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Internal dialogue 3.0

Photo: Predrag Trokicic

The AVtocrat has called for talks on the current and future position of Serbia in relation to the crisis caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Although it is true that the AVtocrat will be the one to decide on Serbia’s position on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – with the issue of sanctions against Russia being the most urgent – I still claim (just like I did in my previous article) that he should be ignored. First, because some decision must be made, sooner or later, and it will be made regardless of the participation of the opposition. Second, because he’s been making all the decisions so far alone, not only with neglect, but with open contempt, and even bestial insult to everyone else, often including his own lackeys (because people like him don’t have colleagues). Third, because the previous “internal dialogue” on Kosovo, and, to a large extent, the talks on election conditions, turned into a shameless farce. Fool me once – shame on you, fool me twice – shame on me. There isn’t even a saying about the third time.

The best strategy of the opposition, i.e. opposition parties and individuals who speak in public on political issues, would be to publicly state what they believe Serbia’s position should be in the current circumstances (which many parties have done) and to invite the Government of the Republic of Serbia to act accordingly. That would be all, under these circumstances. Finally, regardless of the fact that it is clear to everyone that the Autocrat is the only one who decides, this in no way absolves his lackeys of responsibility for their dereliction of duty and willingness to serve as mere vessels for his will. Therefore, we should not forget them, but call them out at a time that is, in many ways, crucial. It is necessary to demonstrate to the public how truly pathetic the “main” political actors are, lacking the courage to openly say what they stand for in circumstances that require determination and full responsibility of each individual participating in the government. The government and majority MPs are, therefore, also eligible for questioning.

In a spasm of self-preservation, the AVtocrat has already shown his well-known craven (a harsher word would be more appropriate) character, and even desperation, first with a hilarious statement that he will consult with Ana Brnabic, and then with this idea about talks with all political parties. The only consultations that the opposition should agree to are ones with the new government. If it plans to take part in these talks, the opposition should demand the constitution of the parliament as soon as possible, the election of a government headed by someone who will not be embarrassing to talk to, then the organization a foreign policy debate, after which the government will make appropriate decisions. This is a unique opportunity to return political life to constitutional norms and to win an important battle over autocracy in Serbia, as well as to humiliate that autocracy. That is why I claim that the president should be ignored and marginalized.

One might say that this would only benefit the AVtocrat and that it is just another way for him to share the responsibility. That is true only at first glance. However, it is clear for everyone that the decision will be made by him. But it is important to force the AVtocrat to play by the rules pushed by the opposition, which are, most importantly, in line with the Constitution. Therefore, we need to discuss in the parliament and with the government, and whether the government will then leave the decision to the AVtocrat in slavish loyalty and acknowledgment of its own stupidity and incompetence – it depends on the relationships within the government itself. In all this, it is also important to ask the future government to come up with a platform for talks in which it will propose a solution. If they don’t have one to offer, they should resign. Finally, if the opposition agrees to talk to the AVtocrat, which is fundamentally wrong, the minimum requirement before any conversation should be that the one initiating the conversation will offer his own solution. Anything else is not only naive, but also humiliating.

In that sense, the AVtocrat’s “address to the public” tonight is also irrelevant. He will mumble the same things again, perform his political burlesque, clumsily play the statesman, pull his hair and take off his glasses theatrically. There will be complaints about some terrible pressures on Serbia to impose sanctions on Russia (which is a notorious lie: there is no pressure, except for the pressure of circumstances and the fact that either decision has its own consequences, which we all already know without “difficult talks” with Scholz or Hill). He will continue to rely on the bureaucratic and predictable patterns of diplomacy, which will follow some silly protocol to try to analyze what the “President of Serbia” said… And the only thing that matters is the answer to the question: how will Serbia position itself in the current crisis? We won’t find out in tonight’s performance. And not because the Autocrat suddenly realized that it was not up to him to decide, but because he is an intriguer, a political manipulator, a person without a trace of statesmanlike intelligence and, in general, an unsound and schizophrenic politician who runs away from responsibility even when he greedily and obsessively strives to seize everything that has the slightest admixture of power and authority. Any political moves he has ever made which resembled the right decision were merely the result of a disgusting pretense that he was something he was not; everything that is authentic and his own is dark and morbid.

Translated by Marijana Simic

Peščanik.net, 16.05.2022.


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Srđan Milošević, istoričar i pravnik. Diplomirao i doktorirao na Filozofskom fakultetu Univerziteta u Beogradu, na Odeljenju za istoriju. Studije prava završio na Pravnom fakultetu Univerziteta UNION u Beogradu. U više navrata boravio na stručnim usavršavanjima u okviru programa Instituta za studije kulture u Lajpcigu kao i Instituta Imre Kertes u Jeni. Bavi se pravno-istorijskim, ekonomsko-istorijskim i socijalno-istorijskim temama, sa fokusom na istoriji Jugoslavije i Srbije u 20. veku. Član je međunarodne Mreže za teoriju istorije, kao i Srpskog udruženja za pravnu teoriju i filozofiju i Centra za ekonomsku istoriju. Jedan je od osnivača i predsednik Centra za istorijske studije i dijalog (CISiD). Član je Skupštine udruženja Peščanik. Pored većeg broja naučnih i stručnih radova autor je knjige Istorija pred sudom: Interpretacija prošlosti i pravni aspekti u rehabilitaciji kneza Pavla Karađorđevića, Fabrika knjiga, 2013.