**University Tuition Fees to Drop by 50%**
Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali has announced that university tuition fees will be lowered by 50%. This meets one of the main demands of protesting students.
The government has secured 12 billion Dinars for university education. This is an increase of 20 percent from previous budgets. The money was made available by re-allocating existing budget funds.
Students have been protesting for weeks following a tragic accident at a railway station in Novi Sad. They were demanding accountability, an increase in the education budget, and lower tuition fees. Now, their demand for an education budget increase has been met.
The 50% reduction in tuition fees will be funded by the increased education budget. The money will also be used to cover expenses and possibly increase university salaries. Finance Minister Mali is urging university officials and students to discuss how the funds should be redistributed.
