October the 5th 2000 – October the 5th 2007
Dear readers, today has been the 7th anniversary of the democratic changes, or maybe revolution, that have changed the political leadership of Serbia and at that time “Milosevic Yugoslavia”. It was a unique event in Serbian history when an entire nation deprived of freedoms and welfare have revolted and most importantly, more or less non-violently, have managed to force a dictator to step down from his position and lose his powers. Serbia has finally joined to community of democratic states and societies. However, seven years after this bright event of the Serbian history and positive Serbian national solidarity, there appears to existed a certain scepticism as to whether the revolution was good enough and whether Serbia is truly a democratic society in the real sense of the meaning.
What we can see seven years in post-Milosevic Serbia is a political instability of a fragile democracy and of a state whose national borders are still unsure, at least until the final status of Kosovo and Metohija is not resolved. Numerous affairs, as well a fatal for the country political murder of a prime minister have resulted with the fact that the Serbian society is still divided into two Serbias, one being a so-called progressive and another being called by the first one as a highly nationalist. However, this division is highly narrowminded as this division is too small. Allow me to add and restructure this division into more: a extremely nationalist, opportunist, neo-communist and vaguely democratic. The frustration that is caused by by the disapointment of the high expectations have resulted into the rise of extremism on many sides which, by itself resulted with the fact that the political scene resembles a scenery of paranoia, primitivism, maliciousness and hipocricy.
On the one side, the citizens of Serbia deal with two sorts of paranoias seven years after: the nationalist paranoia when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija and the belief that the whole world is against the Serbs, and the paranoia that Serbia seven years after is the same as during the Milosevic authoritarian dictatroship. The second paranoia is the one that gains credibility among individuals that are thirsty for the European future of Serbia, however their they Serbian character is not hided, even in this notion. Don’t get me wrong, the nationalist paranoia is that mch discussed that I think there is no need to re-discuss it. Nut let us see if Serbia resembles the one of Milosevic dictatorship: – The police is not represive anymore as it was in the ‘90s during the numerous demonstrations. Tanks aren’t brought anymore to the streets to maintain order and most importantly, there are no more dead or wounded during demonstrations. – Even though the inflation is still unstable, it doesn’t rise to world record values as it did during 1993-94. – Supermarkets don’t get emptier with goods, but fuller and suprisingly also with foreign goods, as well as goods from Slovenia and Croatia. – NGO’s, medias and political enemies of the government do not get prossecuted and arrested from the state for having a different opinion. This is also valid for political parties. – There are no more embargos and wars and total international isolation. – Serbia has put herself into the road to the EU, however not so skillfully as it should. – Citizens don’t have to go to Budapest in order to get visas, but they can do it in Belgrade. They don’t need to bring a truck of documents, but only a folder… or two. – The black market is loosing in strength, order in trade is meeting the European standards, but corruption is still a big issues. – Serbia among foreigners is becoming a place to be and the foreigners in Serbia are also tourists, rather than just diplomats, tourists and spies. – The public television doesn’t use terms such as gays, anarchists and vandals, however, its far from being ideal. – People in Serbia can afford much more than during Milosevic. – National rhetorics are still an issue since national issues are still under question.
The list can go on, but the general point is that changes have occured in Serbia, some radically and some vaguelly. Nevertheless, the changes that those who were in front of the Assembly seven years ago wished cannot come immediately. Sixty years of the communist dictatorship and eleven years milosevicism have resulted that the minds of the citizens don’t have any real idea of what democracy trully is, but have rathe vague perceptions. The wished changes will not lots of time and hard work to occur in the next two or three generations. As soon as we learn that the exclusion of groups with which we don’t share the same opinion is undemocratic and as soon as we learn not to tag something with which we don’t agree to be fascist ir communist, then we can call ourselves democrats. Because Democracy isn’t to have it everything our way even if the majority doesn’t want it, but rather to learn to accept things that are chosen by the majority, since liberalism initially trusted the sentiments of the majority and perceived them to be the wisest. But finally, the glorious day of the 5th of October 2000 have shown that the majority has learned to protect its democratic rights and the notion to solidary coexist in diversity. Don’t forget that the revolution was carried out by democrats, communists and nationalists together against an authoritarian nepotist together. Let us learn from the revolution.
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Belgrade by night, as seen from space
Belgradisation
The History of Yugoslavia In 30 Seconds
The new Serbian Coat of Arms
Belgrade promotional video
If this was 2002, then I would also be satisfied with the good things you listed. But since it isn’t, than I can’t be satisfied, because it’s the same things I’ve been consoling myself for five years.
Now I think it’s shameful that we still have to console ourselves that we have it much better than Burma does.
Viktore, well I am consolled that seven years after it isn’t as it was then, even though I agree with you that things are slow, which I tried to highlight in some parts of my text. Nevertheless, even though we have the right to ask for more, we are obliged not to forget how it was back then.
As for your comparison, sorry but I find a bit stupid. Why don’t you look around in our neighborhood? Albania, Moldova, Byelorussia, Macedonia and even Bulgaria have worse economic/political/societal circumstances than Serbia.
Cvijus, sorry, but I find your comparison a bit stupid.
(Sorry, I have to defend The Boss)
Are these our reference points? Albania, Moldova, Belorussia?
Should we wait for tables to turn in order to get a grip and start thinking & taking care of ourselves?
I think not. I think we should always try and reach our maximum potential; not just look around and behind, because that way we’ll never be anything more than mediocre.
