Protest at Aviation Academy in Belgrade over director’s removal

According to the participants, Goran Cvijovic has been dismissed from his position as the school's director after 24 years of service, and will be replaced by a politically-appointed director.

Students, parents, and teachers told N1 that they are determined to prevent this from happening. They staged a protest in the schoolyard on Wednesday, vowing to continue the demonstrations in the coming days.

The protesters stress that school safety is the primary concern. Parents have decided to support the institution’s teachers and its now-former director.

Dragana Veljovic, a mother of a student at the academy, said that, during the protest, students read out questions directed to the Serbian education minister.

“What concerns both the students and us, the parents, is the basis for this decision. Why is the safety of our children being jeopardized, and how can this happen in the aviation industry where there is no room for mistakes? We believe that safety must come first. On the other hand, we want to know what will happen to the certificates our children are to receive and what will happen to the time, effort, and money we have invested - what the children have invested in their education. This is an elite technical school, and there should not be room for such mistakes,” Veljovic told N1.

N1’s reporter noted that the person slated to become the new director serves on the Vrsac City Council.

When asked how parents feel about the fact that the new director was appointed along party lines, Veljovic responded:

“It seems thoughtless to me, and it seems like someone played around without considering the consequences such a decision could have on our children's education. There is simply no place for that in a school like this.”

N1’s reporter said the teachers, along with all the responsible leaders in the certified organizations of the Aviation Academy, will submit their resignations on January 9, which could lead to the loss of all the academy’s certifications. Academy teacher Sasa Predic explained the implications during the protest:

“It would mean the work of this school would be completely meaningless. We gathered here today to make it clear to everyone that politics has no place in education. Political affiliation or party membership is a personal matter for each of us and a right guaranteed by the constitution. But it should not be the basis for appointing people to lead such institutions. That is unacceptable,” Predic emphasized.