The Black Troika of the "Counter-Revolution"

There has been a lot of talk about it, the psychological term "dark triad" has already been used several times in public. Nature and society sometimes arrange for three unattractive traits, with different intensities, to meet in one person, and when this person gets hold of power - and she lives from power and for power, and all that it brings - it is an inevitable prelude to a disaster, on a larger or smaller scale. The matter can be sharpened and said that it is entirely democratic institutional system designed to protect society from the "dark triads", with which humanity has so many negative experiences. That is why he is the first to be attacked by such rulers.

Psychologists say: the first trait is narcissism, a grandiose opinion of oneself, self-admiration that tends to become common place, a feeling of superiority that is mostly a strong reaction to the problem of inferiority. Everyone around them must continuously send them messages of love. On the border of eroticism. They feed on that, even when they know that they are not sincere, when they know that, for example, children's letters of support were written by members of their cabinet. No criticism is out of the question. These people constantly talk about themselves, they expect special treatment, they must always be in the center of attention. They surround themselves with people who nod their heads and are always enthusiastic to the point of imbecility with their ideas and moves. Even a shadow on a co-worker's smile can cost that co-worker their career.

Another thing is Machiavellianism. No matter how irrational self-admiration may seem, these people are cold-bloodedly calculated, manipulative, without remorse, the end justifies, as they say, any means. The goal is simple: maintaining power at any cost, everything else is collateral. Ideology does not exist. Everything around them may sink, but the power, that is, the feeling of power, must survive. Everything is allowed for that: lying, cheating, slandering, stealing... In fact, the tendency to shameless lying and fraud is considered, in addition to loyalty, the main value that enables advancement. Everyone has butter on their heads, and that's important in a Machiavellian system, where everyone is dependent on one man, whom no one can get too close to. Otherwise the butter starts to melt. That is why this order is followed by kleptocracy. That is, mass corruption does not only aim at stealing, but also at maintaining the system.

Then there is the lack of empathy, the absence of remorse and remorse. They can show emotionality in public, but it's always a cheap show for the underdogs, since they're essentially callous and antisocial. Killing a hundred people for one is not a problem. After a while, lie down and binge a series - it's also not a problem.

They gather around themselves "soldiers", the so-called. loyalists, circles of unscrupulous people ready for anything. Benefit is, of course, the main motive here, but one should not underestimate the feeling of importance, as well as the feeling of "belonging to a group". Perhaps primarily for the sake of a sense of importance and belonging - no matter how much money they have accumulated - many turn into caricature phenomena, look like robots. Look, for example, at Ana Brnabić.

WHAT WHEN POWER IS CROWNED?

For the most part, what we said is not enormous news, it was discovered by many. But the following question is crucial: how does the "dark triad" react when power begins to be crowned and when the elaborate mechanisms of matchmaking rule begin to crisis, as is currently happening with the rule of Aleksandar Vučić, which is slowly collapsing according to the domino principle? How does the "dark triad" work when it is read?

Psychologists say: they lose ground, they show their true face, they can no longer hide it, they openly show their nervousness. Many "soldiers" served Vučić to say what he thinks but keep silent, to intimidate, openly and blatantly lie, spread hatred, call for violence. Now he has taken the lead in all disciplines. In this case, too, psychology won over politics. He asks the others to follow him, into water and fire if necessary.

They constantly question the loyalty of the people around them, they know very well what special qualities they are surrounded by. When they feel that they have nothing to lose, because power is their existence, they start a counter-offensive - the so-called. counter-revolution. They play "all or nothing", they cause chaos, they don't care about the consequences. They behave like wounded beasts, which is the result of fear, anger and a wounded ego. They surround themselves with the most cruel or put them in the front lines of the fight. Those who are weaker or not sufficiently warlike retreat to the second line or give them up.

The recent formation of the government of Đura Macuta is part of the counter-revolution and revenge of the "dark triad", which began with the recruitment of all regime organizations in the Čača-movement, new dimensions of primitive propaganda, state violence, the imprisonment of activists and the termination of salaries of educators and university professors. The matter is more psychological than political, of course. A politician, for example, would take advantage of the formation of a new government to appoint people who could dampen the anger of the majority of citizens due to the rule of the worst, for the simple reason that it would extend his power. But no - Vučić managed to put together an even more irritating government than the previous one in tough competition. Revenge is more important. And cynicism.

This can be seen most in the "black troika" of new ministers appointed to deal with the parts of society that are the leaders and symbols of the big rebellion that lasted for several months, the cause of which was the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad, which claimed 16 human lives. Education, universities, unsolicited media and parts of the judiciary that refuse to listen to orders, either publicly, with announcements, or hiding behind legal procedures, should be dismantled. Those who will have no problem doing everything they are told, even reinforcing the orders with their own inventions, are chosen for this.

