Students spend night protesting

Protesting Belgrade University students have spent the night in an improvised tent next to the government building. Some 50 students started a hunger strike in front of the building on Monday, saying it wold last until their demands have been met. Students spend night protesting They say that after collecting a sufficient number of ECTS points, they are entitled to free university education, with their fees paid by the state. They also want an increase to the number of graduate students funded by the state. In a statement for B92, Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic reiterated that state funds were insufficient, and that he had expected faculty managements to solve the problem themselves. The protesters were not addressed by government officials during the night. “The plan is to stand, sit, lie here, until someone sees us and until we solve our problems. And if that doesn’t happen? We’ll certainly stay here for several days and probably longer,” says student Mirko Momic. The students who are protesting are from the Faculty of Political Sciences, the Faculty of Geography, Belgrade Business School, College of Electrical Engineering, Belgrade University of Arts, and they have been supported by those of the Faculty of Philosophy and the Faculty of Philology. “I must say that I feel bad that the students tried to solve the problem of insufficient funds this way. I’ve said before that we haven’t got any more money. And that’s true. We’ve done all in our power to help students, we’ve raised the number of exam periods, we’ve lowered the number of ECTS points needed to enroll for the next year and that way we’ve created a possibility for the students to enroll. If we had not done that, this problem would not exist,” says Obradovic. Earlier, an incident occurred in front of the building, while the students blocked the traffic, when a young man suffered light injuries, according to reports. The students protest (Beta) Jovanovic: Solution found Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Cedomir Jovanovic stated Tuesday that during the negotiations with the Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas and the city authorities a "financial minimum was ascertained", which will make it possible for the students who are on strike to continue their studies. “The students can consider the fight successful, because a financial minimum which will enable them to continue their studies was ascertained in the consultations with the Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas and the city authorities,“ Jovanovic told the press at the parliament. He added that it is necessary to regulate the conditions of higher education, since Serbia has the lowest percentage of academics in Europe. Talks should be initiated between the Ministry of Education, the University and the students, in order to have the issue solved, Jovanovic said and qualified as unacceptable the fact that the funds from the state budget, which is "hollow and exhausted," are being spent irrationally.

Students spend night protesting

They say that after collecting a sufficient number of ECTS points, they are entitled to free university education, with their fees paid by the state. They also want an increase to the number of graduate students funded by the state.

In a statement for B92, Minister of Education Žarko Obradović reiterated that state funds were insufficient, and that he had expected faculty managements to solve the problem themselves.

The protesters were not addressed by government officials during the night.

“The plan is to stand, sit, lie here, until someone sees us and until we solve our problems. And if that doesn’t happen? We’ll certainly stay here for several days and probably longer,” says student Mirko Momić.

The students who are protesting are from the Faculty of Political Sciences, the Faculty of Geography, Belgrade Business School, College of Electrical Engineering, Belgrade University of Arts, and they have been supported by those of the Faculty of Philosophy and the Faculty of Philology.

“I must say that I feel bad that the students tried to solve the problem of insufficient funds this way. I’ve said before that we haven’t got any more money. And that’s true. We’ve done all in our power to help students, we’ve raised the number of exam periods, we’ve lowered the number of ECTS points needed to enroll for the next year and that way we’ve created a possibility for the students to enroll. If we had not done that, this problem would not exist,” says Obradović.

Earlier, an incident occurred in front of the building, while the students blocked the traffic, when a young man suffered light injuries, according to reports.

Jovanović: Solution found

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Čedomir Jovanović stated Tuesday that during the negotiations with the Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas and the city authorities a "financial minimum was ascertained", which will make it possible for the students who are on strike to continue their studies.

“The students can consider the fight successful, because a financial minimum which will enable them to continue their studies was ascertained in the consultations with the Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas and the city authorities,“ Jovanović told the press at the parliament.

He added that it is necessary to regulate the conditions of higher education, since Serbia has the lowest percentage of academics in Europe.

Talks should be initiated between the Ministry of Education, the University and the students, in order to have the issue solved, Jovanović said and qualified as unacceptable the fact that the funds from the state budget, which is "hollow and exhausted," are being spent irrationally.