BOS research: Talking, not advocating

Fears, doubts and misconceptions, eternal brakes social changes - perhaps we can also say progress - are often the result of the absence of conversation. One of the terms that immediately raises doubts in Serbian society, offers attitudes woven from fear and creates misconceptions is European Union. At the mention of the European Union, fears, doubts and misconceptions are observed among young people because they rarely talk about the EU, they do not have good interlocutors, and they mostly inherit attitudes and fears from their parents, guardians, peers or relatives who live in the European Union. Usual fears, doubts and misconceptions, i.e. distorted images, say that by joining the Union we will lose our tradition, no more Cyrillic, no more brandy. Why, then, should we even go to the European Union when it is blackmailing us, when there are strict rules there that, due to the mentality, we cannot get used to: it is not for us, brother. But there are also better wages and better opportunities for young people. On the other hand, what will we do there when no one can guarantee us that the European Union will not fall apart tomorrow.

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You understand what it is about. Therefore, a logical question follows: why have young people never systematically discussed the European Union?

SHAKEN SYSTEM

The "Research on the attitudes of high school students in Serbia towards the European Union", which was conducted by the Belgrade Open School (BOŠ) and published in May of last year, can be summed up with the following sentence: high school students perceive the European Union positively, but they are not sufficiently informed about it and do not believe in the possibility of European integration of Serbia, that is, they do not believe in the feasibility of the European idea in Serbia. Reading the conclusion of the research today, in a significantly changed socio-political context compared to the moment the research was published, one gets the impression that a repeated research would not have the same or similar conclusions. Why? Young people in Serbia, aware of their capabilities, knowledge and resourcefulness in leading the fight for justice, shook the foundations of the system that anesthetized its citizens (their parents), narrowed the spaces for them to talk, divided them into "citizens" and students in the blockade and directly confronted them. But how did they manage to shake the foundations of the system? Precisely thanks to the attitude that radiates from each of their actions: Is there anything we can't do?? This attitude inspires, moves, encourages and shapes the opinion of young people, and it can be justifiably taken into consideration that the doubt of young people in the feasibility of any idea in Serbia, including European ones, has weakened or become smaller, and it is necessary to make a decision about these ideas based on information and critical thinking.

Since the shaken system has for years narrowed down or closed spaces for dialogue, exchange of opinions and collective reconsideration of important decisions, and turned the most important place for dialogue (the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia) into a training ground for performances and speeches full of political hatred towards the opponent, how can we expect the youngest full members of our society and those who will soon become so, to have developed skills of conversation, exchange of opinions, formation of attitudes, and, consequently, the need for a critical review of all important issues, including the one about the European Union?

That's why the Belgrade Open School, based on the conducted research, developed and published on May 9 a "Guide for conversations about the European Union", which aims to encourage conversations on 10 different topics and dilemmas that most often arise when it comes to the European Union. In the words of one of the authors, the Guide opens the door to "the adventure of searching for answers". In that adventure, space is opened for removing and reducing fears, dilemmas and misconceptions, and understanding and critical thinking are put in focus.

SUPPORT FOR THE UNION IS GROWING

Research by the Umbrella Organization of Youth of Serbia (KOMS) shows that the European Union deserves more and more attention among young people. In its "Alternative report on the position and needs of young people in the Republic of Serbia" for 2024, the Koms states that when asked Do you support Serbia's entry into the European Union? - they receive an equal percentage of male and female respondents who support and do not support (39%), while so far the party that does not support entry has prevailed. Attitudes of young people in the current social context are changing towards the European Union partly because of what they see, as well as the results
BOŠ's research shows that the European Union is a regulated system based on rules in which there is predictability of the work of institutions in different social situations, and, consequently, the attitude is changing because there is a perception that with the support of European, supranational institutions, additional pressure could be exerted that would result in the predictability of the work of the institutions of the Republic of Serbia (the second part of the sentence is a graphic representation of the European integration of Serbia). Therefore, it is no wonder that young people, realizing that national institutions are not working, turn to Brussels, that is, European, supranational institutions. Forms of pointing out the inaction of institutions in Serbia and seeking support for a solution from those who have tools for solving problems, functional mechanisms for making decisions and a space for discussing important social topics, manifested themselves in a strong and impressive way in the past months.

That is why the youth organizations sent and signed the "Appeal to the European Union: Oppose the repression and violation of basic human rights in Serbia", with the aim of the EU providing support to activists who have been in detention for more than two months, to civil society which is in a very unenviable financial situation, to educators whose monthly incomes have been drastically reduced. After all, the "Tour to Strasbourg" and "Race to Brussels" were organized due to the fact that young people could not turn to any national institution that would listen to them (but that is why they could be invited to an informative interview), nor could they force those institutions to do their job, that is, to be at the service of their citizens.

How does the Union currently respond to the needs of young people in Serbia to establish a system and revive the work of institutions?

Apart from the reception and talks in Strasbourg and Brussels, probably the best example of the reaction of the European institutions and the strongest message would be the statement of Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, on the eve of her arrival in Belgrade: "It seems important to me to say that what the demonstrators and students are demanding from Serbia is the same thing that the European Commission is demanding from Serbia." Whether Serbia is part of the Union or not, young people on behalf of the citizens of Serbia demand justice, responsibility, transparency and predictability of the work of institutions, a strict division of responsibilities, a media system bound by rules, timely and verified information and an objective public media service.

TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS, INSTITUTIONS TO CITIZENS

The effort invested in returning the institutions to the citizens, the effort to bring them to responsible work for the benefit of all citizens of this country, and what we hear from European officials, tells us that Serbia's membership in the Union, at least in a functional sense, is possible because of an awakened attitude: Is there anything we can't do?? Whether, on the other hand, we want to become a member of the Union is a completely different question. However, in order for young people to talk about it among themselves, they need tools, mechanisms and a space for discussion, along with returning institutions to the hands of citizens. Hence the "Guide for discussions on the European Union".

At the base of long-established democratic decision-making mechanisms: plenums, meso plenums, assemblies - there is a conversation (thanks to the young people for bringing democracy as a value back high on the ladder of Serbian society).

CONVERSATION GUIDE

The guide consists of 10 thematic texts chosen on the basis of research by the Belgrade Open School. The aim of the Guide is conversation, no advocacy attitudes, and is intended for high school students, youth workers, high school teaching staff and anyone who wants to critically observe the process of European integration. It is written in a vocabulary that high school students understand, and they can use the Guide individually or in a group, learn from it and think about the seemingly most complicated topics that follow the process of European integration of Serbia, and the consequences that it brings with it: are we going to distance ourselves from Russia and China, are we losing our letter by entering the Union, where does the fez come from, are European diplomas worth more, will the European Union disintegrate and is our mentality really an obstacle to joining the Union?

The key thing that young people have taught us is that they can do it themselves and that they should be given a chance. "Guided" Belgrade Open School provides ways and suggestions for how young people can discuss the European Union without intermediaries, but with each other, learning and building their arguments for or against a certain position, which in an equal battle of arguments will lead to the best solution and decisions for themselves, and consequently for the whole society.

The author is an associate at the Belgrade Open School