Student plenum: Party interests behind proposal for expert gov't

BELGRADE - The plenum of student protesters from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy said on Tuesday it was "very concerned" over potential public announcements of support for an "expert government" by other student plenums, and noted that there had been no "intensive political debate" on that option within the student movement.

In a post on its Instagram account, the plenum said it strongly believed that interests behind a proposal for an expert government sought to "misuse the student movement for party and activist purposes" and were "not concerned about student demands being met."

It said the option had often been "pushed behind the scenes and through the back door, at secret meetings and closed-door public discussions" and that insistence on an expert government risked "harming the unity of the student movement" and neglecting the creation of a consensus that was a "key part of direct democracy."

Student protesters from the University of Novi Sad Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, the Faculty of Technology and the Higher School of Professional Business Studies, as well as the Mihajlo Pupin Technical Faculty in Zrenjanin posted on their Instagram profiles on Monday evening that they had reached the conclusion that an "expert government" was the only possible solution that would lead Serbia out of the crisis.

Student protesters from the University of Nis made a similar post on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said there was a clear link between student protesters and the former regime and that they had the same goals, including a transitional government.

"They talk about a transitional government, which is, in fact, (Freedom and Justice Party leader Dragan) Djilas's idea, and it is Djilas' government," Brnabic said.

The leader of the opposition New Democratic Party of Serbia, Milos Jovanovic, has called on student protesters from the University of Belgrade to accept a proposal by opposition parties in the parliament and the Proglas organisation in favour of a transitional government.