SERBIA

“WE WON’T GIVE SCIENCE MONEY TO SINIŠA MALI”: Professors and students begin a four-hour blockade of the intersection in front of the Serbian Government! (VIDEO)

by Serbian Times10. June 2026.

A four-hour blockade of the intersection in front of the Serbian Government is being held tonight starting at 7 p.m., organized by professors and students who have called for the gathering in order to submit an initiative challenging the constitutionality and legality of the regulation that places higher education institutions under the SPIRI treasury system.

According to an announcement published on the Instagram page “Pobunjeni univerzitet” (“Rebellious University”), the blockade is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and last until 11 p.m. During the four-hour protest, speeches and a musical program organized by the academic community will be held, along with the presentation of the Academic Community Manifesto. The gathering will conclude with DJ performances.

At 7 p.m., the commemoration of the anniversary of the multi-day blockade of the same intersection began in front of the Serbian Government building.

A diverse program has been planned for the evening.

Participants have gradually gathered, the intersection has been closed to traffic, local assemblies have set up information booths, motorcyclists have arrived, and organizers have called on citizens to join the event.

“Europe will not transfer project funds to a ministry account controlled by Siniša Mali”

According to psychologist Aleksandar Baucal, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Belgrade, the SPIRI system represents another form of undermining university autonomy and could also become a channel through which funds intended for international research projects are controlled or spent.

“Before the introduction of SPIRI, all faculties had separate bank accounts for receiving funds related to international projects. The European Commission does not want money deposited into ministry accounts, especially not into an account controlled by Siniša Mali, which is why we always opened dedicated accounts exclusively for that purpose. When we sign a contract with a consortium, we assume certain obligations. The problem now is that we can no longer open such an account because it falls under the Ministry of Finance. We have to submit a request to the Ministry to open a special account, even though the Ministry has no authority over the projects and bears no responsibility for them. As a faculty, we cannot guarantee what the Ministry will do with that money, yet we are the ones signing the contracts while the funds are held by them,” Baucal explained.