When undemocratic or authoritarian regimes come to power, it is not a question of whether the judiciary, the media, or the university will be under attack, but it is a question of who is the first under attack, the President of the Humboldt University of Berlin, Julia von Blumenthal, stated today.
This should always be borne in mind, and even when it is said that this will not happen here in Europe, one should be cautious and open one’s eyes wide, she said at the gathering “Universities under pressure: academic freedoms, democracy, and European solidarity”, citing what happened in Hungary as an example.
Von Blumenthal mentioned cooperation and a strong exchange between universities as one of the lessons.
What can be done is to raise awareness about the threats faced by the academic community, academic freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law in Serbia, she said.
The Rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Đokić, said that the academic community in Serbia is facing physical, financial, and media pressure from the government, which is doing everything to divide and bring discord within the University.
They will not succeed in this, said Đokić, who recalled that students rebelled after the collapse of the canopy in Novi Sad and the deaths of 16 people, demanding a transparent investigation into that tragedy, and professors supported them.
Instead of fulfilling the conditions of the students who want accountability, the authorities are targeting the university, students, and professors, Đokić said and emphasized that physical pressure is reflected in arrests, beatings, criminal charges, and accusations of discrimination against students who would like to study.
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Đokić recalled that almost a month ago, the criminal police stayed the whole day in this building, which is the first time in the history of the university that the police entered the building without announcement, invitation, and permission.
The Rector emphasized that the university is facing financial pressure, because professors were without salaries for almost half a year, and the Ministry of Finance does not allow the opening of special accounts for participation in programs obtained through Erasmus or Horizon projects.
Pro-government media target students and professors every day, calling them derogatory names – Nazis, terrorists, Taliban, but high officials and ministers say this too, he warned.
We will not give up, we are following this student movement, but it is no longer just a student movement, but a civil one, because the students invited citizens to join them in the fight for democracy, the rule of law, and the fight against corruption, Đokić said.
Đokić encouraged professors to get more actively involved in the defense of academic freedoms, because he does not consider it sufficient for just a few individuals, deans, and professors to be the only ones doing so.
Student Nada Trifković said that the university, in a state where all institutions are under pressure, is the only institution standing upright, and that is why it has been a target for the authorities for more than a year.
The university is a target because it is not an instrument of the government, she said and stated that more than a year and a half ago, students blocked the faculties not because of exams and tuition fees, but because there is no transparent investigation into the collapse of the canopy in which 16 people died.
We are on the street not to tear down institutions, but to send a clear message that they are important and that we want them to work for the benefit of citizens, Trifković said, noting that students are not giving up the fight and that as a generation they will not allow some new generations to be in the same position.
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Source: Danas.rs, Photo: L.L. / ATAImages