"Depth"

Montenegrins are cruel censors. Often (the most cruel) to themselves. Then they reach what they consider true wisdom, tribal Zen: they become striking human wrecks who do not declare anything, who, so sleazy and egotistical, do not want to hold a grudge against anyone. And about everything they mutter some commonplace, and even confirmed by some of the mythical authorities. "What did Bishop Rade say..."

Here censorship is a state of consciousness, here it is not (only) a question of politics or conservatism of this or that type. It is present, so to speak, "by the depth" of society.

That is why it is possible for the Parliament to adopt the Declaration on Genocide in Srebrenica with a significant majority, and that in some corner of this country you are not allowed to show a film, a serious film by a serious author, which, among other things, received compliments at the most serious film addresses, the most prestigious world festivals. It is not, therefore, a shallow piece of propaganda that is part of a special war game, but a work of art that deserves real attention on all grounds.

Of course, we are talking about a shameful ban, however it came about, because how else to call it, of Jasmila Žbanić's film "Quo vadis, Aida?" which was supposed to be shown in Žabljak. But party consciousness is always - censorious.

The biggest problem of contemporary Montenegro is that most of the positive developments are in fact a bare pretence. We pretend to be good and have learned our lesson, but as soon as the context changes even a little, there we are, with the same nonsense and nastiness on our lips. And in my mind.

The whole country breaks "in depth"... In the foreground we have one image, image and rhetoric, and in depth a somewhat different landscape. Something for everyone, everything for someone...

The expression "in depth" was created, as words often are, to name an experience unknown until then. At the time of the experiment of the Government of Electoral Confidence, it should have been explained that the government is not only made up of ministers and their assistants, but that it is a whole complex and layered mechanism. So handing over power was a new experience. The government at that time had to leave not only the "first plan" but also those mostly less visible personnel labyrinths... That's when we got the wording "in depth". There were immediate ironic reactions, the expression is suitable for that in many ways, but whether someone likes it or not, it took root.

A new level of perversion is the current Montenegrin division "by depth": part of the government is frantically stuffing its staff, while threatening to overthrow the Government, which, again, unquestioningly approves of this "stuffing"... Conquering "depth".

The trouble is when you have a situation like in today's Montenegro. When "in the deep" awaits you - only a stagnant shallow...

Incredible footage from a cafe in Cetinje, into which a special unit of masked policemen rode, illustrate how political changes in Montenegro are a relative category. Something has changed, but something hasn't. Is there a system, in the absence of changes in some segments, that is a crucial question.

It is not easy to understand the violence we have seen. Because here we see a policeman, that is, a professional who behaves like a naked bandit. Without any need, he has the need to strike and humiliate a man who is already lying down. If that's not pathology, what is? If there was a company in today's Montenegro, that bandit would have to lose his job immediately. It's not a policeman. And, even more important: how many of them are still out there, in those mighty masked brigades. Did he participate in the beating of Mijo Martinović - continuity of action must be appreciated among such people... How many more are there "in depth"?

It is clear that we have thugs under both the new and the old government. Whatever you think, it must mean something.