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THEthe magazine of BRIDGEAcademia Balkanica Europeana January 2020 (Number 5) Dossier: Human Rights in the Balkans Sonja Biserko, Deyan Kiuranov, Ismail Tasholli, Robert Wilton, Fred Abrahams

EKPHRASIS: A WAY TO “EVERYTHING I TOUCH SPLIT SOCIETIES, CONNECT US WITH THE OTHER TURNS INTO WORDS” ILLIBERAL SALVATION By Gonca Özmen By Elizabeta Sheleva By Péter Krasztev ContentsEditorial

Supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the OSIFE of the Open Society Foundations

CONTENTS

Editorial I, YOU AND MAN By Ismail Tasholli 16 EARTH 3 Forum IGNORANCE KILLS EKPHRASIS: A WAY TO CONNECT US WITH By Robert Wilton 18 THE OTHER By Gonca Özmen 4 Interview, exclusively for “The Bridge”: FRED ABRAHAMS: THE COLLAPSE OF I AM ROMA AND I FEEL PRIVILEGED COMMUNISM AND THE TRAGEDY BECAUSE I HAVE WHITE SKIN 20 OF ETHNO-WARS By Georgiana Lincan 6

Visible Soul 8 Loc-alia IS THERE LITERATURE NOBEL PRIZE AFTER HANDKE? Ars Poetica By Amila Kahrović Posavljak 22 “EVERYTHING I TOUCH TURNS 10 INTO WORDS” BALKANOFILMOPHILIA 24 By Elizabeta Sheleva

Dossier HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE BALKANS The Gaze of the Other

HUMAN RIGHTS IN SERBIA: SPLIT SOCIETIES, ILLIBERAL SUBORDINATED TO GEOSTRATEGIC 12 SALVATION 25 DELIBERATIONS By Péter Krasztev By Sonja Biserko Our Essay BG TO EU, AND HUMAN RIGHTS: NEGATIVE ATTITUDES, NO ACTS 14 THE UNEATEN PAGES 27 By Deyan Kiuranov By Ardian-Christian Kyçyku

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EARTH

n November 26, an earthquake struck because of the latter sense of love for home or and knowledge. Otherwise we would also be Albania which was so powerful that people land. In the Balkans, such calamities are too harming ourselves.” felt its tremors in Bosnia and Bulgaria. recent: wars, ethnic cleansing, torture, the OAlbania was the epicentre and the damage was very massacre of defenseless civilians, concentration A natural disaster brought us together. Could that severe. 51 dead. Entire families, including all their camps, mass graves ... mean the hostility and hatred between the peoples of children, killed; or nearly entirely, as in the case of the Balkans has dissipated? Will we cause any more the firefighter who, in the midst of the desperate To cope with the impact of the natural disaster, catastrophes? Primo Levi writes: “Many individuals rescue operation, found all seven members of his Albania has received much support, not only and many nations can find themselves believing, family, dead among the wreckage. Hundreds were from the wealthy West, but also from many more or less consciously, that ‘every stranger is injured, and about twenty thousand people lost an enemy’. For the most part this conviction lies their homes ... (You can find more about this event buried in the mind like some latent infection; it is in the Visible Soul section). “We come together in betrays itself only in random, disconnected acts, and is not the basis of a system of thought. When Earth, as man’s habitat, his home, is part of the a disaster, regardless of this happens, when the unspoken dogma becomes human condition, argued Hannah Arendt. And, nationality and borders, the main premise in a syllogism, then, at the end of from the earliest human representations, the the chain, stands the Lager. Here is the product of earth has been symbolically identified with the and we do this to help the a conception of the world carried rigorously to its mother. Therefore, among natural disasters the vulnerable. Otherwise we logical conclusion; so long as the conception subsists, earthquakes, the earth tremors, the threat of death would also be harming the conclusion remains to threaten us.” And yet, the arising from the depths of the earth, has the deepest tribal, ethnic worldview, the dogma, the ideology psychological impact on survivors. An earthquake ourselves.” still survives. Currently, there are gusts of wind from transforms your home, in the literal sense, from a the East that may fan this “latent infection”. The place of sanctuary par excellence to the opposite, a West, the European Union, is genuinely committed trap, your grave. Balkan countries. Equipment and people have to peace in the Balkans, though presently it has its come from Greece and Turkey, from Romania own challenges at home. George Steiner provides us Home, earth ... In another context, these words and North Macedonia, from Kosovo, Serbia with an apt concluding quote: “We must keep vital can mean the territory of a state, and when they and Montenegro. Experts from different in ourselves a sense of scandal so overwhelming that mean tribal territory, or the expansion of tribal countries, working together in the ruins, with it affects every significant aspect of our position in territory, they can become a source of calamity professionalism and humanity, for the same history and society”. He wrote this in 1971, more even more terrible than the natural disaster purpose. “It’s our job,” said one Serbian expert, than a quarter of a century after the horror to which resulting from the collision of tectonic plates “we come together in a disaster, regardless of he refers. deep beneath the earth, and such calamities, nationality and borders, and we do this to help unlike the earthquake, are man-made, precisely the vulnerable, as well as to gain experience Translated by Alexandra Channer

