Manufacture of Torture

Both verdicts against Feral are open insults of the Croatian public, and especially of Croatian journalism, which was clearly given a notice that every future criticism will be extremely expensive

by Feral Tribune

Feral Tribune, Split, Croatia, March 8, 2002

After two final verdicts in cases involving Feral Tribune, according to which this magazine is obliged to pay close to 200,000 Kunas [$23,700] as compensation for "spiritual anguish" to Marica Mestrovic and Zeljko Olujic, which led to the blockade of its current account, everything has become possible in post-Tudman Croatia. It is possible that newspapers go bust, not because of cruel and dishonest market (which is monopolistic and crisscrossed by political interests), nor because of the interventions by the state in the media space (mostly still under the direct control of the government), nor because of general fall in the number of readers (who are impoverished more than ever), but because of naked political violence hiding under the cloak of fake legalism. Feral Tribune, with the highest sold circulation since the founding of the magazine, is obviously supposed to be methodically strangled in that arrogant march towards the future of the "everything is possible" type. Because the wide spectrum of "possibilities" is defined by the use of the political-judicial stick, while everything else is impotent, humble, and "legalistic" shrugging of shoulders.

Therefore, it is possible that a distinguished art historian Zvonko Makovic write that Marica Mestrovic is incompetent to head a foundation of national importance, and that a court later establish that "the fact that the plaintiff has no formal education in the particular field, history of art, cannot indicate her incompetence". The proof that Marica Mestrovic is nevertheless competent to head a foundation of national importance - confirming that a reputable expert, a man with a Ph.D. degree, actually unscrupulously insulted her by stating his opinion - is found by the court in "the fact that the plaintiff grew up in artistic circles" (!) and that "in her youth she started publishing essays in literary magazines, and published a book entitled 'Stars and tears of cities'"(!!).

That insult of common sense was delivered as an ultimate measure of "legality" (amounting to 139,253.83 Kunas [$16,500]) and Makovic and Feral are left to collect their objectionable scribbling, which they use to spread "spiritual anguish" with unfathomable consequences (because Ms Mestrovic, according to a "competent" assessment of the court was "struck by insomnia, drastic loss of weight, about 10 kilograms, and a disturbance in the functioning of the immune system"), and publish it in a book that could be entitled "Stars and tears of scum".

It is also possible that former state prosecutor Zeljko Olujic write that "Ustashe were not fascists", that during WWII in Zagreb there were "no victims of fascism" and that "Jews are responsible for Holocaust" because "they prompted other to attack them by robbing and insulting other nations", only to have criticism of such views be declared by the court for "views expressed in an extremely inappropriate manner" (since the former prosecutor was referred to as a "racist for hire" who writes "rabid stupidities"). That criticism, namely, according to the conclusion reached by the court, "reeks of cosmopolitan views", while Olujic's views "are imbued with nationalism (in the contemporary sense of that word)" (!). The Court, naturally, did not explain what is "contemporary" in the shameless defaming of Jews and Holocaust revisionism, and why all that fascist howling should be considered for "nationalism (in the contemporary sense of that word)"; on the other hand it did deliver the ultimate standard of "legality" (amounting to 52,910.78 Kunas [$6,300]), in lieu of compensation for "suffering" racist, based on the autonomous and "competent" assessment of the court.

Namely, "the court did not find it necessary to request an expert assessment of spiritual anguish of the plaintiffs... because expert knowledge of psychiatry, psychology etc. is not necessary for the determination of such spiritual anguish, so that that can be done by the court without such expertise" (!). Just like Marica Mestrovic can be qualified to head a national foundation without a college degree, or "such expertise", respectively.

In no other decently organized country Zeljko Olujic would get a chance to publish his fascistoid pamphlet, and if he did he would be prosecuted for spreading racial and religious hatred. In Croatia, on the contrary, he is judicially protected from any form of criticism. The timing of that self-defensive trial reveals the true picture of Croatian democratic evolution. During Tudmanism Olujic had the chance to uncontrollably spread his political and ideological poison, and in post-Tudmanism he is rewarded by a nice fee for his efforts, all provided by former Communists, who have all the time remained in power.

Both verdicts against Feral are open insults for the Croat public, and especially for the Croatian journalism, which was clearly given a notice that every future criticism will be extremely expensive. All of that is followed by the indifferent indolence of the ruling elite, which is expressing customary impotence in face of the system that needs correction. However, that purported impotence is a part of the system, it is a "creation" in itself, because the Croatian judicial mafia - whose selected specimens have earned the status of sacred cows - fulfills secret wishes of the current masters. Hysterical fear of criticism, demands for protection from the public, leads them to tacit cooperation in this sort of violence, without consciousness that this is simply torture that cannot succeed in the long term.

Even if they destroy us, that will be a victory of an illusion. It is possible to commit all sorts of crimes against critical opinion. However, it cannot be destroyed.

Translated on April 26, 2002