Sofia University Academic Council Calls for End to Student Occupation

The Academic Council of the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" has called for an end to the occupation of the building by students seeking the resignation of the government and the dissolution of Parliament.

"The Academic Council of the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" understands and backs the motives of the students who staged an occupation of the central University building in response to the lack of integrity in political life, the lack of care for the future of young people in the country and the disregard for their views," Sofia University President Prof. Ivan Ilchev said on Monday, according to the BGNES news agency.

"We are convinced that young people must be encouraged to express their public opinion. Occupation is an extreme course which violates the rights of students who want to study and of lecturers and the administrative staff," he stated.

"The Academic Council opposes the attempts of external forces, be they pro- or anti-government, to use students' actions for political purposes. We call on the organizers of the occupation and the participants to seek other forms of protest which do not prevent the University from fulfilling its mission," Ilchev declared after a sitting of the Academic Council which lasted over two hours.

"We urge patience among students, lecturers and administrative officials, as well as the entire society, be they supporters of the protests or not," Ilchev said.

Classes on Tuesday have been cancelled for a second day in a row as talks between the governing body of the University and the protesting students are expected to continue.

Students occupied the largest lecture hall, 272, at the Law Faculty of Sofia University last Wednesday and were joined Thursday by students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, and the Journalism Faculty.

The partial blockade subsequently turned into an occupation of the entire central building of the Sofia University.

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