Natalija Jovanović, dean of the Philosophy Faculty at the University of Niš in Serbia, was attending a student protest when a woman who opposed the protest reportedly threatened to throw acid on her and then cut her with a knife.

Protests in Belgrade after Jovanović was attacked (Balkan Insight); Jovanović talking with reporters after being released from the hospital (via N1)

Students in Serbia have been protesting for months. According to Balkan Insight, the students have been occupying university buildings and holding rallies in response to an attack (believed to involve some public officials) on a set of protestors near the Belgrade Faculty of Dramatic Arts last November.

That initial protest concerned accountability for a railway station collapse that killed 16 people. Balkan Insight reports that in light of the harsh response to that protest, the demands of the protestors expanded to include “the prosecution of all those involved in attacking students and professors during their protests about the disaster and their dismissal if proven to be public officials; a halt to the prosecution of students arrested during the protests; a 20-per-cent increase in the budget for higher education.”

Many faculty, including Dr. Jovanović, have been vocal in support of the students. The government last month threatened to dock the pay of any faculty acting in solidarity with the protestors, and at least since March 20th has reportedly stopped paying their salaries.

Balkan Insight reports:

The authorities have become embroiled in a confrontation with Serbia’s academic community due to its support for the protest movement.

Last week, a government regulation upped the normal hours for teachers and teaching associates to prepare and conduct classes from 20 to 35 hours per week. It cut the normal hours for carrying out scientific research and artistic work from 20 to five hours.

A group of over 400 professors filed a complaint in response, which said that, “since the purpose and essence of university education is inextricably linked with scientific work, the violation of the proportion between teaching and scientific research and artistic work, carried out by the contested regulation, threatens the principle of ‘the unity of teaching and science’. This indirectly encroaches on the autonomy of universities and weakens the ability of higher education institutions to fulfil their public mission”… 

The government has also decided that school teachers will not receive salaries for a month if they have supported the protests.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jovanović, who Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić reportedly called “one of the three greatest evils”, was only slightly injured in the attack. The woman who cut her has been arrested.

Those with more information about the situation are encouraged to comment.

(via Jonathan Greig)