We invite you to a press conference on the occasion of the launch of the initiative to evaluate the constitutionality of the Law on Science and Research. The conference will be held in Media Center (Terazije 3, Belgrade) on Tuesday, February 11, starting at 12 noon.
Janko Baljak (Academic Solidarity and Engagement Network), Vladan Čokić (Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade), Suzana Blesić (Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade), Gazela Pudar Draško (Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade) will speak at the conference. Belgrade) and Tomislav Živanović (GSPRS Nezavisnost).
The experiences of at least four scientific institutes within the University of Belgrade, in which there has been a change of leadership over the past year, testify to the fact that the grossest violation of Article 72 of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, which guarantees the autonomy of universities and scientific institutions, is currently taking place. The Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA) believes that it is a particularly devastating fact that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia is behind the aforementioned violation of the Constitution, although it should rightly be expected that it is the guarantor of its implementation.
Over the past year, several scientific institutes within the University of Belgrade have received new leadership, appointed by the competent Ministry. In no institute did the appointed candidates have the support of the employees. Among the new directors, even two were not previously employed in those institutes, and one did not even meet the legal minimum to be appointed to the position of director of a scientific institute. On the other hand, the candidates who received the majority support of their colleagues based on their competence and reputation in the scientific community, did not receive the support of the Ministry.
Since it is clear that there is a violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, i.e. the stifling of the autonomy of scientific institutes, MASA demands the urgent initiation of the procedure for changing the Law on Science and Research (Article 60), in order to end the existing autocracy in accordance with the law and guarantee autonomy according to the reputation of faculties and universities in Serbia. In the period until the adoption of the proposed changes, we also demand that the appointment of directors who do not have the support of the employees be suspended, and that in those institutes where the will of the employees has already been violated, the Ministry appoints as acting directors candidates who received the majority support of their colleagues at the Scientific Councils.
The Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA) was formed with the aim of gathering under the umbrella of an open network organization all members of the academic community who are ready to engage in strengthening the voice of the profession by advocating for the consistent application of the basic principles of academic work and their defense when they are threatened. . MASA advocates respect for the principles of university autonomy, honesty, solidarity, freedom of critical thinking, publicity and transparency, and social responsibility in the academic community.
