What are the procedures for changing the name of the UPA that was proposed by the Rector?

Switching UP's name is a proposal that has provided the university's rector, Qerim Qerim. According to him, the reason for the change is due to the confusion of the name in the international arena.

“We are considering restoring the original name that had been given prior to the recent amendment of the statute, the University of Pristina. There is also a university in Mitrovica, in the Serbian language, which also claims the name Pristina University, and this has created confusion”, the media director had said.

Former Deputy Education Minister Dukagjin Pupovci has shown what steps to follow to change the name of a public institution such as Pristina University.

“should be changed in the UP's statute, because the university name must be changed by statute. The statue is changed by the UP's senate. After that, the ministry must approve the same and ratify in the Kosovo Assembly. So these are the three steps that must be followed”, Pupovci said.

He said it is not “in order” that the names of institutions are frequently changed, until he added that the UPI has more important problems than dealing with names.

I don't think the labels and institutions are in order so often. If the name change has been made in 2010, then it is a short period to review such a major decision. And I think there are more important UP problems and society in general than I do with names”, he said.

When asked whether the Proposal of the Rector Qreim will get support, Pupovci said the university should first have an internal dialogue.

I don't know, depending on what the mood will be like in the House, I can't say that. But first I think the university itself should have an internal dialogue on this job, seeing if it should go further or not. I think we should focus on other issues, but now let's see what attitude UP's teachers will have.”

Objections for Rector Qemim Proposal

There were many reactions to this proposal, even to challenge, at the beginning of May, a symbolic action has taken place before the reactor. The action was organised by the “Foundation,hasan Pristina” in co-operation with several other associations.

Professor Bujar Dugolli had also attended the event. He said Hasan Pristina's figure is a bright figure that no one has been able to dispute.

The names of patriots and intellectuals, who have been smelting for their homeland”, he said.

For the initiative of Rector Qerimi, politicalologist Bardhil Mahmut had also reacted. He has said that trying to change the name is the biggest nonsense.

The efforts that by means of changes in the Pristina University statute are removed from “Hasan Pristina” by his rationale that he supposedly creates inaccuracies because a university created by criminal structures installed in the town of Mitrovica by Slobodan Milosevic bears the name “The University of Pristina” is the greatest absurd that has ever produced the leadership of the highest educational institution in Kosovo”, Mahmut wrote, adding that he must delegate to an illegal university in the north.

Hasan Pristina's grandson Mehmeti, meanwhile director of the “Haasan Pristina” Foundation, has said they have come to reject the removal of Hasan Pristina's appointment from Pristina University.

He has declared that the Rector Government initiative should end with his departure.

Thousands of signatures in petition against name change

A student organization has also emerged against this proposal. The chairman of the “Democratic Union”, Arber Gecaj, told Express last week that 4 thousand signatures from students have been collected at four UP schools so far.

Gecaj said they do not rule out the possibility of protests and boycott “if you try to live to” Rector Qerim proposal.

“We are certainly against the removal of Hasan Pristina's name from Pristina University. Initially, it is an insult to see the name of a figure that has contributed greatly to Albanian education as an obstacle to university. And the reasoning that we are having problems in the international arena because of our name is untrue and malicious. We have sent official paperwork to the UP's reactor to challenge this move, as well as the following week we have carried out a symbolic action before the reactor. We started petitioning this week at some UP faculty. We also continue at some other schools next week. So far at only 4 faculties have signed close to 4 thousand students, as opposed to Hasan Pristina's departure from Pristina University. We will finally hand it over to the UP's reactor, but we do not rule out the possibility of protests and boycotts in case this proposal is tried to live on”, Gecaj told Express.