Minister Mesihović revokes decision on tuition fee exemption for top 20% of UNSA students, student protests on October 5

(Patria) - President of the Student Parliament Imran Pašalić said at today's press conference after the UNSA Senate session that the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of the Sarajevo Canton adopted a decision ordering UNSA to immediately suspend the instruction on tuition fee exemption for the top 20% of students. The Ministry is headed by Adna Mesihović, a cadre of the For New Generations movement of Damir Marjanović.

"This is revenge for our criticisms, aimed at intimidating SPUS, leaving students without the possibility to change their status from self-financing to regular students at the expense of the Sarajevo Canton Budget. This decision is not even legally valid, as it did not leave any possibility in the law or the Statute to subsequently withdraw consent. We will file an appeal and request the Sarajevo Canton Assembly to rule on this issue," said Pašalić.

He emphasized that students have earned a change in status through their hard work, and that this will cause them to lose enthusiasm and will to study, ultimately leading to students leaving the University of Sarajevo.

This decision came, according to Pašalić, after criticisms were raised about the Ministry's work, the conditions in student dormitories, and the corruption they had warned about.

Rector Škrijelj said that this decision from the Ministry arrived last Friday and that this is another issue concerning the University's autonomy being usurped at the political level.

"The University of Sarajevo will stand by our students. The decision was made on September 24, just days before students are to start the new academic year and enroll, and it is only meant to cover certain deans if they did not comply with students according to the law and Statute, so they would not be held accountable. This speaks to the collusion of certain individuals with the Ministry, because it states that the Ministry received an inquiry from the Faculty of Dental Medicine, where tuition is 7,000 KM. The minister, at the request of that faculty, issues an act just as students are about to enroll. If she had a legal basis, she should have issued the act in June or July so students would know. This is an abuse of the minister's position, creates legal uncertainty, and kills the desire to study at UNSA. It brutally tramples their right to change their status. This will certainly not be allowed. If the founder does not react properly, UNSA will be halted in its progress. This UNSA has existed for 75 years, maintained its work under shelling during the war, and will survive under the political shelling of individuals as well," said Škrijelj.

Pašalić announced that students will take to the streets in protests, most likely to be held on October 5, the day before the local elections.