Several master’s students at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA) are boycotting Thursday evening classes after the institution announced today, through a statement on its official website, that it has decided to nominate Donald Trump, the President of the United States, for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to Snoop.ro.
SNSPA Rector Remus Pricopie stated that “this decision comes as a recognition of President Donald Trump’s sustained efforts in promoting peace and stability in regions marked by global tensions.”
The students at SNSPA, however, reject the university’s decision and say they were not consulted before the institution publicly transmitted this proposal. In addition, in an open letter addressed to the SNSPA leadership, students, SNSPA graduates, university professors, as well as voices from civil society, NGOs and professionals from various fields ask the rector Remus Pricopie to withdraw the proposal “and present a public apology”.
“Through this open letter, as members of the SNSPA alumni community, but also as supporters of democratic values, peace and human rights, we affirm our astonishment, deep indignation and dissociation from this decision, which we consider contrary to the fundamental principles stated in the SNSPA Charter and promoted, in other contexts, by the university and the overwhelming majority of its members“, the text of the letter states.
“I am absolutely outraged and disappointed by this political move by Mr. Pricopie, a meaningless, absurd and last-ditch move. The words “Trump” and “Nobel Peace Prize” should not exist in the same sentence,” a female student said.
“As a student at SNSPA, I speak on behalf of all of us that this decision has left us speechless. We do not agree with the decision to support a rapist and a pro-Russian, it does not represent our values at all, on the contrary!” another young man said.
“The SNSPA Student Council completely disagrees with this position towards the Trump administration. I find it a bit ironic that a week ago Mr. Pricopie was beating his chest with his fist because he was the first to challenge Călin Georgescu, and now he is supporting Trump,” another student said, for snoop.ro.
The Senate of the National School of Political and Administrative Studies decided on Thursday to initiate procedures for the nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize and invites other universities, national and international partners, to join this initiative, the institution said in a press release.
The educational institution emphasizes that it supports him for his efforts to “promote peace and stability in regions marked by global tensions”, such as “his actions to de-escalate the situation in Gaza, his innovative steps to conclude a just peace in Ukraine, as well as his permanent concern to maintain the balance between the main geopolitical actors, at a global level”.
“We recognize the role of President Donald Trump in facilitating diplomatic solutions to end the conflict in Ukraine, respecting the sovereignty of states and in accordance with Euro-Atlantic values. In particular, ensuring peace in the Black Sea region, by guaranteeing the sovereignty of Ukraine and the security of states in the vicinity of the conflict, in accordance with the fundamental principles of international law, represents an essential objective for global stability,” states rector Remus Pricopie, quoted in the press release.