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Gonca Özmen was born in Burdur, Turkey, in 1982. She studied English Language and Literature at Istanbul University, receiving an MA in 2008 and a PhD in 2016. Her first poem was published in 1997 and in 1999 she received the Ali Rıza Ertan Poetry Prize. Her first collectionKuytumda (In My Nook, 2000) won the Orhon Murat Arıburnu Poetry Prize and in 2003 she received Istanbul University’s Berna Moran Poetry Prize. Her second collection Belki Sessiz (Maybe Silent) appeared in 2008 and published in German, translated by Monika Carbe, in 2017. Second edition of Belki Sessiz in German was published in 2018 with additional translations by Barbara Yurtdaş. A selection of her poems in English, The Sea Within, translated by George Messo, appeared in 2011. She is a member of the advisory board of Bursa Nilüfer International Poetry Festival and the magazine, Turkish Poetry Today, published annually by Red Hand Books, England. She is also a member of the Three Seas Writers’ and Translators’ Council (TSWTC) in Rhodes, Greece. Ekphrasis: A Way to Connect Us with the Other By Gonca Özmen

Culture/art can be defined as one of against these codes of representation of the muted female models, who talk The female poets who adopt this the most influential ways to connect dominated and controlled by men. back to the men who painted them. technique try to deconstruct the us with the Other. Culture/art is still In her important study Twentieth- cultural hegemony of phallocentric male-dominated. Art, in particular Century Poetry and the Visual Arts, The poets directly respond to well- ideologies in the field of art by literature and painting, holds the Elizabeth Bergman Loizeaux argues, known paintings by men as cultural returning to the canonical artworks power of representation, and it is “Feminist ekphrasis recognizes that a intertexts and question the absolute of the past, rewriting them in order through representations that we know woman’s place as viewer is established authorities of these canonical works to displace the image of the silenced the world. In ekphrastic poetry, words within, beside, or in the face of a from feminist perspectives. They try women. They regard the phallocentric and images come together as means male-dominated culture, but that the to free themselves and the female art tradition as a force to be resisted of ideology, which is itself a system of patterns of power and value implicit in (body) from the authority of both and demand revisions in the representations. Thus the politics of the a tradition of male artists and viewers these great male masters, and the interpretation and reconceptualization representation of the female, both in can be exposed, used, resisted and patriarchal tradition they represent, of art. What is a central concern visual and verbal western phallocentric rewritten.” Contemporary women by adopting a subversive dialogic in their poetry is the critique of art should be discussed in depth. Its poets indeed criticize the male tradition method. It can, of course, be said that the ideological male dominated political, social and cultural codes and in their re-working of canonical paintings like literature are arbitrary representation of stereotypes of exercise power over the construction paintings by men seek to empower the and indeterminate in their meaning. femininity as well as the deconstruction of femininity. However the patterns of passified and muted female models in The concept of intentional fallacy, of the gendered hierarchy of art. The power and the value of representation paintings. moreover, tells us that it is impossible women poets intervene in the male in art/history are rewritten by women and also undesirable to reconstruct art tradition and insert a feminist poets in order to both expose and perspective with the object of change redefine its gender-specific system of in gender politics in both art and values and criteria of significance and Contemporary women poets have produced their own meanings society. liberate the female body. in their works, challenging and disrupting the ways women are The word ‘ekphrasis’ derives from the Whitney Chadwick observes that: “In represented within mainstream cultural production, the power Greek ‘phrazien’, meaning ‘to tell, to the early 1970s, feminist artists, critics, pronounce, or to declare’. The prefix and historians began to question the to determine what is ‘high’, ‘great’ or ‘significant’ art being, ‘ek-’ is Greek for ‘from, or out of’. apparently systematic exclusion of moreover, still in the hands of male-dominated institutions. Thus the word literally means ‘to speak women from mainstream art. They out, to describe, to tell someone about challenged the values of a masculinist something, to depict vividly’. Ekphrasis history of heroic art which happened was first practiced by the Greek poet to be produced by men and which In their ekphrastic poems, some the intention of the writer/painter. Simonides of Ceos. His words “poema had so powerfully transformed the women poets choose the paintings of The paintings might thus not only be picture loquens, picture poema silens,” image of woman into one of possession ‘great male masters’ and restore to the said to contain contradictory ideas, were translated as “painting is mute and consumption”. Since the 1970s, silent and passive female models their but they can also be interpreted in poetry, and poetry a speaking picture.” contemporary women poets have voices thus transforming them into many different ways. However, the Horace’s famous statement of “ut produced their own meanings in their speaking subjects. W. J. T. Mitchell female poets are certainly justified in picture, poesis” , a Latin phrase literally works, challenging and disrupting the notes that “The ekphrastic poet their attempt to deconstruct what they meaning “as is painting so is poetry” ways women are represented within typically stands in a middle position interpret as male dominated codes in his Ars Poetica became the motto mainstream cultural production, the between the object described or of representing the female body in emphasizing the bond between the power to determine what is ‘high’, addressed and a listening subject who portraits and nude paintings. Both verbal and the visual. Even though ‘great’ or ‘significant’ art being, (...) will be made to ‘see’ the object traditions in painting have indeed been poetry and painting, which make us moreover, still in the hands of male- through the medium of the poet’s dominated by men and inevitably see and read respectively, are considered dominated institutions. They try to voice.” Thus, these women poets invite shaped to some extent at least, or as art to be sister arts, they are also rivals. find a way out of the inscriptions of us, the readers, to become implicated historians tell us to quite an extent, by Poets rework this old tension between masculinity in art/history by reacting in the process of recovering the stories their codes. looking and reading, the urge to

