It is safe to say that the opening of the Plum Fair in Osečina was a matter of prestige. Aleksandar Vučić was in that role twice, Ana Brnabić also stood out as Prime Minister, either as a minister, but it never fell below that position. This time, the organizers hardly attacked the state secretary of agriculture, which shows that the government has other priorities, and that it deals with the progress of democracy and the organization of other patriotic "festivals", mostly of its supporters.
photo: d. Todorović...
So, it was Friday, in the main street, in front of the municipality building, the flags of Serbia and Osečina, the festive red Itison path, the hosts welcoming the guests, the pops can't be counted. The reporter went to the scene, among the roasted pigs and burgers, he noticed a stand with preparations for liver detoxification "according to the recipe of the Navajo Indians". On the plateau in front of the library, a woman in costume, accompanied by an accordion player, to the song "Do you know dear that plum rank", the journalist was informed by a person from the organization that there was a very solemn opening and that there was an exhibition of old crafts and guardians of tradition called "Golden Hands".
Let's take it and see what's on the stands, of which there were two rows, first three large tomatoes, cakes, strudels, tomatoes paired with cucumber in a bowl. Let's go on, the artist reached the verse "Where we used to meet", and then there were ready-made dishes, prebranac beans, then embroidery, then more embroidery, the picture "Crow horses" and the picture "Buzzing stream", there were also woolen socks, ambrosia juice, tincture for lungs, asthma, escherichia, prostate, nervousness, insomnia, cysts...
WET FELTING
When you pass the roast and the wedding cabbage at Jova from Brankovina, you reach the wall of the exhibition hall where "Poselo kod lampek". This is where brandy is traditionally baked and plum jam is prepared. They showed that the brandy was flowing from the lamps, and that over the water. When asked, where was the village, where was the song, the accordions, where were the čemen, they said that there was no such thing because the municipality had no money. The reporter continued towards the entrance to the hall, several stands, Lycider hearts, decorative boxes, plants include cactus, vanilla, honey, brandy, and to the entrance itself, as always, "Cane tubs", where there were black and blue tubs behind the white plastic fence.
photo: d. Todorović...artificial flowers and a natural jar,...
The journalist entered the hall, at the entrance of which was the billboard "20th Jubilee Plum Fair", in the middle of the hall several tables with blue plastic chairs, along the walls of the hall stalls and stands with exhibitors. On the first counter, one crate of fresh and one crate of dried plums of the "Stanlejka" variety. One boasts of having prunes with walnuts and prunes with almonds. And "since it costs" a fresh plum, since they say that it does not give birth in this region, that it is not used as a medicine, they have no answer. Then there was honey and brandy, then again honey and brandy, dried sliced apples, plum cakes, a crate of fresh plums on every other stall, more often two baskets with plums in the middle of the stall. There were also cut dried mushrooms, juices, jams, more honey and brandy, there was also a stand with flowers in vases, a fruit arrangement, the reporter asked if the flowers were natural, the woman behind the counter answered, yes, artificial, and the fruit, the fruit is natural.
For the record, our best bank, "Poštanka štedionica", which provides loans for farmers and cash loans, was also present. There were also sliced apples, here and there a crate of fresh and dried plums, here and there a basket with plums, a plum cake with corn kernels written "25 Fair", there was also pear brandy, walnuts and toast, grape juice, nettles, chokeberries, blueberries, dogwoods... If you add čokanjčići with brandy, a stand with lawn mowers, another quarter of dried and two quarters of fresh plums, that's all.
Again the "Golden Hands" exhibition, that duet sings the song "Iako sam reko, ja je nim čeko", there are framed unicorns and fairies, there is lavender jam, folk costumes on fingernails, a three-member jury listens to the stands and evaluates everything in a notebook. Stop by the picture "Crown horses", the woman at the stand said that she has organic soaps, for exfoliation, very healing, she shows her hands, it is soap with wool, wet felting, and there is also dry felting, she also made a picture with playful horses, she has been painting for years, she came from East Ilidža, which is in East Sarajevo, her name is Slavojka.
The time is ticking, the clock is ticking, in front of the entrance to the hall, from that fair board, the famous and traditional presenter, pale blue jacket, and his tie is bluer than the jacket, stood at the microphone, and said, Tonska proba, tonal rehearsal... he called a colleague named Kutlača, who was all in white, white pearls, a double-row white belt around her waist, to do the tonal rehearsal...
On Tuesday, we have a solemn procession of high dignitaries from the municipal building, including important persons, led by a band of priests. They were standing in front of the staircase-stage, in the first row of Bishop Isihija, next to him personally the tall "Duke" Siniša Vučinić, in a black, larger than his number, suit, State Secretary of Culture Lav Pajkić, who casually kisses the bishop's hand, some important woman in white dresses, local funksoners... The accordionist came out, played the national anthem, there was no match for the vocal soloist, everyone crossed themselves.
