CIP ANNULLED THE ELECTION Škrijelj: Zaimović takes over mandate on Tuesday, this is an attack on the autonomy of UNSA, corruption in the Ministry

(Patria) - Rector of the University of Sarajevo Rifat Škrijelj held a final press conference today where he spoke about the results of the past eight years, but also about the problems he is facing.

He also stated today that they are faced with a "brutal attack by the Cantonal Inspection in Sarajevo on the autonomy and self-governance of UNSA", and that this was preceded by other activities ahead of the summer holidays.

"The Cantonal Prosecutor's Office reacted promptly, based on anonymous reports, formed a case, forwarded it to the Ministry of Interior, the Department for Combating Economic Crime got involved in the election of the rector, requesting various documents. And today, as the culmination of that action, I responsibly and publicly claim, of the attack on the autonomy of UNSA, came the decision of the Cantonal Inspection," Škrijelj stated.

"An hour before the start of this conference, we received a decision ordering the University to annul the Senate's decision on the election of the new rector and the annulment of the competition," said Škrijelj, calling this an unprecedented scandal.

He added that they were given a deadline of ten days by the decision.

"I publicly inform the public that since the election of the rector, we have been faced with anonymous reports that were forwarded to various institutions, from the inspection, the prosecutor's office, and the Office for the Fight against Corruption. I publicly tell the ruling majority, as rector, if they allow such a brutal attack on UNSA at a time when my mandate is expiring and the other rector has not taken office, the University would, due to such irresponsible conduct, be left without a rector - the rector continues and adds:

"The authors of this act do not specify what happens when my mandate expires, but they are forcing and ordering me. An inspector has no right to order the rector and the University, and we will prove that. We expect our founder, the Sarajevo Canton, to resolve this in accordance with the law," said Škrijelj.

He explains that UNSA has the right to appeal this act and that they will exercise that right.

"We will seek the recusal of the minister because she has shown collusion with the Cantonal Inspection and certain members of the academic community against UNSA. They act on anonymous reports, do not respect the Statute of UNSA, and are trying to block the work of the University of Sarajevo. This attack on academia, academic freedoms, autonomy, and self-governance of the University is no longer tolerable. If our founder does not stop this, they bear responsibility for further events in the Sarajevo Canton regarding the University," he emphasizes.

He believes the goal is to challenge the work of UNSA and prevent the appointment of the regularly elected rector Tarik Zaimović. The official handover of duties, he explained, will take place on Tuesday.

"What politics and individuals from the academic community are trying to do, I will not accept," he concluded.

At today's conference, Škrijelj leveled a series of criticisms at the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth, stating, among other things, that "corruption flourishes" within it.

He also spoke about the fact that during his mandate, UNSA accomplished the two most important things.

"We carried out the biggest reform in 75 years of existence. We achieved legal and financial integration. Legal integration was the key to success. We achieved great results in the field of publishing scientific research papers. The University is better ranked on world lists," he said.