Relationship towards Kosovo and Metohija and valuation of the most important global goals of Serbia: Comparative analysis of students' attitudes of Univeristy in Priština with temporary Head Office in Kosovska Mitrovica and University in Belgrade

• Main Authors: Šuvaković Uroš V., Petrović Jasmina S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Philosophy, Kosovska Mitrovica 2010-01-01
• Series: Zbornik Radova Filozofskog Fakulteta u Prištini
• Subjects: Kosovo and Metohija; students; survey; University in Priština with temporary Head Office in Kosovska Mitrovica; University in Belgrade; possible solutions of the 'Kosovo problem'
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-3293/2010/0354-32931040291S.pdf

The analysis has shown that both the students from the University in Priština with temporary head office in Kosovska Mitrovica and the University in Belgrade are almost unanimous regarding that Serbia should not recognize independence of Kosovo. They are also rather unanimous regarding that it should not be done even if this would condition inclusion of Serbia to the European Union, which correlates with the attitude of the authorities of the Republic of Serbia. However, regarding the solving of problem of Kosovo and Metohija status, the students have no unanimous answer: the solution with giving so-called 'substantial autonomy' supports the relative majority of students, completely or partly, while in this regard the 1/4 are irresolute and also 1/4 are against this. Considering this option was at one moment the main offer of the Serbian authorities, which was not so much mentioned after the change of the ruling parties but was never rejected, then the similarity with the official attitude of the Serbian authorities can be noticed regarding this question. The similar situation is repeated again regarding the so-called 'division of Kosovo': a 'thin' but still absolute majority of students of both Universities rejects this idea in comparison of 1/5 of PU students and 1/4 of BU students who has showed agreement with this idea. All this rather clearly indicates the conclusion that the students of both Universities more or less accept the attitudes of the official politics of Serbia regarding the question of Kosovo and Metohija. Regarding the evaluation of the preferred social goals of Serbia, some differences have been noticed, but also some similarities in attitudes of the students in the University in Pristine and the University in Belgrade. While the former expectedly and naturally consider that the main priority is preservation of K&M within the composition and sovereignty of Serbia, the students of the University in Belgrade rank this priority only at the seventh place. The students of the University in Pristine, in addition to the preservation of K&M, consider as the most preferred goals further construction of the state on the principles of rights and faster growth of material standard of citizens, with which the same importance has the struggle against corruption and criminal, while the students of the University in Belgrade evaluated as the most preferred goals struggle against corruption, faster growth of standard of citizens and growth of natality. Although the average value of the results showed that the students consider the inclusion of Serbia to the European Union as an important task of Serbia in the future period, nevertheless they have concluded that there are priorities that are more important regardless the insisting of the authorities in Serbia on this strategic goal. According to the average value of obtained results, this goal was ranked as the eight by the students of BU, while the students of the PU have ranked it as the sixth, which should not be interpreted as resistance to Euro integrations, but more as the result of critical cogitation of social reality.