No Lectures Professor, We Rule The Faculty Now

We are not blocking the faculty, we have taken it over and are now governing it. We have Zadar`s support, perhaps of Split as well.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Dedicated to their cause, but well-organised, students have shown that not only can they come together, but take over the faculty and continue their campaign. They say they have had enough of apathy and passivity and once they realised they really took over the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, i.e. that the first day of the protest has succeeded, they decided to have some fun.

We want free education from primary school to doctorate. Youth has finally decided it can change things and I think we can.

Protest organisers

Initially contacting the protestors, we noticed that they were well organised and that the important thing for them was to be there and take part, while they are not worried about sanctions. The music is playing, the students are smiling, they play cards and constantly discuss what to do next.

- We have nothing to fear, we realised that we can do something big by playing a small part. First education was free, then a certain percent of students paid for it and now half of students pay for scholarships and if the trend continues – everyone will pay. I don`t want the idea to be nipped in the bud – one of the protestors told us with a smile on his face, while playing cards.

New faculty model – students governing

A student from Zagreb is convinced they can win their demands of free education and he is prepared to protest for months. According to him, the fundamental educational idea is in question, which must not be abandoned. He likes taking part in the blockade and has no problem with wasting time.

- Do you know what will happen in the future if this is not stopped? Everyone will pay, every single one and the conditions for youth will be unbearable. The Bologna model is disastrous, this is the transitional process from the old to the new system where there is no equality and everyone pays – a self-confident third year Informatics student told us.

The atmosphere was relaxed and quiet the entire morning as the students played cards and listened to music in front of the faculty. While well-attended forums and workshops took place inside. Most students attended film screenings, though.

The only objection the students had was directed at the media. They are annoyed because their protest is being portrayed in a “rather infantile” manner.

- I watched the news yesterday and the media did not show us doing anything which would bring Croatia some good, but as child`s play. I don`t get it – why the frivolous approach? – one of the students wondered.

- We are not blocking the faculty, we have taken it over and are now governing it. All the services are working, we are blocking lectures, but are not preventing students from learning. Also, we communicate with other faculties and we have Zadar`s support, perhaps of Split as well – one of the organisers explained.

The methods the students use are legitimate, but are not democratic. I only regret that their performance is impotent. They demand too little. They should have demanded for the Bologna model to be revoked.

Zarko Puhovski

We noticed that the students were not carefree when they decided to protest. They knew they would not last long without good organisation, because they have two failed protests under their belt already. They printed and copied many materials, a textbook which has the rules of conduct, they have created banners and made a list of their on-call shifts.

There are student standing by on every floor, making sure that no lectures take place. There were 70 of them yesterday, while the number is much bigger today, because many students applied for this duty themselves.

- When a professor comes to the classroom, I tell them that the students have taken over th e faculty and that there would be no lectures. Most of them say `OK, no problem`. No classes, but if they want to have exams in their office, we don`t prevent them – one of the students “on watch” told us.

Many professors support the protest, four faculty departments openly expressed their support and they hope the boycott would spread, because many more students joined in the bloc on Tuesday.

Zadar protests too

Students in Zadar have also taken over the University and held a plenum which decided on the further course of the protest. The professors who supported the students received an ovation. It was decided that a part of the protestors would be on night watch at the university.

PHOTO: Barricades In Front Of Faculty In Zagreb

PHOTO: Zagreb Students Protest, Close Faculty