Just as it was absurd that the members of the Serbian Progressive Party, which had the majority in the Assembly, blocked its work with endless, incoherent speeches a few years ago so that the members of the opposition could not speak, it is beyond all reason that the party in power organizes a mass protest because of the situation in the country. It would be unbelievable if Serbia were even a normal country.
In this way, there is no doubt, an impressive number of citizens with a progressive party card, and there are, according to their own statements, 700.000, will be On May 26, they were brought from all over the country to Belgrade to support Aleksandar Vučić in his fight for a "normal Serbia". To show who is the real and only leader of the people. There will also be those who work in state peduzica, or companies whose owners are loyal to SNS, and for whom going to rallies in support of the party president is part of their work obligation.
A picture of a progressive place counter-commemorations in front of the Old Palace, the Assembly of Belgrade, which was supposed to channel the delivery of mail to the victims of the elementary school "Vladislav Ribnikar" into the party stream, but it was empty, just like thousands of citizens who expressed their dissatisfaction on Monday due to the tragedies in Belgrade and the surroundings of Mladenovac and the latter performances and actions of the representatives of the government, greatly irritated the president of the state. It was evident in his reactions.
The events of the previous days had shattered his followers' notion of his untouchability. Many of them did not like the absence of any empathy from their leader after the murder of sixteen children and young people and Dragan Vlahović. Vučić has been on the Parity throne for a long time and he does what he wants, not all progressive officials are happy about it. Hence Vučić's threats to party comrades, hence the idea of forming the People's Movement for the State.
And there is, at the same time, that one huge op-ed in the New York Times about the connection of the progressive elite with Veljko Belivuk's clan, which is a warning that Washington no longer looks favorably on Aleksandar Vučić's policy of vindictiveness. There are also the expectations of the West regarding Kosovo, the introduction of sanctions against Russia. Moscow's displeasure is also visible. The wiggle room has become very, very narrow.
Under pressure from outside and inside, Vučić was forced to make quick moves and started making mistakes: one press conference, another press conference, a threat of resignation of the entire state leadership, then an appearance on RTS, performance on TV Happy and finally, through "Večernjh novosti", only 5 days after the murders in "Ribnikar" and 4 days after the murders near Mladenovac, the announcement of a large counter rally on May 26.
The cameramen and director Željko Mitrović will make sure that the recording of that gathering is worthy of one Lena Riefenstahl, the iconography and scenography will emphasize that Serbia has only one true leader. Pressed from all sides, Vučić will hide behind the people. The images of the mass meeting that will flood the controlled media will support his inviolability, it will be his alibi for the moves he will make. And even at this moment he does not know what they will be, it will depend on the measurement of public opinion.
It will also show the so-called external factor that he is the only one whose will will be implemented in Serbia.
At least it's all imagined that way.
The absurdity in Serbia, however, only increases with this counter-myth: the party that has the majority in the Parliament, which is in power in almost all municipalities and cities, which has infiltrated the top of all key state institutions, is taking politics to the streets.
It is a risky move, and risky moves are not made by anyone who is not forced to do so.
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