The launching of the May Platform in Belgrade brought together members of the initiative, including lawyer Rodoljub Šabić, Vukosava Crnjanski from Crta, Professor Aleksandar Baucal from the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Philosophy, and Predrag Petrović from the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy. This civil society initiative emerged from the need to seek answers to questions arising from the violence in May 2023, involving 40 experts. Its goal is not only analysis but also the formulation of possible solutions, providing a platform for diverse perspectives and opinions, free from political bias.
The Education Working Group’s analysis, presented by Aleksandar Baucal, underscored the crucial role of education in preventing violence. The proposed strategic goal of the Education Working Group is to foster schools as thriving communities. The analysis document offers a series of recommendations, including the necessity for broader social consensus, depoliticization of education, greater autonomy for schools and teachers, and increased investment in education.
Presenting the analysis of the Security Expert Group, Predrag Petrović emphasized the ongoing presence of violence in Serbia. The analysis highlighted factors such as easy access to weapons, improper law enforcement, lack of a security culture, as well as the glorification of firearms as symbols of power and status, and the culture of violence in sports events and media glorification of criminals. Recommendations include tighter gun control, implementation and adherence to existing laws, reinstating local security councils, and police decentralization.
The May Platform Committee, composed of representatives from civil society and the academic community, is coordinating this initiative to ensure broad support and engagement in addressing violence and security issues. For further information, analyses, and recommendations, they can be found on the official May Platform website.
You can find the complete analysis and recommendations on the official website of the May Platform: majskaplatforma.rs.
The May Platform is coordinated by a Board comprised of the initiative’s founders, prominent citizens, representatives of civil society, and the academic community. The members of the Board include Rodoljub Šabić (lawyer), Vukosava Crnjanski (Crta), Dušan Spasojević (Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade), Dragan Popadić (Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade), Igor Bandović (Belgrade Centre for Security Policy), Gazela Pudar Draško and Luka Glušac (Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory), Tanja Ignjatović and Vanja Macanović (Autonomous Women’s Center).