Rector Arsic: Abolishing the dinar jeopardizes the survival of the University, but also the Serbs

The decision to abolish the dinar, i.e., the payment system, aims to shut down the institutions of the Serbs that provide education, health, social protection, and cultural services, Nebojsa Arsic, the Rector of the University of Pristina with a temporary seat in Kosovska Mitrovica stated, adding that if this decision by the Central Bank of Kosovo remained in force, it would jeopardize the survival of the University and the Serbs. He assessed the situation as "unprecedented".

Arsic informed the media that the university's rectors held an extraordinary session today regarding the new situation related to Pristina's decision to abolish the payment system. They noted, among other things, that the University was a pillar of the survival of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

"As a state institution, the University is one of the largest employers in our Province. Within the University, about 9,000 students receive education at ten faculties and three levels of study, generating income for 1,123 employees. The University has always shared the fate of the people and, like 200,000 Serbs, was expelled from Pristina. Since then, these are the toughest times for us and our students," Arsic said.

Highlighting that the decision to abolish the dinar aims to shut down institutions providing education, health, social protection, and culture to the Serbs, Arsic recalled that the illegitimate mayor of the North Mitrovica Municipality had halted the construction of the University building in the middle of last year.

"This shows that someone is opposed to the education of highly qualified professionals. Where else does it exist that the improvement of conditions for students and teachers is prohibited by a political decision? We also recall that every enrollment period is accompanied by problems caused by institutions from Pristina, attempting to discourage students from enrolling at our University. If the discriminatory decision to abolish the payment system remains in force, it would jeopardize the survival of our University and the Serbs. This concerns the functioning of institutions that have no alternative and successfully survive in impossible conditions," he stated.

He adds that the question is how salaries will be paid, how exams, tuition fees, colloquiums, graduate and master's theses, and defenses of doctoral dissertations will be reported if this regulation remains in force.

Also, as Arsic notes, it is a question of how payments will be made for any purpose if the payment of salaries, pensions, and scholarships is abolished.

"Therefore, we seek a reaction from the democratic and civilized world. The implementation of the decision to abolish the dinar leads to the exodus and disappearance of our people in the eyes of the world. The entire civilized world must stand against this. We support the decision of our state leadership, the president, and the government to discuss this issue before the UN Security Council," Arsic concluded after today's emergency rector's meeting regarding Pristina's decision to abolish the dinar.