Zaimović and UNSA Senate members: A new level of pressure on the University is also an attack on its property, the Government and the KS Assembly are silent

The Senate of the University of Sarajevo, together with Rector Tarik Zaimović, addressed the public today.
Zaimović stated that political pressure on the work of the University of Sarajevo must stop.

He emphasized that the legally elected Rector of UNSA is being challenged, and that UNSA employees cannot be paid their salaries.

The elected Rector, whose election is being challenged by the Ministry of Higher Education of Sarajevo Canton, as well as the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs, blames the Ministry and Minister Adna Mesihović for all of UNSA's troubles.

Rector Zaimović stated that the registration in the court register is ongoing and questioned how the Ministry paid salaries for October, as he was not registered in the court register then either, and now a problem is being created. He said that there is no act that he needs to sign for the salaries of UNSA employees to be paid, but the law clearly stipulates who is responsible for paying salaries to budget users. 13 million KM are needed monthly for the salaries of UNSA employees.

"We have submitted the requested document to the court, and registration is in progress. Several UNSA members had problems with salary payments in November. We made a decision of the UNSA Senate to redistribute funds from other members to cover November. UNSA has done everything necessary for salary payments.

I will remind the Minister of Finance and the employees whose obligation it is to pay salaries to budget users through the treasury. The provisions are clear that the minister ensures the calculation and payment of salaries. Demanding that the Senate act before making a decision is the highest form of political influence. Projects are stuck in the Ministry's drawers. This is not a small matter if UNSA is on an accelerated development path. Today, our rights to implement international projects are being challenged, payment orders are being stopped. This will have consequences for our international reputation, and solely based on opinions and stances. We can only act based on final and binding acts. An opinion on whether a provision should have been regulated differently, but it has its procedure. The University can and must follow procedures only with acts listed in the law, the Statute, and the Rules of Procedure of the UNSA Senate," said Zaimović.

Rector Zaimović stated that he is not a member of any political party, and that the KS Assembly appointed this minister and bears responsibility for her actions.

"I did not seek the support of any political party. I do not advocate for any policy. These colleagues who stand behind me know that I am not a person who allows politics to enter UNSA. We are fighting to preserve that. Help us preserve it. Politics does not stand behind us and behind these people. The attempt by politics to put the University under control cannot succeed. The discussion about the University is very complex. Today we are in a situation of legal violence, and all these people behind me have come to send a message: Please stop!" said Zaimović, who was met with applause.

When asked about the motive for the attack on the University of Sarajevo, Nusret Drešković, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of UNSA, answered.

"The lack of reaction from those who should protect the University, the Assembly itself, which is responsible for the development of the University and recognizing it as a pillar of development and democracy, has remained silent. They persistently remain silent. Not to mention the KS Government. It has done absolutely nothing to protect the autonomy of the University of Sarajevo. These pressures are in synergy with the guidelines that governments have shown, and now they have raised the level of pressure, now also on their property.

You are witnesses to our reaction when we first heard about Quadrant C. The attack is no longer just on academic values, now property is also being attacked by the authorities who should protect it as the greatest sacred thing. I appeal to the citizens of KS to be ready to defend this pillar of development, which is the University of Sarajevo. Negative pressures on UNSA are partly due to interests, and partly aimed at the regression of UNSA. I call on every delegate in the KS Assembly to reconsider their relationship with UNSA, and to see it as the greatest interest of the citizens of KS. I will ask the public to follow Quadrant C and how the city councilors will react. If it is negative for UNSA, I will call on citizens and students to defend the property," said Drešković.

The Planning Institute of KS plans all infrastructure on the university land.

"Public interest is being subordinated to private interest," said Drešković.

The lawyer for the University of Sarajevo, Enver Smajkan, presented the legal aspects of the decisions made concerning the election of the rector.

"The law has excluded the possibility for the administrative body and inspection to examine the legality of the decision made by the Senate. We have the fact that, contrary to the Law on Higher Education, the education inspector declared himself competent and examined the legality of the Senate's decision. The fact that he illegally examined the decisions means that he must also make a decision on that act. In this case, the inspector issued an administrative measure. Here we have a brutal violation of the law by the inspector, and now the rector is being asked to annul the decision. The Senate cannot annul its decision at the inspector's order. The Senate can annul the decision for other reasons as prescribed by law. We have prepared a lawsuit for administrative dispute, and for the minister to revoke the decision she made. What the Ministry, the minister, and the inspectors are doing has the characteristics of abuse. There is no administrative measure of 'I order', but only 'I prohibit' until the court resolves it. I have been doing this for 40 years and I have not seen such legal violence," said Smajkan.

(A. Vrabac)