No One Tells Me Anything

To a certain extent, Raka Radovic from Trstenik was one of the symbols of the socialist for a long time, a paradigm of their connection with the people. He was elected three times as a republican and twice as a federal member of parliament. Directly prior to the last SPS congress, an announcement arrived stating that he was expelled from the socialist ranks. Almost without any explanation. Many of his party comrades were astonished when they read about this in the newspapers, however only a small number dared to ask those high up in party headquarters - what happened to Raka. As one of those who was an SPS member from the very start, Radovic is more than authorized to compare the atmosphere in the ruling party then and now. According to him, at the very beginning there was incomparably more democracy.

"There were people in SPS before with whom it was a pleasure to work and collaborate with. It was easy to reach an agreement on anything, from their side they respected people who were capable of winning the elections on the field with their name and last name. We mostly have people who have amassed various functions in the pinnacle of the party now, at the same time they hold positions in various boards of directors, and I don't see how things could change there. I personally believe that the atmosphere in the party was drastically worsened ever since the proportional electoral system was imposed. Certain committees were then formed in the headquarters, groups of people who decided on everything, no one dared to reproach them for anything, they are untouchable and inviolable. Before, MPs truly were national delegates, they answered to those who elected them - the people, and the party served as a place where ideas were exchanged and agreements on certain actions made. At that time, socialists had 194 delegates in the republican parliament. They have a lot less today. For many of those in SPS today no one knows who they belong to, whether they are socialists or whether they belong to another party. It would be better for both them and for SPS if they were to go where they are headed. Even though no longer a member of the party, I am still a socialist and I still have the same opinion on everything just like during the time when I had criticized what I didn't agree with in closed sessions. I know that there are many honest people in SPS even today. Unfortunately, many of them don't have the opportunity and, or so it appears, courage to say what they think and to openly confront those who are working against party interests. They saw what had happened to me and to others, which is why they keep quiet, although I don't know what they're waiting for."

Raka Rakovic had claimed many years ago that socialists always won since they had both those who attack and those who plan the game in their team. Answering the question as to whether that still holds today, in his VREME interview he says: "To make things clear, I meant to intellectually attack the opponent", he says and adds "each team should have people who score, those who build the game or who attack. The important thing is only that all is done for the team, and not for personal glory. When someone plays for himself only, that shows immediately and that team loses since there are no results. Naturally, a difference exists when you have 194 delegates in parliament and when that number suddenly falls. I claim that socialists still have people capable of scoring and of organizing the match, but many of them have retrieved and withdrawn into the shades. And that cannot happen when the country finds itself in such a state."

After Raka Rakovic's expulsion from SPS's ranks, the impression remains that he was yet another of those who wasn't overly thrilled with JUL, nor was he liked by JUL members. "One obviously has to enter into coalitions and it isn't a misfortune when those coalitions are built on pure foundations. Many things aren't regular nor clear between SPS and JUL. Many socialists have disappeared from their functions in order to make room for JUL members. Even at the time when I was a delegate it was obvious that only those close to JUL were given ministerial positions. I personally have the impression that every socialist who doesn't have a JUL membership card in his pocket today has no place in politics."

At the end of our conversation, Raka Radovic confirms that as of the moment when he was expelled from SPS no one called nor sent a written explanation why it happened. "If someone like I had been in the republican parliament three times and was elected to be a federal member of parliament twice, then no party hanger-on can discuss him nor decide upon his fate. Not even the president of the party can do that, only all the municipal boards. There would have to be some kind of order and democratic practice. Half a year has elapsed since and no one has talked to me yet nor notified me. All of this occurred after NATO's aggression and I wouldn't like it if someone were to ask one day - what had Raka done during the war when he was expelled after it. I know it's all the work of a certain group of people. Those to whom we had given power and enabled them to have their pictures splashed all over the TV screens", says Raka Radovic for VREME.