Nemanja, mostly I don’t agree with you on many things, however, this time I agree with you completely. The comparison however was brought by The Boss with Burma, but that low we aren’t. Generally I don’t like comparisons (even though it is in our blood), but I think that first of all we have to work for ourselves with eachother. Thus, I need not to repeat your last paragraph, since you have perfectly formulated it. Cheers
“They don’t need to bring a truck of documents, but only a folder… or two.” It’s not true. We still need a truck and a half in order to get visas. Actually, it’s even worse than before
In another corner of the World, also on October 5th, we celebrate the fall of Pinochet. It was on 1988 when the regime ingenuously called for a public consultation about the continuity of the dictatorship. They were confident on the triumph, but people said another thing, fought against electoral fraud and finally we defeated the dictator. The slogan of the opposition campaign was “Chile, happiness is coming”. Another slogan was “He will fall” (like gotov je).
And he fell, but happiness never came at all. The hangover was terrible and long. It took years and a couple of generations to recover, but nowadays the country is absolutely different. In perspective, Chile is another country.
There are still debts in terms of justice, equity and governance. Pinochet died last year without being condemned by justice (another coincidence). Economically Chile is successful, but there is a huge social gap. Chile is a democracy, but imperfect, incomplete. Just an example: the communist party has around 8% of the votes at the national level and they don’t have a single seat in the parliament.
There are still hundreds of judgments for human rights violations. There are still important corruptions cases open. Just an example: two days ago the whole Pinochet family and closest collaborators were arrested because a financial fraud in the 80´s. (as simple as public founds to private accounts). The widow and the 5 children (one of them called Marko) were arrested. Not bad, but take in consideration that it was 19 years after “happiness is coming”.
Let me tell you my experience in Serbia as a regular visitor. My first time in Belgrade was like a black and white film. It was 2003, just a few weeks after the assassination of Zoran Dindic. Everything was sad. The city, the people, the faces. I felt like in a post nuclear Soviet Union. Everything black and white. “No hope, no future” could be the synthesis of my impressions. For some reason I felt home in that sad landscape. Probably because it took me to my own experience
Then I came back every year and I could see how things have changed in Belgrade. I can understand the skepticism and frustration that most of you feel, but consider that 7 years of democracy is nothing after 50 years of communism, 11 of milosevicsm and so on.
Chilean transition has 19 years and we still feel uncomfortable with our democracy. But, and this is the important point, there are new generations that grew up in democracy and this is the key, as Viktor pointed.
I was in Belgrade last spring and I could say, 7 years after October the 5th, that Belgrade is completely different. Suddenly the city looks more sexy, people seems to have normal problems, faces looks happier. I know you could list an interminable list of urgent and serious problems that shadow my optimistic observation. OK, but please accept that your lives have changed significantly in these 7 years, for better. In Chile we used a metaphor for this discussion. A glass of water (or beer, or rakja if you prefer). The glass is half of rakja, then you can see the glass half empty or half full. It is up to you, but the amount of rakja is the same.
Serbia is a bobble that need to exploits. Serbians urgently need to travel abroad and receive foreigners. After Kosovo, I think the “Visa problem” is the most important challenge for serbian democracy.
Beyond the date coincidence, both transitions have a lot of parallels, in spite of geographic and cultural distance. After all, the glass is fuller than empty and things are a bit better. Never enough, of course. It is just the beginning.
Happy October 5th.
Gotov su
Pozdrav!
Rodrigo
Cvijus, you misunderstood me – I actually think that your post is great, albeit with a couple of factual errors such as that one Lara corrected.
I agree of course that 5th of October is a great day and that it must be remembered as a day when a great burden was lifted off Serbia.
But, if we keep saying to ourselves, year after year, that this is the biggest success we have ever had, than we will not move forward – and this is where the danger lies.
About Burma, yes, we never got to their level, but we weren’t very far either – if you take all those things you listed and take them away from one country, Burma is what you could get.
Rodrigo, great comment, thanks – I have to say only that it was Cvijus who wrote the post, not me. The analogy with the glass is great in this case – the only problem we face here is that we sometimes think that the glass is full when it is only half full
I’d like to know about unemployment figures in 2000 compared to 2007, have they gotten better or worsened?
I know Serbia’s foreign debt has worsened:
http://www.tanjug.co.yu/news.aspx?rbx=4&rbxn=Economy
IZIT: SERBIA’S FOREIGN DEBT AMOUNTS TO USD 19.8 BILLION
4.6.2007 14:52 BELGRADE, (Tanjug) – Serbia’s foreign debt amounted to USD 19.8 billion last March and had marked an increase of 83.3 % compared to 2000, when it totaled USD 10.8 billion, Director of the Institute for Market Research (IZIT) Miloje Kanjevac said on Monday.
And one wonders what the Serbian government will do for money after it’s sold off and privatized everything.
Also what about tuition rates and costs at the universities – I hear those have gone up tremendously after the university students overthrew Milosevic, and the current crop is really complaining over that. I guess they should thank the spoiled ones who got everything practically free and who looked well off in the demonstration pictures.
What about rebuilding? It doesn’t appear the government since October 2000 has kept the pace the Milosevic government did from June 1999 until then. Plus, Milosevic hired Serbian construction companies while this current government uses other countries companies.
Ida, Causesku’s government in Romania didn’t have any foreign debts, however for that every Romanian houselhold had electricity for only two hours a day. Do you remember the power restrictions during Zloba and can you tell me whether there are any today. Belgrade remained the same during Zloba as it was in ’89, today it has changed tremendously. The state owned enterprises which were causing more costs than profits. Now our economy is finishing its transition period and is going upwards.
“Now our economy is finishing its transition period and is going upwards.”
So what is the current unemployment figures and how does it compare to 2000? You never presented those statistics.
Also can you name any new industries in Belgrade since 2000?