Serbia's Student List calls for resignations across key state institutions

Representatives of the Student List, which won Sunday's parliamentary elections in Serbia, have demanded an immediate transfer of power and the resignation of officials holding key positions in the judiciary, police, security services and media.

The Student List held its first press conference at a symbolic location, Pioneer Park in Belgrade, where the so-called "Ćacilend", a tent encampment set up by supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) during student protests, stood until just a few days ago, CE Report quotes FENA.

Filip Ubović said the students were demanding that the Republic Electoral Commission comply with legal deadlines to allow the National Assembly to be constituted as soon as possible.

He also called for an urgent assessment of the situation in state institutions and public enterprises, urging employees to act as whistleblowers and report any potential abuses or removal of documents, according to Belgrade media.

"We have not come to seek revenge, but to return institutions to the citizens. We are not demanding political loyalty, but legality, professionalism and accountability," Ubović said.

He added that citizens had given a clear mandate in the elections for the rule of law, equality before the law and the liberation of institutions, emphasizing that implementing this mandate must begin immediately, without waiting for the formation of a new government.

Student List representative Jovan Vujičić addressed the state of the judiciary and the demands directed at Serbia's highest judicial institutions.

He called on the Supreme Public Prosecutor to take urgent action in cases of public interest, particularly those involving the "Canopy", "General Staff" and "Sky correspondence" cases, and to inform the public about the results of the proceedings.

Regarding the security sector, Svetlana Stanarević demanded the dismissal of the heads of the Gendarmerie, the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) and the Criminal Police Directorate (UKP).

She also called for the irrevocable resignations of Police Director Dragan Vasiljević, Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) Director Vladimir Orlić and Military Security Agency (VBA) Director Đuro Jovanić.

Stanarević stressed that intelligence services must immediately stop exerting pressure on and conducting surveillance of students, journalists and opposition figures.

Mirjana Nikolić addressed the situation in the media, stating that the recent resignation of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) Director Manja Grčić represented only a partial fulfillment of the Student List's demands.

Nikolić called for the resignation of RTS Deputy Director Dejan Jovanović, the establishment of an interim management body for the public broadcaster and the resignation of Telekom Srbija Director Vladimir Lučić.

Shortly before the Student List's press conference began, RTS announced that Borivoje Uskoković, acting editor-in-chief of its News Programme, had dismissed several senior editors at the public broadcaster.

According to his decision, the following editors were removed from their positions: Vesna Šiljegović, head of the Correspondents' Department; Nikolina Rakić, head of the Regional News Department; Gorislav Papić, editor of the political programme Oko; Zoran Stanojević, editor of the online portal; and Suzana Gvozdenović, head of the Diaspora Department.

The dismissals also included editors of the main 7:30 p.m. news bulletin: Milica Nedić, Dušan Ubović and Ruža Jeremić Turudić.

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Video: FTV