Retaliation: neither to Serbia nor from it

It was the day (June 3) when the state of Montenegro publicly demonstrated that there are limits to its responsibility, that these limits oblige all guests who come and that they must behave according to its regulations. It was a day that brought a sense of pride and dignity to all citizens of Montenegro and a sense of security because the state gives the same treatment to all guests, regardless of their “closeness” and the position they occupy. It was a day that showed that the government of the neighboring state and its president have not, in twenty years, understood that Montenegro is a state - a weak, unhappy one, but a state - and not their province that they can enter whenever they want and with whomever they want, like in the towns of Serbia.

On that day, the Serbian president clearly demonstrated that he lives in an unrealistic fantasy about borders, that the principles that apply to all statesmen in the world do not apply to him in Montenegro. Rejecting the protocol meant that he intended to behave as he pleased in “his own house”. It angered him and threatened his power when he was shown that he would not be able to do so. There is hope that many citizens of the neighboring country understood this, who on an emotional level want “fraternal unity” and thus support the disastrous nationalist fantasies of their regime - dangerous for both Serbia and Montenegro. It was also a day of fear and insecurity for everyone in Montenegro. From the later speeches of the Serbian president, one can clearly recognize the discrediting and humiliation of the citizens of Montenegro and the threat that retaliation and attempts to restore the position of guardianship would follow. It was not long before the citizens were stopped at the borders the next day. Power and intimidation were demonstrated.

By chance, the next day, I found myself at the Serbian border crossing in a car with an activist from Anime and two respected journalists, one of whom was Esad Kočan, a former editor and current program director of Monitor, whose front page that day was dominated by the headline “Vučić steps up the pace”. While others crossed the border without stopping, we were stopped without explanation. We realized that Esad was being targeted because the border police were only interested in where he was traveling and when he was returning, as well as his suitcase, with a cursory glance at the others. Permission to continue the journey came after 40 minutes. We understood and accepted. We did not expect it to continue.

On the way back, a similar procedure. We were moved off the road - "to wait". The wait without anyone addressing us or explaining continued. After an hour, the policeman handed us the documents, without apologizing. We continued and understood the serious threat to Esad's free movement and the price that was being paid to the disobedient.

After a long time, I was happy to cross our border because of the pride of entering my country, which, at least for a moment, flashed with independence and the ability to protect the space and the people in it with the same attitude towards everyone who is welcome and safe according to the regulations of the state of Montenegro.

The question remains - what kind of a big country is Serbia and what is the strength of its leadership when there is a list on which independent journalists from a small neighboring country are targeted, from which they are not really threatened, let alone from its journalists? This type of demonstration of power is threatening for all professional journalists who, according to their job description, maintain a critical and independent attitude towards the regime in their own and other countries. This type of demonstration of power over the citizens of Montenegro is an expression of the clear uncriticality of the regime in Serbia, which denies and underestimates every effort of the neighboring country to conduct its own policy and, even more dangerously, after 20 years, considers it its property. This type of demonstration is an open threat to civil disobedience. The fear is real because “small” reprisals can easily turn into major violence. Despite the fear that the price of independence is still being paid, the motivating feeling is that our government is capable of ensuring that we live safely in a respected and independent country. That moment must not be missed.

The author is an Anime activist