Week in Review: Illusions and Delusions

Imposed Amnesia

Yugoslav souvenirs in the village of Kumrovec, Croatia. Photo: EPA/ANTONIO BAT

Was Croatia merely a 'prisoner in Yugoslavia' or was this a time when the former Yugoslav republic developed economically, socially and culturally?

The dominant narrative in Croatia - pushed by the currently ruling HDZ - is very clearly the former rather than the latter. Consequently, over the last two decades, political elites - especially on the political right - have sought to erase the legacy of Yugoslavia and any positive memory of what they refer to as the 'former state'. Yet, as Sven Milekic argues in his opinion for Balkan Insight, such attempts at imposing common amnesia turn out to be ridiculous and unfeasible time and again.

Read more: Intentional Amnesia: Croatia's Attempt to Erase Yugoslavia (March 4, 2021)

Teflon

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/ANDREJ CUKIC
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One might think that the uncover and arrest of an organized crime group which sprang up on the ruling SNS' watch and had close backers at the highest levels of the state might be damaging to the Serbian ruling party's record in power and popular support. Yet this is not the case.

As Milenko Vasovic argues in his opinion piece for Balkan Insight, Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic has an incredible knack for turning events and scandals which ought to be detrimental to his popular support into sources of strength. Vasovic looks at other examples of how Vucic has managed to pull this off.

Read more: Vucic Surfs on Wave of Scandal That Should Drown Him (March 3, 2021)

Problem Census

Kosovo parliament, December 26, 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE/ Valdrin Xhemaj