Let's stop talking about a democratic block in Serbia

This article goes along with what I have been thinking about for a while now. The most damaging thing for the Radical party in the eyes of the west is its name. Because people outside Serbia have no idea about party policies they go largely on name. Thus Democratic Party and Democratic Party of Serbia are seen as good and Socialists and Radicals are seen as bad. If the Radicals changed their name to 'Party of EU Integration' or 'Party for Free Market Serbia' they would lose their negative image and would be, if not courted by the west, atleast listened to and supported more.
Who was it that once said "what is in a name", the answer is a lot actually. Just ask any spin doctor in UK or USA.

Well written! Democracy is something which unfortunately still has to wait a little longer to come to Serbia. And the 'democratic block' is such a non-sense upon stilts. Both Tadic and Kostunica alias 'the big democrats' have been very suspicious and stubborn (read uncooperative) in their dealings with the EU and international organs, amongst which the ICTY. So many promises, so little delivered. Even after almost three months of the ICJ decision in the application of the Genocide Convention that Serbia should surrender Mladic nothing has been done. Why is that not surprising? Well, for one Tadic was the minister of Defence for a while and the officers under his command help hid Mladic in Serb military garrisons. Is it that Kostunica, the PM, cannot control his State organs and capture this man, or he is comfortable with making a mockery of international justice and keep paying Mladic his pension for his great services in killing thousands of innocent civilians in the name of 'Greater Serbia'.
EU politicians should wake up because under the lead of the old guard Serbia won't ever get ready to join Europe! The issue of Kosova is the only thing that keeps alive such failed politicians given that all Serbs are still leaving the myths of the past. With Yugoslavia dissolved the independence of Kosova is just inevitable. Once Serbs understand that they'll be able to see clearly the politicians that will serve their interests and move forward.

Spot on analysis. I have never agreed more with anything that mr. Montgomery wrote on this site.
Makes me wonder why this 'Serbian-politics-for-Dummies' hasn't spread to EU/US opinionmakers before.

Maybe if the US & a "few" key EU nations started with throwing the folly of attempts at dismembering & partitioning a UN recognised member immediatetly into the rubbish bin then we might find a real opportunity for all the peoples of Serbia to progress radidly into the EU fold!!! Does Montgomery not see that it as a natural response of Serbia to defend it's Sovreignity against those who supposedly wish to be "friends"! The sooner the US & a "few" key EU states see that the sooner all can move on!

"All one needs to do is to consider how each would answer one basic question: what is the number one priority of your party in Serbia in the coming five-year period? I believe that the Democratic Party (DS/Tadic), G17+ (Dinkic), and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP/Ceda Jovanovic) would respond that the most important step is to move Serbia as quickly as possible to full membership in the European Union and therefore to become a "normal, respected" member of the International Community...

The Radical Party and the Socialist Party would probably answer something to the effect of maintaining the independence and territorial integrity of Serbia; defending the rights of Serbs everywhere; and vigorously combating efforts by outsiders from the West to interfere in Serbian internal affairs."

Please tell me, Mr Montgomery, why exactly these two desires need to be mutually exclusive? Both seem perfectly reasonable to me.

