by Teofil PANCIC
So, what happened? In late September, in Novi Sad, we witnessed one of those Sweet Little Street Spectacles that say so much about the hereditary and incorrigible nature of everything that is supposed to be the "political establishment" in Serbia, or about an almost incurable view - hey, philosophy! - of politics and power. It was an ordinary Indian Summer day, when the official vehicle of Joszef Kasa, deputy prime minister of the government of Serbia, reached the spot in the Modena Street from which it was impossible, without a special permit, to continue towards the central city square, because it marked a beginning of a pedestrian zone. I frequently pass by that spot. Cars are blocked by small columns connected by a massive chain, perhaps a left over from some medieval dungeon. Someone is always on duty and will remove the chain and let you through if you show him a valid permit. Otherwise, you'll have to walk! It's healthy! However, Kasa did not have a valid permit, and was supposed to visit the offices of TV Apolo (which, by the way, are located only some hundred meters [yards] from that spot, a two minute leisurely walk across the square; locals swear that cannibal tribes haven't been spotted along the route and that tsunamis are not known to hit the square from time to time), and in the end the visit did not take place, which provoked a small "diplomatic scandal". True, Mr. Deputy Prime Minister later jokingly dismissed the whole thing stating that "the security did its job and I am not angry with them at all. They were given the task not to let anyone through and thank God that at least someone in Serbia diligently does his job". These are reasonable words, but it remains unclear why Kasa turned on his heels, that is wheels, and headed back missing the planned visit. Were his soles hurting? Perhaps he had a blister, water in the knee was bothering him, or something?! I mean, what was that but an impulsive gesture by his Insulted Excellency?
Still, Kasa's withdrawal is not the actual topic of this commentary, nor is the mentioned Event, in itself totally, microscopically insignificant. It happens, big deal, we're all human... However, the Event gets "political" - rather civilizing - importance, what "transcends" it into one of possible metaphors for the Moment, because of Reactions that followed, especially the one by youthful Bojan Pajtic, deputy mayor of Novi Sad. "We shall reconsider our relations with the company that was charged with security of the pedestrian zone. They did respect our instructions to permit access to the pedestrian zone to a limited number of vehicles, only those with a special permit, but since the city would like to maintain good relations with a deputy Prime Minister in the state government, they should have let him through".(Gradjanski List, September 24, 2002)
Fine, let's think for a moment about Pajtic's logic. Therefore, as far as he is concerned, the local authorities in Novi Sad should perhaps fire the company whose only mistake is that its employees were diligently following the instructions given by the local authorities in Novi Sad - failing therefore to consider arbitrary pontification about "good relations" with any motorized subject on this planet that does not have a valid Permit - and hire, I guess, a new company that will have more sensitivity for "political interests", whatever that may be at any particular moment... And the security company will probably entrust freshly graduated sociology and political science majors (graduate students, what are you waiting for? The salary must be better than your assistantships are the university!), since they would be best qualified to expertly assess who, in the "city interest", should be allowed to drive where the law orders him to walk!?
Pajtic concerned splurge is one of typical detonations that reveal nicely "treasonous" nature of the language. That's when spoken words start telling us about the character of the Speaker, against his will and outside his control. But, of course, I don't care here about the Speaker, but about the characteristic mental code, the cultural mold transmitted by his verbalized reasoning, and "Communist" political tradition from which it eagerly erupts. Therefore, that statement is so rooted in well-known cultural and mental codes that I begin to wonder whether citizen Bojan Pajtic actually exists or whether he is a fictional character from one of Branislav Nusic [Serbian nineteenth century satirist], only discovered and staged many years after Nusic's death?!(...)
And as far as the chain in Modena Street is concerned, I can't wait to get there. Why I am worse than the deputy prime minister of this or that? And if I pass, if I encounter understanding of the sociologist guarding the gate, that would imply that relations were successfully considered! In which case we should urgently reconsider our view of the Thinkers.