About twenty white awnings, metal fences from all sides of the streets that flow into the intersection in front of the Serbian Government building, drivers who greet the crowd with sirens, but also resent that their road is closed. This is how the intersection of Nemanjina and Kneza Miloš Street in the center of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, looks for the second day.
On Monday, the professors started a protest at this place, because of the law and regulation on higher education and because there are still no enrollment quotas for the enrollment of the next generation.
It's June 10, the entrance exams are usually held at the end of this month, and instead of attending colleges, professors are forced to spend their working days under white awnings on the street.
They will remain there, they say, until the demands are fulfilled.
On Tuesday around 13:XNUMX p.m., there are not many of them on the street, and the students who were there in larger numbers an hour ago have dispersed.
Photo: Time / Katarina StevanovićOliver Toskovic
Oliver Tošković, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade, tells "Vreme" that the professors have been on the streets for months and that the new action is the only way to change something.
"None of us wanted to block the street, sit under tents, not hold classes, that is, exams already at this time. I was educated with the idea that I would educate people, although this is also a form of education. I enjoy my job, I like to teach, and all of that is something that is being trampled on these days. The government is doing this to us either to shine on us or to systematically destroy education in the long term," says Tošković.
Photo: Time / Katarina StevanovićMaja Novaković
In addition to professors, there are also representatives of civic assemblies and war veterans under the tents.
Maja Novaković from the Bežanijska kosa civic choir says that the choirs gathered to support the professors, and war veteran Tihomir Vojnović also states the same.
"Professors are forced to take this step and we are here to support them," Vojnović told Vreme.
Photo: Time / Katarina StevanovićTihomir Vojnovic
How was your night?
Professors, assistants and members of the academic community gathered around the "Rebellious University" initiative for the second day in a row are protesting in front of the Serbian Government building, where were they yesterday blocked intersection of Kneza Miloša and Nemanjina streets and set up an improvised camp.
The members of this initiative spent the night at the blockade, organized in four-hour shifts.
One of the participants, Miloš Đajić, told N1 that everything was going smoothly and without incident.
"The night passed without problems, at five o'clock a new shift arrived, now we are waiting for those who come at nine. We plan to stay here until our demands are met," said Đajić.
He reminded that the professors are asking for the cancellation of the decree that reduced their salaries, the disbanding of the working group that was formed without the participation of the university, as well as the urgent determination of enrollment quotas for the next school year.
"I invite parents to support us. I am a parent of a high school graduate myself and I know how important it is to know when the entrance exams will be, so that the children can plan for the summer without additional stress," said Đajić.
The protest, supported by students, independent universities, and even some informal groups such as bikers and choirs, is aimed at defending public education and science.
"Without universities and science, there is no development of society. If we lose that, we become an amorphous mass. Supporting the university today means supporting the future of Serbia," said Đajić.
Brnabić: The rally is "ridiculous and shameful", it is "Nazi and fascist ideology"
The President of the Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, told TV Pink that the protest in front of the Government of Serbia was "ridiculous and shameful", and that the demands of students and professors were examples of "Nazi and fascist ideology".
"Those people give themselves the right to let someone express their will, whether they will be able to enter the university and the like. Yesterday and today they are harassing the whole city again, a 'handful' of them are camping in front of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, it is shameful. It is a fascist ideology that some people are silent on, and the media supports - said Brnabić.
Brnabić adds that the "armchair blockers" are now attacking the people who supported them, if they "do not fully agree with their views".
"The blockaders today at the faculties are chasing the professors who supported them for six months, physically throwing them out, only if they dare to say one word that they don't like. They are not students, they are blockaders. When the Nazis burned books in the thirties, it was started by the Nazi students. They don't let real students enter the faculty where they study, they ask for their index, so what's next, they ask them about their blood group? They attacked people in Kosjerić, they kidnapped gave them their ballots and tried to find out who they were voting for, so that's pure Nazism," said Brnabić.
Source: N1 / Pink
