Serbian assembly is a strange place. You would think that, when it comes to the country’s parliament representatives, people tend to choose the best among themselves, those that would represent them while being dignified, honorable, and generally nice towards other people.
You would think that the country assembly is one of the last places where you would expect insults, fights, threats, and curses to be exchanged between the MPs.
You would expect that, considering the deadlines and obligations Serbia has to fulfill in order to make some progress in its talks with the EU, that the parliament would work day and night to get those laws and amendments straightened out and updated.
If you honestly believed all this, that means that you have no idea what’s Serbian really parliament like, you sad and naive little creature.
This month’s been specially tense, with nationalist MPs trying to interrupt the sessions every way possible. It all started when the national TV said that it won’t broadcast the sessions because they had to broadcast live tennis and handball tournament instead. MPs said they won’t work unless everyone in Serbia can follow what they’re doing on TV. Fair enough, you say, that sounds pretty transparent. Wrong! The only reason MPs want the broadcasts is that they could advertise their parties for free. After refusing to work for several days, the MPs finally decided to continue after they were returned ‘on air’.
This “self-advertising” consists, contrary to what you may believe, not of being constructive and suggesting best possible ways to draft new laws, but mostly of trying to insult the other parties and their members in a most creative way. Most innovative MPs in this sport have always been Serbian radicals. However, they have gotten a competition – Serbian Progressive party, until recently their coleagues, now their arch-nemesis. After couple of their MPs got into a physical fight couple of weeks ago, everyone thought they managed to settle down, but today couple of them got in a fight again. Both times in the assembly building, but unfortunately, cameras didn’t manage to catch those moments. But, here’s Tomislav Nikolic, leader of the progressives, showing his shoe, i quote, “for the youtube to see”:
I’m not sure exactly why he did that, but I believe that someone suggested his shoes are too expensive.
This hate mongering campaign culminated yesterday when Velimir Ilic, Kostunica’s coalition partner, complained how it’s outrageous that Rasim Ljajic is sending official invitations for the national day celebration in Orasac, calling this decision “an insult for everything that is Serbian”. Why? Because Ljajic is a muslim. (Ilic was warned later that this kind of hate speech is forbidden in the parliament)
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It's all gone a bit crazy these last days, hasn't it?! First the fight, then what Ilic said about Ljajic, then Ilic ending up in hospital (stroke?) and then 4 Radicals dying in a car crash…whatever next?