Prime Minister Ana Brnabić suffered not only a political, but also a human fiasco, when during a visit to the hospital in Novi Pazar, she called people who shouted the names of deceased family members political activists without any empathy and understanding and presented everything as politicization. Although it is a scandalous speech, this performance of Ana Brnabić is not her first such outburst, but it is becoming a trend, reports the portal Nova.rs.
In Novi Pazar, Tutin, Sjenica, the epidemiological situation has been dramatic for the past few days. The number of people suffering from covid-19 has increased drastically, and the citizens of that part of Serbia do not believe in the official reports about the deceased, which also show an increase. Doctors on social networks and in unofficial statements to the media are asking for emergency help and testifying to the lack of equipment and personnel in the Novi Pazar hospital, where dozens of health workers have fallen ill.
And when it was expected that by going to Novi Pazar, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and Health Minister Zlatibor Lončar would bring much-needed help and calm the citizens, their departure to that city only further disturbed not only the people of Novi Pazar, but also the entire Serbian public.
Namely, the arrival of the highest Serbian officials was met with whistles from disappointed citizens. At the moment when they were shouting the names of their deceased family members and whistling at the Prime Minister and the Minister, Brnabić called them political activists.
"All the people who came here are political activists", Brnabić repeated this several times.
"And you say there is no politicization. I will not be afraid. I'm not here for them and for politics, I'm here for health workers. They can threaten me, they can try to break through the cordon, beat me, they can try to kill me, they will not change the truth. We came here to help Novi Pazar, and political activists should be involved in politics", stated the Prime Minister.
Her speech came after a question from a journalist, who said that the activists of the three strongest political parties are protesting there, who are angry because people are being treated in the corridors, because problems are being pushed under the carpet, and that among them there are those whose fathers died in floors and chairs.
Dragan Popović, director of the Center for Practical Politics, assessed the Prime Minister's entire speech as painful and not adapted to the situation in Novi Pazar.
"When you talk to the families of the sick or the deceased, i.e. the victims, it is completely inappropriate to show aggression, to argue with them. I am afraid that it has become part of a trend established by the ruling structure, which does not show empathy towards the citizens", believes Popović and adds that Brnabić's speech was on the border of basic human decency.
When asked if the Prime Minister's statement that political activists were the ones who protested that day while she was giving her speech and that the issue of politicization is actually her bad defense, he states that it could be an attempt to defend her bad results, but it is possible that it fitting into the model imposed by Aleksandar Vučić.
"He behaves aggressively even towards his co-workers, he fights... Brnabić is one of the many officials who follow his model and do it worse. She is also aggressive in her performances, does not take into account contexts and follows what Vučić does, but with a weak dose of persuasiveness," he adds.
Psychologist Ana Mirković tells the Nova.rs portal that the visit to Novi Pazar was an opportunity for the Prime Minister to show empathy with people who are in fear, scared of everything that is happening to their families, friends, fellow citizens.
"It was an opportunity for her to show concern for the people who are suffering and who have the right to be both angry and furious and dissatisfied with the situation with the virus, which her team claimed until a few days ago was not dangerous. Caring means listening to them, hearing them and understanding them and seeing the situation from their shoes - from the point of view of someone who doesn't trust the system, doesn't trust the state, doesn't trust politicians. Her speech is aggressive, completely inappropriate to the situation, in the manner of speaking at pre-election rallies or some shows on Pink, and it clearly shows that there is no capacity for her to hear anything that is not completely in line with the views of the political option to which she belongs," concludes Mirković.
After the attack on Đilas' children: "Tears, cries and lamentations of one man"
As a political opponent, and not as the prime minister of all citizens, Brnabić appeared even after hooligans played "Đilas, thieves" on the loudspeaker near the apartment where the children of Dragan Đilas live. According to the SSP leader, his children were crying and shaking with fear, and judging by the video message sent to Aleksadr Vučić, he was visibly upset.
To all this, Brnabić said: "Đilas is for the column 'it didn't happen'".
Speaking about it, she said that "tears, cries and lamentations of a man, who, it seems to me, abused the whole family for political gain" could be heard.
"We saw crying and whining," she said.
"Maya, go, be the judge"
The Prime Minister was also disappointing with a low dose of empathy when she negotiated with Maja Pavlović, who was on hunger strike after her television signal was turned off after 20 years of existence. The reason for the shutdown was financial debt, but the owner claimed that they were in the red because of the actions of the state.
After several days of talks, Maja Pavlović promised at a meeting with Brnabić to end the hunger strike, but from that meeting, which was partly broadcast live in the media, the painful impression of "investigating" Pavlović remained.
Brnabić: Maja, who are you and I to discuss what the court said...
Pavlović: But that is written in the law. We pay…
Brnabić: Majo, go, be the judge. How can I go against the court's decision? In the end
after all, who are you to say that the court is wrong?
Bonus video:
