elections. On one list we have different political actors who supported the student request and accepted the student coordination", he adds.
Bursać believes that the elections in both cities will be a good demonstrative exercise, in which Serbia will see all the advantages and disadvantages of different models of organization of opposition movements, including the participation of professors.
"The local elections will show a lot - how well the fall of SNS is really operationalized at the polls, as well as how well the opposition lists will succeed in mobilizing citizens, especially those in Zaječar, to account for the fall of the progressives," says Bursać. "We will also see how the students get involved in the election process and how much the SNS will use electoral manipulation mechanisms, which they normally carry out in elections. Will the fact that they can fall from power force them to break all possible election rules even more, in the hope that it will help them get a few more votes. Or will they implement a relatively fair election process due to the fact that the public's focus will be greater."
Bursać also says that it seems to him that the progressives are not able to be fair at all, and because of that they will have to bear the consequences. Whoever is on the other side of the list.
