After they seized power in Serbia in 2012 by publishing total war on democratic institutions, laws and common sense, turning the vast majority of the media into their propaganda meter, the progressives won all the elections, at all levels, smoothly - from the national ones to the election for the president of the house council. They were mostly games in which one competitor had 20 armed players, a bribed referee, fans who threw stones at opponents who ran onto the field blindfolded and handcuffed.
They experienced their first electoral defeat in Novi Sad, in the Liman neighborhood, in 2021. They were defeated by self-organized citizens, enthusiasts, in three local communities. They won despite the fact that local criminals in the famous black clothes gathered in this part of the city during election day, threatened and blackmailed, bought votes.
Patriots, brushes in hand
This small victory, which in practice means nothing because the local communities are completely dispossessed, somehow turned into a big symbolic defeat of the progressives. From this small distance of time, it seems that it was then that the progressive ebony tower, which rested on darkness, invincibility and fear, began to be crowned more seriously.
Bigger Šešelji than Šešelj
Then, for the first time, what we will see later, especially after November 1 last year and the fall of the canopy, appeared in a stronger form. When the progressives lose, they promptly return to their original, radical uniform, they become bigger šešelji than Šešelj: they respond to every criticism with the most down-to-earth nationalist demagoguery, which we thought had expired in the XNUMXs.
They painted the entire neighborhood in the colors of the Serbian flag, as a form of revenge and provocation. The Square of Artistic Flags in Limanski Park, which was supposed to celebrate art and diversity of colors and forms, was turned into a square of tricolors. And then they announced that they would also build a church on one of the few green areas in this part of the city.
What is the point of all this? Well, clearly: first, to mark the territory and show strength (they can also destroy private property) and present themselves as protectors of the nation. Then to provoke a reaction that will be an excellent occasion for their tabloids to point out that all their opponents are simultaneously opponents of Serbia and Orthodoxy, autonomists and Satanists, whatever.
For example, Novi Sad activist Brajan Brković, who wrote the names of the government's biggest scandals on one of the "flags", was dragged through tabloid appearances for years as an "Ustasha grandson" who "hates Serbs". Some local journalists who criticized the idea of building a church in the neighborhood went through the same thing, and these numerous churches in Novi Sad are empty anyway.
Primitive nationalist demagoguery and violence is the only response of the progressives to the current mass civil rebellion, led by students. Realistically, they don't know anything else. What kind of picture is created? Students are not young people who are fighting for a normal, democratic society in which laws will rule and not slobs and criminals; no, they are enemies of society and Serbia. They are "Ustasha", "Balije", they are led by Aljbin Kurti, they are paid by the West, which chronically hates Serbia. Admittedly, there are among them those who are misled, naive, they will say.
Photo: Tanjug / Saška DrobnjakSNS activists at Liman
Most citizens have read Vučić a long time ago
Who is this for? Certainly not to the majority of Serbian citizens, who have read Vučić a long time ago, who are, so to speak, direct witnesses to the unprecedented falsity of the regime's propaganda. They see it with their own eyes, they don't need intermediaries. For them, this only creates a counter-effect, stronger anger.
This is intended for those who have been seriously disoriented all these years by the media close to the government and who live in a parallel matrix-universe. Some of them benefit greatly from all this, and some on the contrary. In fact, the regime's propaganda wants to divide society as deeply as possible and bring it to the brink of civil war. He does not hesitate to create conflicts even in very sensitive multinational environments. The other day Novi Pazar, these days Bački Petrovac. I guess it's easiest there.
Every conflict is valuable for the government, because it has all the power in its hands. First of all, well armed and even better paid criminal gangs (some of them are part of private security agencies). The progressives can't wait to respond fiercely and conquer numerous territories in a counterattack (war rhetoric of the 1990s). And to instill fear in the bones of citizens who have become immune to fear. At the same time, conflicts are valuable fodder for their propaganda.
They could hardly wait for someone to cross over the "flag" and the hateful graffiti on Liman, so that they could take action. Under the command of Miloš Vučević, a large group of thugs responded fiercely, "protecting Serbia". They painted everything they touched in the tricolor. There were incidents, but the citizens were still smarter. They knew that bullies wanted violence. Allegedly, the progressive activists received 200 euros each for the action, so you calculate how much this foolishness cost them.
As part of the action, the President of the Assembly of Novi Sad stated that a church dedicated to the victims of the Novi Sad raid will be built on Liman. So, if you think it has no place on a green area where children play, you are a Hungarian fascist who threw people under the ice. Logically.
Smart and persistent
The citizens of Bački Petrovac also reacted well. They wanted to organize an exhibition of photographs from civil protests in this small, peaceful town. The progressives, led by the president of the municipality, again with recognizable physiognomy, prevented the exhibition from taking place - twice. There was serious turbulence, the progressives also waved knives. The people of Petrovac did not agree to provocations, they were smart, but also persistent. Finally, for the third time, the exhibition was held. They say it was the biggest gathering in this city, as long as it can be remembered. If it weren't for the progressive scoundrels, there would probably be about thirty people at the exhibition.
There is no doubt that they reawakened the anger of a large number of Novi Sad residents. We have already said, that is the goal. But there is also some progressive sadism in all that, which the president presents to us almost every night on television. If Vučić really keeps his promise and calls the largest progressive meeting ever in the capital of Vojvodina to oppose anti-Serbism and autonomism, it will hardly pass without serious problems. It will be a big challenge for everyone. Vučić will also be careful, so maybe he will give up this time as well (he has already announced a rally in Novi Sad many times). Who knows what direction things can go if there are really big problems.
We will not talk now about how someone can know that a rally will be "the biggest in history". Unless he himself brings people to him, so he decided to cut the bag.
All of Serbia in three colors
Let's recall the famous political terms: flag-waving and flag-wrapping. It is about the manipulative use of national symbols. You wave the flag to ritually show belonging to your nation and hide your identity with it. You wrap yourself in it to protect yourself from criticism and avoid responsibility. Whoever criticizes you is an enemy of the nation. "Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels," said the English writer Samuel Johnson back in the 18th century. Nothing new under the heavenly cap.
In the end, maybe soon the whole of Serbia will be painted in the colors of the tricolor. Why not? Let's start from state institutions, then through Belgrade on the water, and then to every private house even in the most remote village. And everyone has the obligation to hang the flag on the roof. Let's bring some color to this gray of ours.
Big summer discount on "Vreme"! Just click here, choose a subscription and support the editorial staff in their independent work.