Maybe Vučić's intention to break society will succeed, but there is an incomparably greater chance that it will produce counter-effects. Even where he thinks he's won, he's actually lost.

photo: Rade Prelić / Tanjug

EDUCATION - DEJAN VUK STANKOVIĆ

There is no doubt that the biggest heroes of the great revolt against the kleptocratic regime and malignant value system are students, pupils, university professors and educators. Their resistance is political, but also natural: they organically refuse to live in a society where everything contrary to what they learn and teach reigns without any concealment - their entire beings rebel against the rule of ignorance, primitivism, lies, guillotining of moral scruples and critical thinking, procedures and rules. Against fake people with fake degrees.

The good news is that the state university and education system has shown through rebellion that, despite the craziness surrounding it and decades of crises, it has managed to preserve its integrity, dignity and functionality, and the bad news is that the progressive government, as part of its retaliation, will not hesitate to destroy it completely. He had flown under their radar until now. We do not have the space to list all kinds of pressures to which unwilling university professors and educators are exposed, but this is only a superficial part of the revenge.

There are deeper, systemic levels, perhaps even more dangerous. Scientific and research activities at state universities were essentially abolished, which is a big blow to the faculties and employees, but also to the university's rating. In addition, Vučić announced that the government will finance private universities to a much greater extent, which "proved to be much more stable, much more serious, as faculties and universities that want to provide knowledge and education to people." Read, who do not rebel against the government and with whom it will be easier to agree on everything. We don't need to be particularly reminded of the reputation of the private faculties in Serbia, which were followed by all the affairs, that the current ruling class with puffed up lips emerged from them. However, we should also not fall into the trap of putting them all in the same basket.

Vučić's particularly sweet revenge is the appointment of political jukebox analyst Dejan Vuk Stanković to the position of Minister of Education. I guess Stanković uses another name so that no one would confuse him with football player Dejan Stanković.

There is no doubt that the personality with two names, who has been living for years by going from regime to even more regime television, defends Vučić and hates his critics - will poke his head where his predecessor Slavica Đukić-Dejanović was not even allowed to put her platform heels. Although she tried to make life miserable for the rebellious education and university, it seems that the big boss is not very satisfied with her performance, so he replaced her with Stanković, respecting his years of co-operativeness down to the floor tiles, and knowing that she will annoy the professors, students and the critical public. Slavica will hang up her political boots, it seems, and it's about time. He would have sent Vučić and her boss Dacić into retirement, but for now it is out of his hands.

Certainly Stanković was not recommended for the post of minister by his scientific career or in-depth knowledge of the education system, you can find experts like him in Ćaciland as well. But it is the fact that he is the only professor of the Belgrade Faculty of Teacher Education who spoke out against the blockade initiated by the students of that institution. He accused the student movement of subverting the state. An even more important recommendation for him is that he declared that, if he were in power, he would violently - "know how to do it" - put down the student rebellion. Elem, he would replace the rector and whoever he needed, used force, "pumped out" students, arrested and punished, introduced lex specialis... "So, he is not there with me...", said Stanković in a guest appearance on a television station.

Therefore, there is no mile-lala with him. And if he adheres to the televised exposition and works in accordance with his professional achievements, it is clear that he will cause irreparable damage to universities and the educational system, which, as we said, is also the goal.

Upon hearing the news that Stanković will be the Minister of Education, a plenum of his faculty's students announced. He assessed that his appointment is an insult to students and educators who "every day advocate for quality education, professionalism and respect for ethical standards in education." The plenum asked the authorities if they knew that "for years, numerous testimonies have been circulating among female students about harassment, comments of sexual content and his inappropriate behavior". Numerous, detailed testimonies of female students accusing Professor Stanković of sexual harassment were then published on social networks.

However, the vice-dean for teaching at this faculty stated that she had not received a single "signed" or even "anonymous report" of female students for sexual harassment allegedly carried out by Stanković. She confirmed, however, that at one time there were "such stories" on social networks, and that the faculty administration "turned Stanković's attention to think about his behavior." In the meantime, Stanković filed a criminal complaint against unknown persons, whom he accused of "endangering security", "persecuting" and "causing panic and disorder", and for the aforementioned charges.

Recently, his double name was also mentioned in the context of the election of members of the REM Council, which was then abandoned. He was proposed by the so-called GONGO organizations, i.e. phantom journalistic and media organizations founded by the regime to realize the interests of the government in the process of killing media freedoms and media pluralism.

Until a few years ago, Vuk also appeared in independent media, he even had the occasional critical word, albeit very mild and with full understanding, about the authorities. But he realized that there was no bread from that. Not even money, and especially not a ministerial post.

photo: dario konstantinović / ministry of information and telecommunications / tanjug

INFORMATION - BORIS BRATINA

A few weeks before the start of the NATO intervention, one of our colleagues confidently declared at a certain forum that nothing would come of the bombing because Milosevic "will suddenly move in the direction of democratization." For years, many international organizations and some of our colleagues have been saying the same thing about Vučić: he just didn't free the media in accordance with laws and strategies, as well as international frameworks. It is now clear to everyone that this will never happen, but quite the opposite: the goal is to destroy even the few independent newspapers that exist, especially since their readership and viewership are growing dramatically. And maybe it will go on social networks, it's really not excluded, remember Erdogan.

