The Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA) expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the tragic victims of two consecutive mass shootings that hit Serbia last week. Based on the reaction of the competent state authorities in the days after these events, one gets the impression that institutions in Serbia are not capable of adequately dealing with the problems that led to these tragic events, as well as the problems that will follow as a direct consequence of them.
What is particularly worrying is that instead of a restrained, well-thought-out and cautious response to the crisis, the state leadership decided to make a series of hasty and unprofessional decisions, which were more aimed at creating an image in the public eye that the state is decisively dealing with the emerging situation rather than actually offer long-term solutions to the problems in which our society found itself after these events. The culture of violence, irresponsible and tabloid media, the complete collapse of the autonomy and expertise of the education sector, but also of the profession in general, and the neglect of the family are just some of the causes of the tragedies that have happened to us, for which the state institutions and their political leadership bear the greatest responsibility. Who will now manage the crisis if those who are eligible are employed instead of those who are experts, those with dubious degrees instead of those who studied hard, those who are appointed to carry out the party's orders instead of those who work in the interest of society?
MASA believes that instead of hastily adopting restrictive measures that can only deepen the crisis, it is necessary to form a crisis headquarters that will be made up of experts from various professions and where their expertise will be the only selection criterion for this body. In the past decade, the scientific community of Serbia has produced a large number of scientific works and practical instructions that, among other things, dealt with issues of security, prevention of violence, breakdown of social values and numerous other issues both in society and in educational institutions. The state of Serbia has invested a lot of money in these projects and it is high time that their results and the authors of these projects are consulted in solving the social crisis of unfathomable proportions that has befallen our society.
Despite the ignorance to which the academic community in Serbia is exposed, the members of MASE, and we believe the rest of our colleagues, are ready to join the professional teams and working groups that, we hope, will be formed to overcome this crisis without delay and within the scope of their qualifications. The only question is whether this time, instead of preserving our society, the ruling political group will choose the path of preserving their political interests and positions, regardless of the price we all pay and, by all accounts, we will still pay it, in the most tragic ways.
