Vučić's counter rally in Loznica: Using the pogrom of Serbs for lithium purposes

The organizing committee of the 18th Loznica regatta on the Drina informs the public that the regatta "The Drina is only one", which was supposed to be held on Saturday, August 3, according to the established calendar, is being cancelled. On that day, the "Day of Remembrance" state ceremony will be held at the "Lagator" stadium in Loznica to commemorate the anniversary of the pogrom of the Serbs in the "Storm" action, is a brief news report from local media.

The traditional regatta "Drina je samo jedna" was supposed to take place from Mali Zvornik to Zica beach in Banja Koviljača, and in previous years it was attended by the highest state officials. Now it has been canceled for one reason only - the "counter rally" of Aleksandar Vučić, who wants to show his power over the citizens of Jadro and Pocerina, who are determined to defend their region from lithium mining.

Vučić, who does not shy away from any kind of abuse, has now, for the umpteenth time, abused the tragedy of the exiled Serbs from the former Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK). To him, such abuses are normal, as if to say: "Good day people, I wish you happy work".

Despite the fact that Vučić is still keeping the meeting a secret, his cabinet will announce it only on Friday, the official invitations sent to eligible people and officials "leaked".

Following the example of Sloba

In December 1996, when the protests in Belgrade due to the election theft took off, Slobodan Milošević organized a "counter rally" in Terazije, to which he brought supporters from all over Serbia by bus, in an organized manner, most of whom, either accidentally or intentionally, "went astray" on the route from the then Revolucije Boulevard to the Terazija fountain. People from the south of Serbia were brought on purpose, who took the opportunity to visit the children in Belgrade, who study or work there, for free.

Milošević's rally went as it did, a disappointment for him and his wife, as well as for a current media tycoon who stood on the stage holding "Heckler" under his jacket. The current vice president of the Government of Serbia in charge of bad neighborly relations in the region, who had long hair at the time, was also disappointed. From that counter-rally, photojournalists recorded the moment in which "SPS stormtrooper", a conductor from Kosovo Polje, took out a "tetejac" pistol and fired in the air in order to deal with "a handful of bystanders, domestic traitors and foreign mercenaries" (as reported by RTS at the time ). As a reward, he later received an apartment in Francaška Street, and he was never held accountable for pulling the gun.

Vučić is now repeating Milošević's "recipe" - as a response to increasingly massive citizen protests over lithium mining, secretly, "under the grain", he is organizing a counter rally in Loznica, under the pretext of marking the anniversary of the "Storm". Columns of buses, "caravans" from all over Serbia will arrive, and for seven days not only municipal, but also local committees set quotas for how many buses they need to fill, it's called membership.

The departure price is standard: "two reds" and sandwiches, one each there and back. Plus a bottle of water. Those who cannot be reached by phone, the trustees and activists look for in houses and apartments, to point out their obligation. For those employed in public services and companies, it is not questionable - either you go or there is no extension of the contract on temporary casual jobs.

Far from us

At least there will be exiles from the RSK, they gave up everything a long time ago, they go about their business and are not interested in "state reminders" of their suffering. Neither them, nor their children who were born in Serbia and have their own lives. They will bring people from Serbia, by bus, in front of the stadium.

This was best seen when, in August 2021, the anniversary of the "Storm" was celebrated in Busija near Batajnica, the largest refugee settlement in Serbia. All the people from the RSK who with great difficulty built the houses on the land, but no one showed up at that meeting.

There should be no doubt that the president of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, as well as Patriarch Porfiria, will "co-serve" at the stadium marking. Vučić will give a so-called patriotic speech, say that they wrote it for him, but that he does not want to read from the paper, but, carried away by his emotions, will speak from his head, on a couple of occasions he will seem to cry, wipe away fake tears, and end the speech with the words that " the new 'Storm' will not repeat", that Serbia will not allow it" and end with: "Long live Serbia".

Behind him will stand the "attacker of the idea of ​​the Serbian world" Aleksandar Vulin and nod his head wisely, as a sign of support. And Dodik will "scratch" in his long monologue. There will also be some name-art program designed by state director Dragoslav Bokan, a few children will recite something, and then the separation - people go to the bus and go to their seats.

As for the citizens of the Loznica region, they will be outraged that their regatta, in which thousands of people participate and have a good time, has been cancelled. Anyone who has not been to the "Loznica Regatta" does not know what enjoyment is. Among others, the Minister of the Interior, Ivica Dacic, knows this best.

And the exiles from the RSK, today largely citizens and citizens of Serbia, they will once again just wave their hand, in the style of "away from us" or "let it go".