Yugoslavia Shuts Universities, Bans Gatherings
Fearing a student uprising, Yugoslavia on Thursday ordered all universities to end the spring semester a week early and banned campus gatherings across Serbia.
The students had called a major rally for today to protest a government crackdown on critics, opponents and the independent media.
In an order signed by the Serbian minister of higher education, Jevrem Janjic, all universities in the dominant Yugoslav republic were ordered to finish classes today, a week early, the independent Beta news agency reported.
The crackdown came after weeks of daily opposition protests in Serbia’s largest cities, heavily supported by university students, against the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
Marija Bogdanovic, a former dean of Belgrade University and a dissident philosophy professor, said the move was aimed at “thwarting the planned strike” at the university.
Although the order ended classes today, it allowed final exams to be held as scheduled in June.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