Democracy to exist must provide the people both political and economic equalit. In the eyes of American political circles and many Western nations democracy is a state of affairs where the government of the day in other countries agrees with Western interests. Western nations have the attitude that if you are not with us you are against us and if you are against us you are labeled as undemocratic by the Mainstream Media.
In Canada, and more so in America, democracy is a dictatorship of the minority where those in power are chosen by less than twenty five percent of the population. In America one must be a multi millionaire and in bed with the corporations to run for political office, consequently millions of Americans have lost interest in elections and the political process. How did the demands of the corporations and their shareholders become so powerful that they determine what is a democracy? The Italians provide an answer “Uno mano lavo notro” – One hand washes the other. In the West we live with the myth that governments govern in our interest when in reality corporate power elects those that serve the corporate interest, a symbiotic relationship, which has become incestuous. God helps those who help themselves is the motto followed by the corporations and the corporate god is World Empire dominated by few wealthy individuals.
Political process to be democratic should not have a price tag on it, and one should be elected for their ideas not because of their wealth. In America if someone speaks out against the war in Iraq, or if one calls George Bush an “idiot” you are labeled as an enemy and blacklisted or even fired from ones place of employment. Countries that have a different system of economic management like Chavez in Venezuela with an elected government, legal opposition parties, and independent trade unions took a hard line towards the oil companies in his homeland He’s in a difficult situation leading a country with a limited range of resources, no middle class, huge issues with poverty, health, and education, and a small elite rich that doesn’t want to pay tax to cure the issues. Chavez expects the country’s oil profits to provide a solution. This, more than anything else, makes him a terrorist in Washington.
Putin stated recently the New Fascists have come to power in Washington with all their brutality and with the same agenda as those in 1939 and we can see this agenda in the Balkans, the Middle East and South America. The Western Press now calls Putin the new KGB boss who is taking Russia back to the Cold War. This same press loved the drunkard Yeltsin who took Russia onto its knees. The corporate Media would love to partition Russia as they have partitioned Yugoslavia. The Western Media does not want a Russia as an equal partner but a Russia on its knees weak, subservient and open to economic exploitation and that is what they would call democracy.
If there was a regime or organization in former Yugoslavia that glorified fascism it was the Croatian government and the KLA in Kosovo that apologists under NATO guidance supported and trained to take power by undemocratic means. Serbia throughout the wars and today is attempting to provide equality for all the ethnic groups and the West sees this as undemocratic. Once more it’s the pot calling the kettle black.

Spot on analysis of the current situation in Serbia. I couldn't have said it better. Amb. Montgomery seems to know more about Serbia and the Balkans than many current US officials.

While many of Mr. Montgomery's assertions and observations are fairly correct, he still simply wishes that Serbia would just give Kosovo away or at least barter for it. Afterall, he has no capital invested. There are two problems with his simplistic view. (1) It is not his or anybody elses to give away! I and quite certain that when Florida, Texas and California start busting at the seams with Mexicans and talking about their own independence the US government will be very eager to have a block of central and South American countries endorsing their independence. NOT!!! (2) I am quite certain that the US, France and Germany can't stand the fact that Serbia has the International Law SQUARLEY on its side. Boy, they hate when that happens!!

We all need to ask what is the REAL reason they are so keen on offering the Albanian Muslims Independence. It is certainly NOT humanitarian reasons as that story is old, run its course and simply doesn't play anymore. Now they are trying to say that if they don't give the Albanians Independence, they are going to get mad again and be real mean and nasty to the Serbs. So, under that blackmail logic, Serbia should give them 15% of its country and just be happy that the Albanians won't get mad anymore. I suppose that my America was built on that foundational thinking???

My better judgement says follow the money trail and there you will find the answer. The hilarious part in all of this is that the US actually believes it can make a deal with the Albanians. How can they not know the way the rest of Europe does??!!

Excellent point Michael, but it seems anybody who dares stand up for Serbia is labeled "an ultra-nationalist."

Walter doesn't stop to amaze me. It's one of the rare people who think that origins of all this misfortune are the same as I do.
Nevertheless, while for the West simply it was about destruction of the coutry that could have provide positive example for many others, for all of us here, it turned out into something much more then that.
But, this doesn't change the fact that Walter has it figured out. Bravo!

Dear Ambassador Montgomery,

Well written article and democracy in Serbia is alive and well. Your portroyal of both the Socialist and Radical parties is absolutely correct and Toma Nikolic has followed all parliamentary rules based on the Serbian Constitution.


However, it is also innaccurate to say that Democracy began in Serbia after 2000 and the illegal bombing of Serbia by NATO. Slobodan Milosevic was elected by the Serbian populace according to the Serbian Constitution and in no way was an autocratic rule. In fact, Slobodan Milosevic at the time of his first election into Serbia was hailed by Western Democracies for reforms allowing a free market economy.

It was the opposition parties of Serbia who who were not politically astute including Zoran Djindjic and current foreign minister Vuk Draskovic who fell into political traps set by Milosevic.

