Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has accused professors and teachers who supported student blockades of “destroying the education system” by opposing reforms during the protests. Speaking on private TV Pink, Vučić warned that changes in the education sector are now inevitable.
“These professors, through their inactivity, disorder, and irresponsibility, have opened the door for us to change things in Serbia in various ways — and we will change them,” Vučić said, referencing the government’s recent efforts to introduce foreign universities to Serbia.
He further accused professors and teachers of “carrying out a colored revolution” and stated that they will be held accountable.
“They must be responsible for the wrongdoings they have committed. A terrible crime against Serbia has been committed,” Vučić added.
Background and Ongoing Protests
Students have been protesting since November, holding indexes outside the Constitutional Court in Belgrade and blocking faculties across the country after a tragic collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad Railway Station, which killed 16 people.
The main student demand is to establish criminal and political responsibility for the canopy collapse.
Last year, the government withdrew a controversial bill aimed at allowing foreign universities to operate in Serbia after strong opposition from the academic community.
In early May, the government formed a Working Group to analyze funding and performance of higher education and draft a new Higher Education Law.
In February, an unpopular decree reduced professors’ salaries at blockaded faculties by cutting research time and increasing teaching hours, leading to protests by professors and students on May 23 outside the Government building, demanding:
- Repeal of the salary calculation decree
- Dissolution of the Working Group
- Rejection of “commercialization and voucherization” of education
Despite government claims that all student demands have been met, academics reject this and continue their blockades.