After a long, as it were, dramatic pause, in front of the microphone, with those flowers under it, stood the Traditional host himself, accompanied by a colleague named Kutlača. So he said, Your Eminence, Reverend Bishop, Venerable Fathers, Reverend Jelena Blagojević, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Government of Serbia, Reverend Secretaries of State, Heads of Cabinet, Reverend President Osečina, representatives of local governments throughout Serbia, Macedonia, Republika Srpska, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia (so it was written on the paper), brothers and sisters from Zubin Potok from our Kosovo and Metohija, thank you all very much for being here today of the jubilee 20th Plum Fair, thank you to the media representatives, who will inform Serbia and the world about this wonderful event. With us is also the general director of "Post of Serbia", Mr. Anđelković...
WHERE IS THE FESTIVAL HERE?
After the historic announcement, the presenter announced the president of the municipality of Osečina, who read from the folder, Welcome and on my behalf... this is not an ordinary fair, this is a festival celebrating a great jubilee... Well, the traditional presenter, with a tie bluer than the blue jacket, excitedly exclaimed, It is my honor to invite, to announce, State Secretary Jelena Blagojević. The important woman in white from the first row came out, black hair, a large earring on the left ear, the right ear covered with black dyed hair, one would say that she was from the famous People's Peasant Party of the leader Marjan Risticevic, and from the folder she said, Respected bishop... she said how many plums Serbia produces and how many it exports, that plums are not just a tradition and that the ministry has brought a set of measures...
When the state secretary finished with "Long live Serbia", she would award the prize for the best exporters of prunes, the biggest exporter in Serbia "Agranela" from Valjevo, the presenter Kutlača read "Arganela", in Osečina "Podgorina voće" by Mirko Milovanović. The winners each received a silver ducat. To take a picture together, the traditional presenter shouted into the microphone that people from France, China had come... they were buying fruit for export. The State Secretary received, as the host emphasized, a "beautiful package" as a gift.
photo: d. Todorović... Duke Vučinić and Secretary Blagojević;...
Dressed in white dresses, the presenter Kutlača invited them to visit the stands, everyone entered the hall, the core of the most important guests immediately formed, the high bishop, the high "duke", the State Secretary in a white waisted dress, with larger pockets on the upper part of the body, local officials... First they stopped at the stand "Središče of Drava" from Slovenia, where they tasted white wine, they went around the stands, as if the minister greeted everyone with a toast "All the best, pleasant". They came to the chocolate plums, the "minister" took to her niece, but when the "duke" accepted, she had no choice.
The reporter asked the young SNS president of the Osečina Municipal Assembly, in what capacity is the tall gentleman in the black suit, who was only one number higher. He somehow understood the question, so, with a pause, he replied that he was a friend of Osečina, the dilemma was solved by the tall gentleman who was next to him, extended his hand and said: I am a member of the Presidency of the Serbian Progressive Party! They moved on, they reached the stand where there was a crate of plums and a keg of brandy, the owner of the stand pulled the brandy from the barrel with a strainer, took it from the strainer to pour it into glasses, everyone took it, the "minister" received only a glass of water, the most important guests gathered, and a successful toast to the health and progress of Serbia.
After the chocolate plums, they also accepted the sweet cherry, the "minister", who showed a special interest in the "apple cider vinegar", was still on the "All the best, pleasant". The state secretary of culture, Lav, was late for everyone, carrying bags of gifts in both hands. The "Minister" changed the record, said "Good day" all the way to the exit, said that everything is beautiful and wonderful.
photo: d. Todorović…a rich plum harvest in 2025.
In front of the entrance to the hall, the owner of "Podgorina Fruit" gave a statement for television, plums do not grow in this area, they are purchased from the south of Serbia, from the area of Leskovac and Blac, this will increase the price of prunes. When he spoke to the television, the reporter asked him where the plum at the Fair came from if it didn't give birth, and he said that the plum was from Blac, it was his, he borrowed it for the needs of the Fair...
In front of the camera, a curvy woman in white robes began to wiggle, it's indescribable, she asked if she could be on television, she doesn't just have a figure, she also has a position, the vice-president of the Municipal Assembly and the president of the Young Socialists of Osečina. He invites everyone to a festive lunch, who says he has no money, to the restaurant "Jančić", she is table number six. In front of the "Jubilee Plum Fair" billboard, at the entrance to the hall, two blondes stood, the important guests must have been late, they all looked around and loudly asked: Where is the festival here?
