Because their supporters are impressed with the symbolic rather than the reality. The whole debate on Kosovo by the way is defined by Kosovo Serbs and Albanians in the same way. I should add that a good proportion of the SRS are ethnically cleansed Serbs from Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia.

Pictures, not words, sentiments and emotion rather than policies. Symbols such as pictures, anthems, badges rather than concrete policies impress the uneducated. And most supporters of SRS are uneducated who are not able to comprehend the complexities of policies. Many of their supporters came from the ranks of SPS and some were evem Communists in SFRJ. Do you know which party has most former Communists supporting them in Kosovo? The answer could be a plus but it isnt. All it really means is that the uneducated vote for the populist or establishment party. In Croatia that was Tudjman, in Serbia it was Milosevic, in Kosovo it was Rugova, in Macedonia Gligorov, in Slovenia Kucan. Voters just transfered their former unthinking loyalty to Tito to the new ‘leader’.

Personally I would ban MP’s from entering parliament if they were not wearing appropriate clothing. If most of us have to wear suitable clothing to go to work then so should MP’s.

Anyway that isnt the real question, the real question is why Haradinaj can not only get away with being released until trial and Seselj is in jail for 4 years already, but why is Haradinaj allowed to continue in politics and treated by the appeasing UNMIK administration like an equal partner rather than a suspected war criminal? Where is the justice there? And (since you seem to have faith in the Hague) how come Del Ponte’s wishes are being ignored on the matter?

The Serbian Radical Party does not need to emphasise the Seselj or Kosovo points any longer. They are a standard for SRS. People know very clearly where SRS stands on these issues.

Mercedes 10 years ago would advertise air bags as a scientific breakthrough, but that is now a standard in Benz cars and they can emphasise other points instead.

If your theory that the Radicals are moving away from the Seselj, Kosovo issues stands — and, of course, it doesn’t — then why did all SRS MPs wear t-shirt with Seselj’s photo in the first session of parliament? The answer: a photo says a thousand words, and they want to save their words to win other voters because the ones that are interested in Seselj and Kosovo are going to vote for them anyways.

Regards,

Fidel Pardussi

EU support for dismantling Serbia and the selective, long draw-out process at the Hague, will be the deciding factor.

Things will get worse for all, including the EU mapmakers.

All of the parties suck, just like here in the US. They all want to ensure their job is intact, so they will use rhetoric that tickles their supporters fancy.

For starters Seselj wasnt mentioned in the radical party campaign, secondly none of the campaign adverts by srs exploited Kosovo as an issue. Thirdly their campaign was full of populist comments such as the ‘thievery from the banks that charge astronomical rates of interest for small loans’ etc. Even one of their campaign slogans was uncannily modern.

I believe that as many people vote Radical for social populism as do for nationalist reasons. Therefore I ask myself why you dont mention this fact? You are not obliged to of course but then again you are not obliged to give the mandatory comments about nationalism either.

As bored as I am with the radical party’s success at the polls I am also bored with the generalised comments made each time they do well that come from further afield. They are mostly bourn from a lack of understanding of politics in Serbia. Since you have an understanding I expect more from you.

Apart from this omission, not bad!

Blogs are not journalism. That’s why I can use phrases like “dickhead nationalist” here.

True, freedom is not license. And a little of this sort of thing goes a very long way.

But I have lived in Serbia.

Anyway: Mike, seesaw, I think you’re both exactly right.

Doug M.

I understand Serbs are pissed(not that its justified) and this is a way to give the middle finger to the west. But for the sake of the future generations of Serbia when will people learn that they are only hurting themselves.

We get into questions of definitions here, but Cedo… well, while I like a lot of his positions (he’s the only politician in touch with reality on Kosovo IMO) the man himself creeps me out more than a bit. Too popular and too powerful too young, or so ISTM, and he’s never quite recovered from it. And the coalition he leads can charitably be described as “incoherent”.

Mike: a lot of the support for SPS (though by no means all!) comes from people who have not done well since 2001. Also, nationalism is just incredibly powerful, and SPS is just banging on that exposed nerve.

Note, BTW, that SPS doesn’t explicitly say it’s going after Greater Serbia. (It is, after all, impossible.) No, they just talk a lot about “protecting Serbs wherever they are” and “making us proud again”.

Doug M.