Basically, for everything that needs to be done there is a real man, extreme nationalist ("SNP 1389", later "SNP Naši 1389") and professional Kosovar Boris Bratina. Vučić pulled him out of who knows what phone book, first for his own Movement, and now for the minister. He probably cooperated with him before, at least until he became the "main head" of the state. Let's say, in the organization of violent gatherings. At one of these, at a rally held in March 2009 in Belgrade, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the NATO intervention, he burned Bratina's EU flag. One day later he said the following: "Either you are Serbs and against joining the European Union or you are against Serbia. Now we will show you what we think about joining the EU... Serbia, Russia, we don't need the Union! Down with the Serbian puppet government! Serbia and Russia always together! Long live the Serbs!"

By appointing Bratina to the post of Minister of Information and Telecommunications, Vučić sent a clear message to all Western and domestic actors who are advocating for a higher level of media freedom in Serbia: who cares about you plums, you are irrelevant, I am negotiating with foreign governments about big business, not about the rule of law, as if anyone is interested in such a thing! Bratina is a real brigadier: if necessary, he can physically attack someone who protests against the suppression of the media and the persecution of journalists at a round table. He is not to be trifled with.

Vučić was annoyed by the previous minister, Dejan Ristić, with a stubbled beard and glasses, full of mannerisms. He needs a "firm hand" to deal with journalists. If he comes, Bratina is there.

"Istinomer" compiled a biography of Bratina, who walked with the speed of light on social networks after the news was announced that this figure, unknown to the general public, would become a minister. Namely, his name was known only to those interested in political exoticism. In that biography, among other things, the statement of the new minister from 2010, when he presented the platform of the "SNP Naši 1389" organization, is quoted: "In its political activity, the 'SNP Naši 1389' will advocate exclusively for an imperative mandate in a free Serbia - a mandate in which you can be replaced at any time. And otherwise, we advocate for direct democracy, which is the basic meaning of the old Slavic and Serbian assembly." Now, there are shortcuts from imperative commutability to imperative immutability.

Bratina studied, but did not graduate, at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade, and later devoted himself to philosophy, especially ontology. It is not very clear what he will say if someone asks him about decades of media reforms, and even less if he has to declare himself on telecommunications topics. But he was not even appointed for that.

photo: Ministry of Justice / Tanjug

JUSTICE - NENAD VUJIC

That Aleksandar Vučić strongly respects institutions is also shown by the case of Nenad Vujić, the new Minister of Justice in "Macut's government". In January last year, the State Audit Institution (DRI) announced the results of the audit of the financial statements of the Judicial Academy, of which Vujić is a long-term director. After the misery auditors had fun with figures, differences and products, they asked for his dismissal. Not only because they encountered numerous irregularities, but also because Vujić did not "comply" with their recommendations, that is, he missed the obligation to remove what they say are significant irregularities in the following years. Vujić was not shaken - he had protection from above.

And then Vučić reached out to him and appointed him minister, so he will no longer be the first man of the Judicial Academy, at least for a while. The state audit institution must be satisfied. And now, last year's snow is that in November 2023, she also filed a criminal complaint against the new minister due to the alleged misuse of budget funds, which the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade indignantly rejected as unfounded. Last year's snow is also the fact that at one time the Association of Judges and Prosecutors' Assistants filed a criminal complaint against the director of the Judicial Academy, Nenad Vujić, to the First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office, in which it was claimed that he had committed a prolonged criminal act of document forgery. Nothing came of this application either.

Vujić's name was also mentioned back then, when a video appeared in public showing that one of the candidates came to the exam at the Judicial Academy with pre-prepared questions and answers. Otherwise, the Judicial Academy is a state institution that aims to contribute to the independent, impartial and efficient performance of judicial and prosecutorial functions. A candidate for a judge who is elected for the first time, and who has completed the initial training at this academy, does not have to take an exam organized by the High Council of the Judiciary or the Prosecutor's Office - that is the way things are legally.

Those familiar with the situation in the judiciary say that Vujić played a very important role in the staffing of prosecutors and judges, respecting the guidelines he received from the top of the party. They will continue to deal with it, they say, very diligently, and will not have the limits dictated by decency, let alone the principle of independence of the judiciary. Evil tongues say that they will be there even if Zagorka Dolovac "gets caught up", i.e. starts avoiding the president's sheriffs and fails to make arrests in Serbia like the Gestapo back then. Vučić is allegedly not satisfied with Zaga, who has the protection of the American prosecutorial democracy. And she is too soft for his cheerleader temperament. That's why Vujić is here.

We have already said that the "dark triads" like to surround themselves with collaborators who have sensitive files that are kept in dark drawers under lock and key and that can be partially, periodically and as needed shared with the public. It is possible that the ministerial "black troika" is also in those files. Here is another recommendation.