President Vučić is on what he says is a historic visit to the Republic of China. In the regime media, this visit took on epic proportions, almost like the work of Marco Polo Million, which they say was tied to a pillar on the Rialto Bridge in Venice so that those interested could read it. The trip was promoted as a continuation of world leaders' visits to Beijing, so it was logical that after Putin and Trump, Vučić would come there, a slightly less important political figure than his predecessor.
However, as if out of spite, the murder in the "27" restaurant, the arrest of the third police officer and the large rally in Slavija somewhat cast a shadow on the media image of this visit. In fact, Vučić had to "iron out" the crisis PR by guesting on RTS, angry at everyone in turn, from the host, through the public service to citizens who do not support him.
The obsession with media presence was so great that in all the media he controls, which is actually 90% television, Vučić had the need to address the citizens even before take-off, and from the plane, wanting to explain to them what the hell is happening at Slavia where a "handful" of disaffected people gathered to protest. He called the students' demands "stupid" because, in his illusion of megalomania, the best critic of Vučić could actually be exclusively and only Vučić!
By the way, Nikola Tesla Airport was unusually crowded these days. Apart from the historic send-off of the president with his entourage in two planes, the Minister of Agriculture, again in his manner, missed the timing, because in front of the cameras he saw off a plane full of live lambs to Algeria. In a total of 10 planes, 4200 lambs were sent on a journey of no return. A bit of a sad picture, we didn't really have to watch the recording of "when the lambs fall silent" live.
Then there were videos, as if from an excursion, where ours compensated for the somewhat modest welcome of the Serbian delegation with their own welcome in China. So our folklore ensemble organized a spectacular concert for Vučić on the Great Wall of China, tearing stakes for our politicians.
There were also so-called "intimate pictures", among which we should certainly single out the unparalleled performance when Vučić, accompanied by Suzana (because his wife got lost somewhere), buys souvenirs for the children. Certainly, the first place was won by the stuffed panda, along with a couple of other animals.
What fascinates is the unconcealed embarrassment because the President is so disinterested that even through a video he managed to kill all the joy of shopping. Here, just to emphasize, we are not talking about buying cloths, but gifts for our own children who appear and are mentioned in his speeches every day. The secret of buying souvenirs is that you really think about the person you are buying for when choosing them, that you want to surprise them, make them happy and show how you thought of them during some incredible trip. Symbolically, this is how you show not only formal attention, because it is order, but true connection - that that someone is always with you. Sorry, we didn't see that, so either you didn't have to record yourself or you don't need to because of the gift form. I guess the first lady was crying during that time while our folklorists were playing kolo.
According to reports for Dnevnik, the whole of China followed and waited for the arrival of Vučić, who is affectionately called 5 7 7 there, because it sounds like "Vu Ći Ći". This was confirmed by a random passer-by, who, of course, was delighted by Vučić's arrival and, lo and behold, he speaks Serbian! He didn't play the round.
I wonder how the Chinese knew he was coming and immediately followed his visit when all I saw in front of Vučić at all press conferences were microphones with the markings of domestic television stations. Or did the Chinese learn Serbian from the list in order to understand what he said to the demonstrators, of whom, according to an optimistic estimate, there were exactly 34.474. We didn't manage to find out if Vučić really wanted to see how many people were at the rally from the terrace of the MTS building before leaving, but that doesn't really matter. That is why we saw how our delegation walked along the Great Wall of China, how Milenko Jovanov replaced the Banat or Bač plains with Chinese mountains. In the premiere of the new RTS morning program studio, the new analyst for Astal Apostolovski and Jovana Joksimović praised the wisdom of Xi Jinping, who invited Vučić. They did not play the round.
Then followed the official reception, the Order of Steel Friendship and a photo shoot with brother Si, after which the overheated and blushing Vučić explained to the citizens for more than half an hour how much of an emperor he is and how everything about world politics is only now clear to him. The media griotly conveyed the platitude about the signing of "more than 23 agreements", and it is not clear to me why the number of agreements is spoken of like that - approximately. Because there were not 23.000 of them, so if you say "around 23.000", I guess we know the exact number. These will only be factories of artificial intelligence, the latest technologies, and we especially expect that the number of tourists from China will soon reach "Million" from the current 180.000 a year, like Marco Polo. No one mentioned the export of chicken legs and pig heads promised by the late Palma, nor the rivers of wine that our winemakers would send to China. Only intelligence and bars can do that.
No one mentioned it, but our delegation, among other things, asked for some money for a loan from the Chinese, but we don't know how much or under what conditions.
Unfortunately, soon this wonderful journey, not to mention the Flying Start, will be over, so Vučić with a delegation woven of strength and dreams, with friendship that has passed the test of fire and blood, will return to our sad reality where journalists and citizens will annoy him.
In his idea of omnipotence, Vučić is now becoming more and more like Salazar, the dictator from Portugal who for several years after his stroke lived in the belief that he was still in power, because in his own opinion, he had no worthy successor. He addressed the citizens once a year on the radio, as if he was still at the head of the state, and that was the case until his death.
The whole country, from the government to his retinue, to the citizens whom no one asked anything about, acted out his eternal rule and immortality. Steel love woven from illusions.
Real journalism costs money, and we will not be bought by tycoons and corporations. Support us with a one-time or monthly donation. The time for it is now!
"3 Nuts Seeds", "List your favorite 3 flavors", "THREE toy storage systems"... Are well-known brands in Serbia discreetly telling customers to circle the number three on the ballot on October 25?
This media experiment on live people actually violates ethical norms. Hardly any social psychologist would be licensed or have the conscience to conduct it on subjects, regardless of their consent with compensation. This is being done to us without our consent and for nothing
Young people are preparing, they are organized, they don't stop working and learning, they seem energetic and almost invincible. Among the elders there are doubts and fears despite their wishes, concerns accompanied by references to earlier experiences, as if it were not obvious that these student protests were organized and led better than any so far
Germany allocated 500 billion euros for infrastructure projects. The old nation, however, lacks the professional workforce to be able to realize them.
There is, literally, no difference between the one who claims it is day in the middle of the night, or the one who claims to be a giraffe, from the claims we read on billboards: that Vučić is working to unify Serbs and that Serbia is doing better and better day by day.
The pre-election arrests due to the alleged "overthrow of the state" testify to the regime's panic. The bad news for them is - they can't arrest the whole people who decided to defend themselves from progressive beatings and election theft
The ring that tightens around Ćaciland Student list is getting narrower. Because there are more and more spoiled people who see the false prophet for what he is: a street obscener who is fighting Serbia
The archive of the weekly Vreme includes all our digital editions, since the very beginning of our work. All issues can be downloaded in PDF format, by purchasing the digital edition, or you can read all available texts from the selected issue.
See all
