Rally Held in Support of Faculty of Philosophy Dean

BETAPHOTO/NIKOLA TODOROVIC

Hundreds of students and citizens gathered outside the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade on Sept. 14 to demonstrate their support for the dean of the Faculty, Professor Danijel Sinani, who was attacked on the street last week. Speakers also expressed confidence that they would return to the same spot to celebrate good news after the polls close on Oct. 25.

Professor Katarina Popovic, president of the Council of the Faculty of Philosophy, said the attack on Sinani, who was unable to attend the rally, was in fact an attack on “his fight for the autonomy of the University, and his unwavering support for the student movement.”

“We are well aware of that. This regime has chosen various ways to harm the University and the student movement. I believe it all comes from the same kitchen, with the sole purpose to silence this critical voice in society. Professor Sinani can rely on our full support. We will stand by him, by our colleagues at the Faculty of Philosophy in Nis, other professors and employees, and by the students,” Popovic said.

Oliver Toskovic, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, said the authorities were in constant decline and in the “losing zone,” and told those gathered to take the 6,000 dinars in assistance currently being handed out by the authorities and give it to their colleagues at the Faculty of Philosophy in Nis, who are not being paid, as well as to education workers who have been losing their jobs for the past two years.

Nenad Radulovic, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Nis, said the government had established the Faculty of Serbian Studies by stealing three programs, staff and students from his faculty, asking whether “this is an attempt to punish the Faculty in Nis for supporting the students.”

“We have been living through dark times for months. It has now gone as far as withholding salaries and threats that the Faculty will lose its accreditation as a research institution unless it implements the government’s decision and amends its statute,” Radulovic said.

The Office of the Higher Public Prosecutor in Belgrade denied what it described as unfounded media allegations that the crime against the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy was politically motivated. The prosecutors claimed there was no indication to support the allegation, adding that the attacker had stolen money from Sinani.