UNSA Steering Board to decide on media presence at session discussing Prof. Gavrankapetanović

SARAJevo, (Patria) - An extraordinary session of the UNSA Steering Board will be held today at 2 PM in the Rectorate of the University of Sarajevo to discuss the request of Professor Ismet Gavrankapetanović to be reinstated as a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo. Professor Gavrankapetanović's lawyer, Maida Galijatović, will attend the session, and it has been requested that the public be included in the work of today's Steering Board session.

According to the Rules of Procedure of the Steering Board from February 2018, Article 44 regulates the presence of public information media at sessions.

- The Steering Board decides on the presence of representatives of public information media at Steering Board sessions by a majority vote of the total number of Steering Board members present at the session where the decision on this matter is made – it is stated.

Otherwise, the Rules of Procedure also stipulate that the voting of Steering Board members is public.

Lawyer Senad Pećanin reminds that the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Semra Čavaljuga, terminated the work of Professor Gavrankapetanović at that faculty because, as stated, Gavrankapetanović ceased working at the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo. Pećanin reminds in his letter that no legal argument was provided for the termination of Dr. Gavrankapetanović's work at the Faculty of Medicine. He also added that Dean Čavaljuga acted in this way, even though the Legal Service of the Faculty had previously given an opinion that she was obliged to enable Dr. Gavrankapetanović's employment at the Faculty.

He reminds that academic staff who are not employed at KCUS are still engaged at the Faculty of Medicine today, and that for this reason Dr. Gavrankapetanović is grossly discriminated against, and his right to work is denied without justification.

Lawyer Pećanin also states that at the last session, members of the UNSA Steering Board rejected Dr. Gavrankapetanović's objection to the termination of his employment at the Faculty of Medicine, thereby knowingly violating the law and abusing their official duties.

- The Rector of UNSA, Rifat Škrijelj, knowing all the aforementioned irregularities and legalities in the work of the University, as he was informed about the positions of the legal services and the inspection findings, abused his position and acted negligently, even though he knew that the termination of Prof. Gavrankapetanović's employment contract was illegal, and that his legal obligations were to ensure legality in the work of the University, in accordance with his authorities.

The legal team of Professor Gavrankapetanović has filed criminal charges with the Federal Prosecutor's Office against the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Semra Čavaljuga, the members of the UNSA Steering Board who voted against the return of Prof. Gavrankapetanović to the Faculty of Medicine, the Rector of the University, Rifat Škrijelj, the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Sarajevo, and against unknown persons who mediated in the aforementioned illegalities.