University scandal trial begins

The trial of 88 persons indicted for buying and selling of university exams and diplomas begins today in the Smederevo District Court.

Izvor: B92

Monday, 01.12.2008.

12:18

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The trial of 88 persons indicted for buying and selling of university exams and diplomas begins today in the Smederevo District Court. The so-called Index Affair took place at the Kragujevac Faculty of Law. University scandal trial begins However, since the courtroom is too small to fit all 88 indictees and their defense attorneys, the trial has been moved to the municipal building, according to Smederevo District Prosecutor Marija Nikolic. “The trial is beginning for the accused law university professors from Nis, Kragujevac and Belgrade, as well as the other persons who participated in some way in the illegal procurement of diplomas and illegal passing of exams at these universities,” she said. “The first main hearing will be held in the Smederevo assembly. The district court has worked with the justice ministry to secure the necessary technical conditions for this trial to be held in the building, since the district court does not have an adequate courtroom,” Nikolic said. The city assembly can house about 250 people, so all the technical conditions have no been met, she said. The scandal is the largest case of corruption in the Serbian educational system, with 23 professors, 33 students and 30 accomplices charged. The indictment accuses professors from three universities of misusing their positions, falsifying documents and accepting bribes, stating that they gave passing grades to students in exchange for payment of EUR 500-750, while diplomas were being sold for EUR 12,000-16,000. Krgujevac Faculty of Law Dean Sveta Puric is among those indicted, as is former Assistant Education Minister Emilija Stankovic.

University scandal trial begins

However, since the courtroom is too small to fit all 88 indictees and their defense attorneys, the trial has been moved to the municipal building, according to Smederevo District Prosecutor Marija Nikolić.

“The trial is beginning for the accused law university professors from Niš, Kragujevac and Belgrade, as well as the other persons who participated in some way in the illegal procurement of diplomas and illegal passing of exams at these universities,” she said.

“The first main hearing will be held in the Smederevo assembly. The district court has worked with the justice ministry to secure the necessary technical conditions for this trial to be held in the building, since the district court does not have an adequate courtroom,” Nikolić said.

The city assembly can house about 250 people, so all the technical conditions have no been met, she said.

The scandal is the largest case of corruption in the Serbian educational system, with 23 professors, 33 students and 30 accomplices charged.

The indictment accuses professors from three universities of misusing their positions, falsifying documents and accepting bribes, stating that they gave passing grades to students in exchange for payment of EUR 500-750, while diplomas were being sold for EUR 12,000-16,000.

Krgujevac Faculty of Law Dean Sveta Purić is among those indicted, as is former Assistant Education Minister Emilija Stanković.

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