The “Kubat case” breaks the future of the University of Belgrade – the Society

Some 200 university professors signed an open letter addressed to the rector of the University of Belgrade, Ivanka Popović, on the occasion of the illegal dismissal handed over to Rodoljub Kubat by the Faculty of Orthodox Theology at the request of the SOC Synod.

The professors called on the rector to resist the illegal interference of the Church in the internal affairs of the University, emphasizing that, as they say, it is obliged to warn in writing the dean of the PBF that its actions are contrary to the Law of Higher Education and the University Statute.

“The dismissal handed over to Professor Kubat is illegal, and that illegality is so obvious and vindictive, that it means that it is a matter of persecution, and not just dismissal. The decision delivered to the professor contains a ban on performing the duties of professor in academic studies and an order to the Dean of PBF by the Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church to make a decision on the termination of Professor Kubat’s employment at PBF without delay. At the same time, the dean of PBF is the one who made this decision, imposing a ban on teaching the teacher and ordering himself to terminate his employment contract. The ruling of this decision also states that Professor Kubat cannot be “assigned to other duties” at PBF, and the culmination is the part of the ruling that determines that an integral part of the dean’s decision is “a final and executive decision. of the Holy Synod of Bishops “.

Against this decision, judging from the instruction given on legal recourse, which was followed, Professor Kubat is not entitled to any legal recourse! “The professors affirm in the letter, telling the rector that he must defend the autonomy of the University not only from the State, but also from the Church and from the influence of clericalization in general.

Will the University be able to resist the illegal influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which, at its own discretion, dismisses the professors of the Faculty of Theology, the interlocutors of Danas, signatories of the letter, respond differently?

Dubravka Stojanović, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, hopes that, both for Professor Kubat and for all possible future cases.

– We had experience with Seselj’s law at the University since 1998, when the professors were fired, and we know that many faculties have not recovered from it. Neither in a professional nor an ethical sense. The question now is whether the PPD will be an equal member of the University or of a church office. So, in the “Kubat case”, many important questions about the future of UB are being discussed, Stojanović tells Danas.

Vesna Rakić Vodinelić, a retired law professor, was expelled from the UB in 1998 with a similar opinion.

– I hope, and more than that, I hope that the rector and the Senate of the University of Belgrade act as required by law, university standards and good customs. Otherwise, this generation will also open the door to political persecution of teachers for practicing academic freedoms. Such a university may be called a university, but if the consequences of the persecution are not removed, it will be a military school, not a university, Rakic ​​Vodinelic told Danas.

On the other hand, Slobodan Prvanović, scientific advisor to the Institute of Physics at BU, doubts that the University has the strength to take the correct and determined steps “in the direction of understanding the PBF”. According to him, the management of the University has a courteous attitude towards the authorities, “and they have a business-political cooperation with the Serbian Orthodox Church”, making it pessimistic.

– Our letter, in the best variant, and I hope that at least that happens, will help our colleague Kubat to somehow survive and remain at the University. I hope that, despite opportunism and cowardice, the lords of the university leadership show at least elementary collegiality and solidarity with him.

Of course, I will gladly apologize to everyone in the Rectorate and the University bodies if they deny me with their actions and show that they are not ready for a condescending and poltronic attitude towards the regime and its coalition partners in the church, he emphasizes. Prvanović for our article.

It should be remembered that Professor Kubat asked the PBF Scientific Teaching Council to rule on the scandals that shake this faculty, including the accusations of rape of several students by the vice dean for teaching Vladimir Vukašinović, as well as the kidnapping of an orderly student by the vicar. Bishop Stefan Saric.

Then the Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church deprived Kubat of his blessing to hand him over, and in the end, the dean of the PBF, Zoran Ranković, fired him.

Members of the academic community sided with the professor, the governing board of the UB said that “the decision delivered to Kubat by the dean of PBF, which prohibits him from teaching at that faculty, is not in accordance with the regulations”, but Metropolitan Porfirio had a different explanation.

“The Holy Synod of Bishops has the legitimate right to grant and revoke the approval of the teaching service in the highest theological institution that originated in the misfortune of the Serbian Orthodox Church and that as a co-founder and full member of the University Belgrade also participates fully in the life of this institution, “said the Metropolitan. Porfirio for Politika, adding that the Synod’s decision “was not made without foundation” and that it was preceded by “long-term anti-church and anti-faculty activities” on the part of Kubat.

– Porphyry has his reasons for saying that. He and some others from the Serbian Orthodox Church want to separate the PBF from the University and make decisions mostly themselves. Likewise, the Metropolitan requested the post of professor illegally, attaching a book in which he plagiarized his own works. A new scientific book or articles are attached. However, these are secondary things. The dismissal that has been handed to me is a direct blow to the University, and it is up to it to show whether it can resist the individuals of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Kubat points out to Danas. He says that colleagues and numerous foreign theological associations were interested in his case and that he has now gone international.

– I thank my colleagues for the letter of support and I sincerely hope that the University will fight for its autonomy, otherwise it will irreversibly lose its reputation both at home and abroad – Kubat concludes.

Arbitrariness in PBF

– For more than a year, we have witnessed a deeply disturbing situation at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology at the University of Belgrade (PBF). In a first step, without being assigned to another job, the full professor and Bishop Maksim (Vasiljevic) and the assistant professor Marko Vilotic (both currently on unpaid leave) were illegally deprived of the opportunity to teach and take examinations without any explanation. to escalate by dismissal. to Professor Rodoljub Kubat – the professors warn in a letter to the rector

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