Further clarification on the Kosovo issue, please be aware that not one Serbian politician would dare sign away Kosovo's independance with possibly one exception, that would be Cedoomir Jovanovic. Serbian History documents Vuk Brankovic who failed to appear in the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 and is remembered as a traitor to Serbia. In 2007, any Serbian politician who dares change the constitution and signs away the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia will be known as a traitor to Serbia.

Of course there if no such thing as a democratic bloc in Serbia or anywhere else if the definition of a democratic bloc is a PRO-WEST bloc!!!

Countries are democratic if they conduct free and fair elections. It doesn't mean however that they must become lackeys of the West!

Let me dissent with Montgomery. He is absolutely right that "democaric block" is a propaganda slogan, but what about democracy. Literal translation is the rule (kratia) of the people (demos). That does not exist anywhere. Anyone who lives in the West knows that money not the people rules. In order to even enter this game in US you have to get enormous funds. That is why US has like Britain essentially one party system and the power is shared between two identical parties, which differ on the issues of abortion and similar nonsense. In fomer comunist countries the power of money was replaced by power of the party. The well-being of people depended on the party vs. money interests. If one compares the rights of individuals in former YU now and before, in the self-managment system, in spite of all deficiencies, people did have a say about their most important rights their livelyhood. Today they are "voting mass" without any influence on the basic facts of life. To pretend that this is somehow fairer system is just ignoring the facts of life. The current system is based on profit as a governing motive; prior system was on well-being (employment). My former director Blum used to say that he preferred to have 2000 engineers with 1000 dinars salary instead of 1000 engineers with 2000 dinars. Unimployment was less than 10% vs. more than 40% today. The definition of democracy always depends on who makes this definition. I would also point that as Montgomery characterized the policies of different parties, none has the well-being of the people as a priority but rather "membership in EU" or "sovereignty, Kosovo etc". Their priorieties should be reversed- well-being of the nation first and everything else after. Another comment about democracy. No country can have a real democratic system if they do not have sovereignty- and the current government is a puppet government of the West.

This article goes along with what I have been thinking about for a while now. The most damaging thing for the Radical party in the eyes of the west is its name. Because people outside Serbia have no idea about party policies they go largely on name. Thus Democratic Party and Democratic Party of Serbia are seen as good and Socialists and Radicals are seen as bad. If the Radicals changed their name to 'Party of EU Integration' or 'Party for Free Market Serbia' they would lose their negative image and would be, if not courted by the west, atleast listened to and supported more.
Who was it that once said "what is in a name", the answer is a lot actually. Just ask any spin doctor in UK or USA.

Well written! Democracy is something which unfortunately still has to wait a little longer to come to Serbia. And the 'democratic block' is such a non-sense upon stilts. Both Tadic and Kostunica alias 'the big democrats' have been very suspicious and stubborn (read uncooperative) in their dealings with the EU and international organs, amongst which the ICTY. So many promises, so little delivered. Even after almost three months of the ICJ decision in the application of the Genocide Convention that Serbia should surrender Mladic nothing has been done. Why is that not surprising? Well, for one Tadic was the minister of Defence for a while and the officers under his command help hid Mladic in Serb military garrisons. Is it that Kostunica, the PM, cannot control his State organs and capture this man, or he is comfortable with making a mockery of international justice and keep paying Mladic his pension for his great services in killing thousands of innocent civilians in the name of 'Greater Serbia'.
EU politicians should wake up because under the lead of the old guard Serbia won't ever get ready to join Europe! The issue of Kosova is the only thing that keeps alive such failed politicians given that all Serbs are still leaving the myths of the past. With Yugoslavia dissolved the independence of Kosova is just inevitable. Once Serbs understand that they'll be able to see clearly the politicians that will serve their interests and move forward.

Spot on analysis. I have never agreed more with anything that mr. Montgomery wrote on this site.
Makes me wonder why this 'Serbian-politics-for-Dummies' hasn't spread to EU/US opinionmakers before.

