SERBIA: NUOVA COSTITUZIONE 2: RETROSCENA

Commento scritto qualche giorno addietro da un caro amico serbo.

New constitution is schoolbook example of straw man tactic. And it is result of complex but obvious power play among parties - nothing to do with ustav as such.
Kostunica promised few things when he become PM, most important of them were:

- that he will protect union with Montenegro - failed,
- that he will continue EU integration "with dignity" (read: no extradition to ICT) -failed,
- that he will reconsider all privatisation procedures (he was accusing Djidjic of foul play with privatisation and that he will fix it) - failed, situation even worse - privatisation is slower with more affairs
- that he will protect Kosovo - bound to fail, finally,
- that he will make new constitution.
As you can see - only last one is left for him to do before next elections. And he created preamble of constitution with sentence saying that Kosovo is inseparable part of Serbia, so that he creates some illusion that he is trying to protect Kosovo.
He agreed that if other parties agree on constitution he will call for early elections, something that democrats and radicals are asking for some time now.

That is why everybody are supporting it. Democrats expects that (giving that Tadic is most popular in polls) they will have best result now, before status of Kosovo is decided, which many believe will contribute to popularity of radicals (I contest this).

Radicals want it because if it is written that Kosovo is Serbian, they can say after Independence that it is unlawful, that international community is violating Serbian constitution (read - "international conspiracy against Serbs") and most important - they can attack Tadic that he is not defending our territory as president and (they hope) damage his population and credibility (I contest this also).

Finally, there are minor parties that are against it because they can use fact that they are only voice against and it gives them TV time which they would normally never get. These include liberal-democratic party (always against everything) and Liga Socijaldemokrata Vojvodine, they are dying party and they are trying to receive some attention by claiming that they are representing Vojvodina - truth is that they do not have support even in Vojvodina.

Nobody, with exception of few NGOs is seriously analysing constitution itself. Kostunica's campain is saying "if you suport ustav you will defend Kosovo, and make modern Serbia", and at the same time it is his shield agains everything (question:"mr PM is it true that your ministers tempered with votng procedure in parliament" answer:"you are trying to damage me while I am doing most important work in modern history - democratic constitutution, Kosovo this, shit that..." Democrats are saying "vote for constitution - vote for modern serbia in eu".

In short, everybody are interpreting it in a way they like it.

My opinion on constitution - it is bad, it's better than old one, procedure of adopting it is ridiculous, mentioning Kosovo is nonsense.
I am still undecided on my vote, because I would vote against it for mention of Kosovo, but if it is not adopted it will only mean more delays for elections, EU negotiations and Kosovo status.