Ministry Rejects UNSA Appeal: Annulment of Rector Tarik Zaimović's Election Ordered

(Patria) - The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton has rejected the appeal of the University of Sarajevo regarding the Decision of the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs related to the election of the rector of the University of Sarajevo (UNSA), Minister Adna Mesihović confirmed to Faktor.

- The decision was sent on Friday, it arrived at the Inspection today, I assume that is some kind of procedure. There is a procedure related to the adoption of the decision. The University appealed the finding and decision of the Inspection to us as the second-instance body. We are simply rejecting the University's appeal and confirming the Inspection's decision. Everything further is defined by law and the University's internal documents - Mesihović said.

Recall, the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs - the Inspectorate of Educational Inspection conducted an inspection supervision at the University of Sarajevo regarding the circumstances of the election of the University rector for the mandate period 2024/2028 and found irregularities and ordered the annulment of the competition for the election of the rector.

The candidates for the new rector for the mandate period 2024–2028 were Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović, a full professor at the Faculty of Economics in Sarajevo and the current vice-rector for finance of UNSA, and Prof. Dr. Almira Hadžović-Džuvo, a full professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo.

Zaimović received 24 votes in the second round, Hadžović-Džuvo 21, and one vote was invalid.

The irregularities that the Inspection identified were precisely related to the voting. The session for the election of the rector was attended by 46 members of the Senate, of which three were with authorization. The Inspection determined that Zaimović was also on the voter list, meaning he could vote for himself, which would put his opponent Almira Hadžović-Džuvo in an unequal position.

Tarik Zaimović was elected rector by the decision of the UNSA Senate on July 3, and his inauguration was on October 1 at the Sarajevo City Hall.

Minister Mesihović told Faktor that the Ministry will issue a press release and explain this situation in more detail.