Maybe if the US & a "few" key EU nations started with throwing the folly of attempts at dismembering & partitioning a UN recognised member immediatetly into the rubbish bin then we might find a real opportunity for all the peoples of Serbia to progress radidly into the EU fold!!! Does Montgomery not see that it as a natural response of Serbia to defend it's Sovreignity against those who supposedly wish to be "friends"! The sooner the US & a "few" key EU states see that the sooner all can move on!

"All one needs to do is to consider how each would answer one basic question: what is the number one priority of your party in Serbia in the coming five-year period? I believe that the Democratic Party (DS/Tadic), G17+ (Dinkic), and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP/Ceda Jovanovic) would respond that the most important step is to move Serbia as quickly as possible to full membership in the European Union and therefore to become a "normal, respected" member of the International Community...

The Radical Party and the Socialist Party would probably answer something to the effect of maintaining the independence and territorial integrity of Serbia; defending the rights of Serbs everywhere; and vigorously combating efforts by outsiders from the West to interfere in Serbian internal affairs."

Please tell me, Mr Montgomery, why exactly these two desires need to be mutually exclusive? Both seem perfectly reasonable to me.

Democracy to exist must provide the people both political and economic equalit. In the eyes of American political circles and many Western nations democracy is a state of affairs where the government of the day in other countries agrees with Western interests. Western nations have the attitude that if you are not with us you are against us and if you are against us you are labeled as undemocratic by the Mainstream Media.
In Canada, and more so in America, democracy is a dictatorship of the minority where those in power are chosen by less than twenty five percent of the population. In America one must be a multi millionaire and in bed with the corporations to run for political office, consequently millions of Americans have lost interest in elections and the political process. How did the demands of the corporations and their shareholders become so powerful that they determine what is a democracy? The Italians provide an answer “Uno mano lavo notro” – One hand washes the other. In the West we live with the myth that governments govern in our interest when in reality corporate power elects those that serve the corporate interest, a symbiotic relationship, which has become incestuous. God helps those who help themselves is the motto followed by the corporations and the corporate god is World Empire dominated by few wealthy individuals.
Political process to be democratic should not have a price tag on it, and one should be elected for their ideas not because of their wealth. In America if someone speaks out against the war in Iraq, or if one calls George Bush an “idiot” you are labeled as an enemy and blacklisted or even fired from ones place of employment. Countries that have a different system of economic management like Chavez in Venezuela with an elected government, legal opposition parties, and independent trade unions took a hard line towards the oil companies in his homeland He’s in a difficult situation leading a country with a limited range of resources, no middle class, huge issues with poverty, health, and education, and a small elite rich that doesn’t want to pay tax to cure the issues. Chavez expects the country’s oil profits to provide a solution. This, more than anything else, makes him a terrorist in Washington.
Putin stated recently the New Fascists have come to power in Washington with all their brutality and with the same agenda as those in 1939 and we can see this agenda in the Balkans, the Middle East and South America. The Western Press now calls Putin the new KGB boss who is taking Russia back to the Cold War. This same press loved the drunkard Yeltsin who took Russia onto its knees. The corporate Media would love to partition Russia as they have partitioned Yugoslavia. The Western Media does not want a Russia as an equal partner but a Russia on its knees weak, subservient and open to economic exploitation and that is what they would call democracy.
If there was a regime or organization in former Yugoslavia that glorified fascism it was the Croatian government and the KLA in Kosovo that apologists under NATO guidance supported and trained to take power by undemocratic means. Serbia throughout the wars and today is attempting to provide equality for all the ethnic groups and the West sees this as undemocratic. Once more it’s the pot calling the kettle black.

Spot on analysis of the current situation in Serbia. I couldn't have said it better. Amb. Montgomery seems to know more about Serbia and the Balkans than many current US officials.

While many of Mr. Montgomery's assertions and observations are fairly correct, he still simply wishes that Serbia would just give Kosovo away or at least barter for it. Afterall, he has no capital invested. There are two problems with his simplistic view. (1) It is not his or anybody elses to give away! I and quite certain that when Florida, Texas and California start busting at the seams with Mexicans and talking about their own independence the US government will be very eager to have a block of central and South American countries endorsing their independence. NOT!!! (2) I am quite certain that the US, France and Germany can't stand the fact that Serbia has the International Law SQUARLEY on its side. Boy, they hate when that happens!!

