KS Prosecutor's Office opens case on UNSA Rector election based on anonymous report: Students to be heard at MUP KS tomorrow

By Amra Vrabac

On Tuesday, December 24, two University of Sarajevo students were summoned as witnesses to give statements regarding the election session of the University of Sarajevo Senate where UNSA Rector Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović was elected.

These actions were ordered by the KS Prosecutor's Office, which opened a case based on an anonymous report.

“The case was opened based on an anonymous report. As the case is in the verification phase, the KS Prosecutor's Office cannot currently disclose individual actions being taken, all for the protection of the criminal proceedings,” Azra Bavčić, spokesperson for the KS Prosecutor's Office, told Patria.

The President of the UNSA Student Parliament, Imran Pašalić, confirmed to the media last week, after the regular and extraordinary sessions of the UNSA Senate, that students had received summons for questioning as witnesses.
Pašalić stated that students stand behind the decisions made by the Senate.

Pašalić then said that students found themselves under new repressive methods used by individuals.

"Every possible effort is being made to kill freedom of thought, not to mention the pressure. We received a document from the MUP summoning students for questioning. This is perhaps the peak of democracy, democratic and freedom-loving behavior of the current authorities in KS, which we often hear supports youth, science, and prosperity. And in the same vein, the small percentage of students who dare to become active and be student or youth activists are being intimidated in this way. Probably learning from how other regimes in the region try to subjugate and somehow remove from public view those who disagree with the views of the relevant ministers. We will help our colleagues whose legal rights are being challenged, and we will insist on this and will not allow anyone to try to silence students in any way in such a perfidious manner. We will not allow students to be summoned like the worst criminals to give statements in certain capacities. These are usually the best students who decide to be student activists,” said Pašalić.

These are students who participated in the UNSA Senate election session on July 3, when the UNSA rector was elected.

The summons for questioning states that they will be examined as witnesses regarding the authorization to attend the UNSA Senate election session and their participation in the said procedure.

It also requests that the witness, if in possession of a photocopy of the power of attorney, present it during the questioning and possibly voluntarily submit it with the Record of Witness Questioning.

A group of 13 deans did not attend the UNSA Senate sessions, considering that the election of Rector Tarik Zaimović should be annulled following the decision of KUIP and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and an acting rector should be elected. Minister Adna Mesihović herself halted the payment of salaries to UNSA employees, 2,700 of them, demanding that an acting rector be elected as soon as possible. However, salaries were eventually released, and the UNSA Trade Union announced criminal charges for the salary blockade and discrimination, as only UNSA employees did not receive their salaries at the same time as other budget users.

With 33 votes in favor, the UNSA Senate once again confirmed that it firmly stands by its decision to elect Zaimović as rector, and that the process was conducted lawfully, a decision the Senate made on July 3, 2024.

What still causes confusion is that the Municipal Court in Sarajevo refused to register Rector Zaimović in the court register as the authorized person for representation. UNSA filed an appeal, and the case was submitted to the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo on December 9. Since former rector Rifat Škrijelj is still listed as the authorized person in the court register, he also filed an appeal with the Municipal Court and requested his removal from the register.

A decision from the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo on this matter is expected this week.