Students protesting expressed their demands: We won't talk to anyone - we expect institutions to do their job

The answers to our questions are given in full:

What exactly are the requirements - what do students expect (want)?

• The demands of the students are:

1) Publication of complete documentation concerning the reconstruction of the railway station in Novi Sad, which is currently unavailable to the public.

2) We demand confirmation from the competent authorities about the identity of all persons who are suspected to have physically attacked students and professors, as well as the initiation of criminal proceedings against them. We also demand the dismissal of the mentioned persons if it turns out that they are public officials.

3) Dismissal of criminal charges against arrested and detained students at protests, as well as suspension of already initiated criminal proceedings.

4) Increase of budget resources for state faculties by 20%, in order to improve the conditions of work, study and quality of education at universities.

Our demands are clear, concrete and publicly available from the very beginning on our Instagram profile studenti_u_blokadi.

Transparency is key to this fight, so every request is explained in detail and available to everyone.

Which demands of the students are not met?

None of the students' requests were fulfilled.

1) The documentation on the reconstruction of the railway station in Novi Sad was published in an incomplete form. Key parts are missing, such as contracts with contractors and persons in charge of supervision, which makes it impossible to fully analyze possible omissions. The letter from the Faculty of Architecture, sent to the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, indicates serious deficiencies in the design and implementation process, as well as the fact that key information is still not available to the public. The letter is publicly available on the Instagram page of the blocking Faculty of Architecture (https://www.instagram.com/p/DDxVo9zsTGB/?igsh=MW53YTdmbmFvdjFibw==).

2) The dismissal of the charges against those arrested at the protests has not been fully resolved. Although some detained students and citizens were released, the problem remains that peaceful protesters were arrested at all. We believe that such violations of the right to peaceful gathering and expression must not be repeated, as they violate basic freedoms in a democratic society.

Also, the release of those arrested does not guarantee that those persons will not be criminally prosecuted, nor that a conviction will not be passed. Our demands are not only clear and transparent, but also based on the basic principles of justice, responsibility and safety of all citizens. We expect them to be answered in accordance with the law and the interests of the public.

 

FOTO TANJUG/ RADE PRELIĆ/ bs

3) Filing of criminal charges against the attackers of students and professors has not yet been implemented. The identity of some of the attackers is known to the public, but the competent institutions have not yet taken the necessary legal steps. Instead, the sanctions were reduced to removal from office. We believe that the prosecution of the responsible persons is crucial for the protection of the rights of all protest participants. We remind you that attacks on students and high school students, including minors, happen almost every day, and hardly anyone is prosecuted, although there is evidence in the form of pictures and videos on social networks.

4) The increase in budget funds for state faculties by 20% has not been specified. Although some officials have announced that this request has been met, the authority for making such decisions belongs to the Ministry of Finance and budget bodies at the national level. So far, we have not received official confirmations or concrete measures that would show that the budget has really been increased and that the funds are directed to the improvement of education.

Which institution or person should fulfill those requirements?

The prosecutor's office is responsible for most student requests. This institution is responsible for enforcing the law and acting on all relevant reports and requests related to our situation. There is no specific person to whom we directly address, because the procedure is clearly defined within the jurisdiction of the prosecution. We expect that all requests are treated in a legal and transparent manner, in accordance with the competences that are clearly divided between the institutions.

Are there any requirements that the public doesn't know about?

All student requests have been public since the beginning of the blockade and are available to the general public.

No requests were added afterwards, nor were they ever hidden. All our requests are clearly and transparently published, both through social networks and through public appearances and statements. We believe that it is important that every request is clear and open, because that is the only way we can guarantee true transparency and responsibility in society.

FOTO TANJUG/ NENAD MIHAJLOVIĆ/ nr

Who would students like to discuss the requirements with?

Students do not want to talk with government representatives or political officials, but for competent institutions to do their job. Their goal is for the institutions responsible for solving the problem, such as the prosecution, ministries and other relevant authorities, to take concrete steps and act in accordance with the law.

Students demand that the competent authorities resolve their requests without the need for additional discussions, because they believe that this is their legal duty and responsibility.

They expect institutions to work efficiently and responsibly, instead of waiting for political statements, because only then can a real solution to the problem be reached.