Dismantling the academic community in action: For whose interests is Mekić seeking the dismissal of Rector Avdispahić?

When in January 2014, the esteemed professor Esad Duraković resigned from the membership in the Steering Board of the University of Sarajevo (SB UNSA), he warned that everything was being done to destroy UNSA, which is one of the rare and certainly the most important symbol of unity and quality, the main generator of valuable integrative processes, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria.

What was controversial in the very appointment of SB members in December 2013 was that the Government of the Sarajevo Canton had a majority, given that it appointed six members, while the UNSA Senate appointed five.

How right Professor Duraković was at that time became evident at the session of the SB UNSA held on December 29, 2015, chaired by Mevludin Mekić, when even the resignation of Rector Muharem Avdispahić was demanded due to, as stated in the SB's conclusions, "illegal work and failure to fulfill conclusions."

At the same session, Dobrila Govedarica-Nevjestić resigned from the membership in the SB UNSA.

As the news agency Patria learns, this is the first time in the history of UNSA that the SB has requested the dismissal of a rector, but in reality, behind all this lie the interests of several well-connected individuals.

Incidentally, in the entire story, the fact that Mekić was appointed head of the SB UNSA even though he is a professor at the University of Vitez in Travnik is incredible, which is a direct violation of Article 6 of the Rulebook on conditions for the election and appointment of members and the president of the SB.

- The candidate must not be employed or involved in the implementation of the teaching process or engaged on some other basis at a higher education institution registered in BiH, regardless of the amount of compensation paid for the engagement - states Article 6, paragraph 2.

Mekić, president of the commission for the defense of master's theses (July 2015)

Mekić was installed at the head of the SB UNSA precisely because of close ties with individuals from academic circles, in order to later serve their interests, and the first task on that path is the dismissal of Rector Muharem Avdispahić.

What is indicative is that the dismissal of Avdispahić is "timed" two months before the end of his term, and in this way, the situation at the University itself is being undermined, and an attempt is being made to prepare the ground for a "new rector."

Even some members of the Senate are shocked by the SB's conclusions, and it is already clear that Mekić, along with several followers, has embarked on the destruction of UNSA.

Also, two other members of the SB UNSA, Sifet Kukuruz and Azemina Njuhović, were appointed despite violating the Rulebook, given that they are employees of the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of the Sarajevo Canton, which is responsible for supervising the legality of the University's work.

Patria reveals tomorrow who the potential candidates for rector of UNSA are