It is not particularly well to the freedom of the press in Serbia. In these days, a cartoonist of the authoritarian state tip with a pointed feather, which is the forehead. The government in Belgrade is excited.
The critical of the government, Serbian newspaper “Danas” is suspected to lead a campaign against the Belgrade government and the state President Vučić. At least the leading government, say politicians. And how: Since Hitler and Goebbels there had never been such a thing. A maximum attack on the independent sheet.
The accusation hits for 6. November Waves. In fact, this is a blatant fact-twisting: The circulation weak the newspaper “Danas” is one of the few critical Islands in the Serbian media landscape in the otherwise authoritarian leader Aleksandar Vučić sets the tone.
The top answer
If the Nazi comparisons of the group leaders of the ruling Serbian progressive party (SNS) Aleksandar Martinović and his Deputy, Vladimir Orlić had the intimidation of critical journalists in mind, the maneuvers thoroughly. Because as a response, the Star-cartoonist Predrag Koraksić Corax recorded his answer.
Under Fire: The Weekly Newspaper “Danas”
A few days ago, published in “Danas” on its title page the cartoon “young”: The two party soldiers from Vučić, had produced in Parliament a continuity between Hitler, Goebbels and “Danas” to the public, are presented as babies to the above-mentioned Nazi-sizes. A media hit. The culture and information Ministry intervened and condemned the Satire of the “Danas”.
Ministry of due to Satire
The Ministry described the title page as “highly inappropriate”, as the cartoon put to the head of state, Aleksandar Vučić, as well as its politicians “in a not acceptable and ethically not allowed the context of the largest war criminals of the Second world war”. Obviously, the party leaders of the SNS idenitfizierte in the caricature of Hitler, the Serbian head of state himself. Corax, of the signatories, believes that such a distorted perception based on an incredible Vučić-fixation of his followers.
The Serbian cartoonist Predrag Koraksić Corax draws for decades, the political life in Serbia
A steep template for the more experienced and, in the meantime, the elderly cartoonist, is already to Yugoslav times celebrity. The next day appeared with an almost identical title page, where the Serbian party, babies in the arms of Hitler and Goebbels this time had not been fed but the tears were rich screamed and urine.
Corax as an Alibi
His very first cartoon of the now 86-year-old Predrag Koraksić Corax recorded in 1950 – at that time, 17 years young. Today, he is in Serbia, an Institution and a Symbol of resistance against any kind of authoritarianism. Milošević, he was in the 1990s, as a blind, autistic, or as Nero, who set fire to Yugoslavia. During the authoritarian reign of the “butcher from the Balkans” were around 3,700 cartoons with the signature of Corax’s in circulation.
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Today, there is evidence that Milošević showed to the criticism of the American diplomat Richard Holbroocke about the lack of press freedom in Serbia, the cartoons of Corax and cynically remarked, that the course of the still on the loose. Corax President Vučić sees in the current reaction of the state to his cartoons of a similar attempt to provide an Alibi: “that’s Exactly what Vučić in these days repeated. The title page is proof of democracy in Serbia,” said Corax in talks with the German wave.
Free press is under increasing pressure
The ranking of freedom of the press, which is published by the non-governmental organization “reporters without borders” (RWB) every year, seems to be a Corax right. With space 76 on this year’s list, Serbia is in comparison to the previous year, one of the biggest Losers. In the country, have worsened the climate for the media more, since Ex-Prime Minister Aleksander Vucic in 2017, was elected President. “Vučić is using Pro-government media, critical journalists to intimidate and defame as traitors or spies in foreign services”, – stated in the RoG report.
The power Corax not be afraid. In 1993, he was released from Milosevic’s people acquired the evening newspaper after three years of court process. Five years later the end came the independent newspaper, for which he had drawn. Nevertheless, he always found space for his political Protest with pen and brush. Compromises were and are foreign to him.
The totalitarian Matrix
Corax presumed to be the same totalitarian Matrix behind the democratic facade of the present government: “It’s a question that all must think alike. Nowhere is that something must stand out. This is a disturbing factor. The ordered reality is to be around”.
The school of autocrats and dictators – on the Board, Serbia’s President Vučić
Several associations of Journalists have demanded the resignation of the education Minister and his Secretary of State. “Cartoons only condemn totalitarian rulers,” it said in one of these messages. It seems to be so that the artificial excitement of the AU peak is due to a cartoon for the own goal. Because you put the Problem between the medial omnipresent ruler and the few him, is not in advance well-minded media again open.
Court judgment, without appellate court
In a Foreword to a monograph about Corax to read: “The caricatures of him such as court judgments. Without The Possibility Of Appeal”. Like the extremely vital satirical artists. He remained unbending. This was possible also in the Tito Era? “No,” he says in a DW interview. “It was not possible to caricature the concrete politician. Not even a mayor. The Humor remained in the framework of the äsopischen (outdated) language. You could denounce the ‘unwelcome properties or phenomena. The cartoons were not, however, personal address”.
Therefore, he does not want to give the against Milošević’s hard-won freedom to resist irrelevant price. Uproariously laughing, he says in a DW Interview: “I have overthrown three presidents, namely Milošević, Koštunica and Tadić. Now Vučić is in the series”. Then he adds with a serious face: “All these powerful people will not stay because of the photos or television images in memory. But as cartoons. This is your destiny”.