Public Statement by the University of Belgrade - the Faculty of Chemistry

Spurred by the deadly collapse of the canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad, which students (and all of us) do not perceive as an accident, but as a crime resulting from enormous corruption and lack of accountability, university students have been protesting across Serbia for more than two months, fighting for fundamental moral and human values.

They have made four demands, the validity of which cannot be disputed:

1. Immediate publication of the complete original documentation related to the reconstruction of the railway station in Novi Sad, as well as clear determination of the liability for the collapse of the canopy.
2. Identification of all persons for whom there is a reasonable doubt that they have physically assaulted students and professors by the relevant authorities, as well as the initiation of criminal prosecution against them. It is also demanded that they should be dismissed if they are proven to hold public office.
3. A dismissal of the criminal charges against the students arrested at the protests and detained in custody, as well as a dismissal of already initiated criminal proceedings.
4. A 20% increase in the funding allocated for state faculties.

However, instead of meeting these demands and taking a step towards the restoration of the rule of law, the authorities of the Republic of Serbia have launched a systematic campaign of lies and threats in order to suppress the protest and keep everything as it was. The best, noblest, and bravest part of the Serbian population is being labelled as traitors and collaborators of the secret services, creating an atmosphere of lynching in which the well-being and lives of the protest participants have been threatened on several occasions.

The state officials are directing insults and slanders against university professors and threats are being made against high school teachers, not to mention the shameful reporting by the state media. In this dirty campaign, the students' identification documents have been published, which indicates the complicity of the civil service which should be in charge of our safety.

We, the employees of the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Belgrade, have stood by our students from the beginning because their demands are ours as well. And more importantly: the way they fight to have their demands met shows their integrity, courage, perseverance, youthful energy, and confidence that the situation in this country can be improved and that they do not have to emigrate in order to have a decent life, but that they can achieve that in Serbia.

The shameless campaign launched against the students has only further convinced us of the validity of their demands and united us in the need to actively demonstrate our solidarity.

Therefore, on Friday, January 24, 2025, we will engage in an hour-long protest work stoppage from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in order to demonstrate our determination to fight, together with the students, for a society of true values, for a state which we will not fear, but the one which will work in the best interest of its citizens.

January 23, 2025

The Staff of the Faculty of Chemistry, the University of Belgrade