We all need to ask what is the REAL reason they are so keen on offering the Albanian Muslims Independence. It is certainly NOT humanitarian reasons as that story is old, run its course and simply doesn't play anymore. Now they are trying to say that if they don't give the Albanians Independence, they are going to get mad again and be real mean and nasty to the Serbs. So, under that blackmail logic, Serbia should give them 15% of its country and just be happy that the Albanians won't get mad anymore. I suppose that my America was built on that foundational thinking???

My better judgement says follow the money trail and there you will find the answer. The hilarious part in all of this is that the US actually believes it can make a deal with the Albanians. How can they not know the way the rest of Europe does??!!

Excellent point Michael, but it seems anybody who dares stand up for Serbia is labeled "an ultra-nationalist."

Walter doesn't stop to amaze me. It's one of the rare people who think that origins of all this misfortune are the same as I do.
Nevertheless, while for the West simply it was about destruction of the coutry that could have provide positive example for many others, for all of us here, it turned out into something much more then that.
But, this doesn't change the fact that Walter has it figured out. Bravo!

Dear Ambassador Montgomery,

Well written article and democracy in Serbia is alive and well. Your portroyal of both the Socialist and Radical parties is absolutely correct and Toma Nikolic has followed all parliamentary rules based on the Serbian Constitution.


However, it is also innaccurate to say that Democracy began in Serbia after 2000 and the illegal bombing of Serbia by NATO. Slobodan Milosevic was elected by the Serbian populace according to the Serbian Constitution and in no way was an autocratic rule. In fact, Slobodan Milosevic at the time of his first election into Serbia was hailed by Western Democracies for reforms allowing a free market economy.

It was the opposition parties of Serbia who who were not politically astute including Zoran Djindjic and current foreign minister Vuk Draskovic who fell into political traps set by Milosevic.

Further clarification on the Kosovo issue, please be aware that not one Serbian politician would dare sign away Kosovo's independance with possibly one exception, that would be Cedoomir Jovanovic. Serbian History documents Vuk Brankovic who failed to appear in the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 and is remembered as a traitor to Serbia. In 2007, any Serbian politician who dares change the constitution and signs away the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia will be known as a traitor to Serbia.

Of course there if no such thing as a democratic bloc in Serbia or anywhere else if the definition of a democratic bloc is a PRO-WEST bloc!!!

Countries are democratic if they conduct free and fair elections. It doesn't mean however that they must become lackeys of the West!

Let me dissent with Montgomery. He is absolutely right that "democaric block" is a propaganda slogan, but what about democracy. Literal translation is the rule (kratia) of the people (demos). That does not exist anywhere. Anyone who lives in the West knows that money not the people rules. In order to even enter this game in US you have to get enormous funds. That is why US has like Britain essentially one party system and the power is shared between two identical parties, which differ on the issues of abortion and similar nonsense. In fomer comunist countries the power of money was replaced by power of the party. The well-being of people depended on the party vs. money interests. If one compares the rights of individuals in former YU now and before, in the self-managment system, in spite of all deficiencies, people did have a say about their most important rights their livelyhood. Today they are "voting mass" without any influence on the basic facts of life. To pretend that this is somehow fairer system is just ignoring the facts of life. The current system is based on profit as a governing motive; prior system was on well-being (employment). My former director Blum used to say that he preferred to have 2000 engineers with 1000 dinars salary instead of 1000 engineers with 2000 dinars. Unimployment was less than 10% vs. more than 40% today. The definition of democracy always depends on who makes this definition. I would also point that as Montgomery characterized the policies of different parties, none has the well-being of the people as a priority but rather "membership in EU" or "sovereignty, Kosovo etc". Their priorieties should be reversed- well-being of the nation first and everything else after. Another comment about democracy. No country can have a real democratic system if they do not have sovereignty- and the current government is a puppet government of the West.