An honorable man, from an honest family. This is the most common comment of the people of Kragujevac on the news about the arrest of trade union leader Novica Antic. Admittedly, he has no history of acquaintances from school because the family moved from Belgrade to Kragujevac in 2006. "For old time", his acquaintances will say. The plot on the outskirts of the city, in the Kosutnjak settlement, was bought by Novič's grandfather, also a military man. The brothers, Novica and Vaso, built houses on the plot, characteristic of that settlement. They are distinguished only by the flag of Serbia at the entrance to the yard.
It is also known that the whole family was on the front line during the bombing in 1999 - brother Vaso in Košare, mother as a nurse at the VMA...
And it is precisely this family closeness and affection that first catches the eye of those who did not know them until they were taken into custody. On the day when he was interrogated in the Kragujevac Prison, Brother Vaso waited the whole time, together with a small group of journalists, for Novica to appear. Afterwards he waited in Novi Sad. Danka's wife patiently answered the journalists' questions and welcomed them into the house, while the little daughter asked if she could take a photo with her dad.
However, there are few who will talk about Antic by name these days. The woman who handed over the plot for construction (the family is building buildings in Kragujevac) says that "they break all prejudices about investors. Everything we agreed on, they did. Within the deadline and according to the existing regulations".
A friend "ever since the Antici came to Kragujevac", says that "Novica did not help only those who did not ask for help". "We go to each other's houses to celebrate. Honest, honest guys. In ten. Well, for example. My father was also a military person. Mother, a nurse, helped everyone. They have no enemies in Kragujevac."
This man from Kragujeva thinks that the union resented the authorities the most when it "opened an SOS number to help those persecuted in the army". He also says that Novica had a hard time accepting his dismissal from the Serbian Army (the first time in 2018, the second time in July last year, cf. "Vreme").
"It is ugly that some figures that he allegedly embezzled are now being mentioned. It is known how unions are financed. He doesn't need anything, he really had the will to change something. I have never met such an honest man. But he is indomitable, a strong personality. I'm looking - they put handcuffs on him. He's pulling him by the arm... There's no need for that, he's not a prisoner, so he's going by himself."
It is interesting that Novica Antic was detained for the first time on his birthday, February 27. At six o'clock in the morning.
"I had nothing to hide," he said after his release. "It was unpleasant, they came at six o'clock in the morning, while we were still sleeping, there was a small child and wife in the house. The police officers were professional and fair."
In Antic's biography, it is written that he was born in 1978 in Belgrade, where he completed primary and secondary school, as well as the Military School, majoring in engineering. Having successfully completed his training in the criminal unit of the Military Police, he is employed in the crime prevention service of the Military Police. He also graduated from the Faculty of Business Studies and Law in Belgrade. He is the recipient of several awards, recognitions and commendations for his services in the defense and security of the country.
He founded the military union with a group of colleagues in 2012, and became the president of the organization in 2014.
He participated in the 2020 parliamentary elections with the Metla movement.
People's deputy of the New DSS from Kragujevac in the current parliamentary convocation Slađana Radisavljević, based on the cooperation at the time, claims that Novica Antić resented the authorities through union action. "I know the entire Antić family and I know that it is a virtuous and respectable family in Kragujevac. But, in a country where one Kokeza leaves the country, and a trade union leader is arrested, it is an attempt to stifle a free voice. The last word freely and publicly spoken in the name of a trade union", says Slađana Radisavljević for "Vreme".
In the biography of Novica Antić, it is also written that he practiced rowing and taekwondo.
Even if he finds the time, he can hardly do the first sport in Kragujevac because the Lepenica river, near which his family house is located, is often trampled.
At the time when this text was written, Novica Antić entered the fifth day of his hunger strike, and some media outlets wrote about him as a Russian "agent of influence".
