Objective reporting, balanced approach to all participants in the plural life, respect for their personal and collective dignity, acceptance of differences and the spirit of tolerance will help, we are convinced, to take the country out of the crisis which is for the good part a consequence of the abandonment of these values.
We hope that truthful Politika's reporting of the complex reality will contribute that it be better.
We are again expected, in accordance with our best tradition, to display objectivity and balanced approach, not to succumb to advocacy for one side and intolerance; to be a reliable and informative foundation for the democratic life.
There is continuity in that. The editorial published in the first issue of this newspaper, on January 12, 1904, says the following:
"Politika will freely analyze all the public issues, without anger and bias; it will with just criticism of the authorities assist the opposition; with its loyalty and unbiased approach it will protect the government from the baseless attacks by the opposition; Politika will equally eagerly criticize left and right - that is the task of the free, independent press".
From our readers, former, current and future, we expect support and understanding because of our inability, for now, to print the newspaper on the usual number of pages.
by Zorana SUVAKOVIC
House pets of Dr. Vojislav Kostunica, whose numbers and evil characteristics were analyzed in an anonymous article published in this newspaper, do not have a pedigree. Dr. Kostunica did not have money and consequently did not buy pets. He may have taken them in from the street, but isn't it shameful to discuss whom and what any citizen of Belgrade likes to keep in his own apartment? Even if they are cats and dogs whose coexistence in a single apartment may have seemed encouraging during these years of wars and conflict. Would not there been much more democracy if instead of cats and dogs newspapers wrote about perfumeries in the center of Belgrade, in which every perfume bottle is sold for the equivalent of a three months average salary in Serbia?
Those with children, especially girls, know how much time they needed to explain to them why they were not allowed to buy those perfumes. It is not as if those parents were from a generation (just listen to Djordje Balasevic) that did not like to smell good, to travel, to go out to night clubs (there was no "Madona" at the time).
Or, would it not have been more interesting to write about the existence of numerous flashy and expensive foreign cars, with anonymous owners and easily memorized number plates, in parallel with differently ranked garbage containers (the ranking depended on location) [used as sources of food by the poor]?
However, it turned out that explanations were not necessary. It turned out that the people were capable of stating the best diagnosis, simply, with the help of a pencil. As if all of them were doctors, not only Dr. Kostunica.
The diagnosis is that this country needs educated, humble, simple individuals who will not condemn others and who will with their personal example nudge a deformed system of values towards the more natural state.
Scandinavian countries are famous for such, humble presidents, who reject even the privilege of the clean street, let alone presidential residence. In Scandinavia kings never wear a crown, but always wait for green light before crossing the street. They say that Dr. Kostunica also berates his security guards when they cross the street on red. Perhaps we shall also at some point experience Scandinavian peace and standard of living as another president promised us a long time ago.