4 ForumEditorial understand the relationship has female (body) is another other in the and women but also the relation of continued since antiquity. Therefore, male dominated ekphrastic tradition. women to themselves. The surveyor we can see a series of reverberations Indeed, it has to be stressed that the of woman in herself is male: the between verbal and visual material power struggle at the heart of ekphrasis surveyed female. Thus she turns in nearly every century. Ekphrasis “is often powerfully gendered: the herself into an object – and most has strengthened its place in today’s expression of a duel between male and particularly an object of vision: a sight.”

Women poets invite us, the readers, to become implicated in the The gaze, then, grants authority to the male viewer, the act of process of recovering the stories of the muted female models, who looking thus involving mastery and talk back to the men who painted them. possession of the object, the female body. However, in order to gain absolute control, the gaze of literature as an established tradition female gazes, the voice of a male speech the male painter must because the question of the nature of striving to control a female image that turn the female body, representation dominates twentieth is both alluring and threatening, of apprehended as an and twenty-first century philosophy male narrative striving to overcome unruly, thus a threat to and literary theory. Indeed it has the beauty poised in space.” The male civilization, into become a tool of subverting hegemonic women poets explore this power a painting, often a ideology and social structures. struggle and the male gaze’s attempt portrait or nude to regulate and control the female painting. The word ekphrasis has been (body) by contemplating canonical The tradition variously used and defined for nude paintings. In these paintings, of portrait centuries according to different the naked female body traditionally painting gained literary conventions and tendencies. depicted by a male painter seems to momentum in the Nevertheless, one of the most signify the essence of a femininity Renaissance when the acknowledged definitions of ekphrasis which is both alluring and threatening. human being began belongs to James A. W. Heffernan, The male gaze thus seeks to convert the to occupy the centre who defines the term as signifying female body, an overpowering physical of the universe. There “…the verbal representation of presence, into a framed, frozen and emerged the tradition visual representation”. Ekphrasis in hence less threatening object. contemporary poetry and literature of painting individual talks back to, indeed deconstructs, The female model is under the gaze portraits within this phallocentricism, among others, and of the artist and the viewer, both period that described the opens space for change. identified traditionally as male. sitters’ wordly position, In cinema studies the spectator is identity, wealth and Verbal engagement with paintings defined as male and the object of social standing. Portrait and painters via ekphrasis dates back his gaze as the female spectacle that painters traditionally to antiquity, Homer taking his place is regulated and consumed by him. aimed to depict not only among its first practitioners. Now, Laura Mulvey stresses that: “In a world the physical appearence the postmodern understanding of ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure of the sitters but also a subversive ekphrasis overlaps with in looking has been split between their inner lives. the use of postmodern intertextuality, active/male and passive/female. The However, female sitters, which is equally deconstructive. determining male gaze projects its wearing costly jewellery Women poets engaging with and phantasy on to the female figure or lace and conveying rewriting ekphrastic poems draw which is styled accordingly. In their an expression of attention not only to the role of the traditional exhibitionist role, women submissiveness by their gaze and bodily posture, were often The female poets who adopt this technique try to deconstruct the also meant to signify the economic and cultural hegemony of phallocentric ideologies in the field of art by political power of returning to the canonical artworks of the past, rewriting them in their fathers and husbands. But order to displace the image of the silenced women. the male painter’s struggle to control the female body image as other to the word but also are simultaneously looked at and and force it into women’s role as the other that must displayed, with their appearence coded submission is much be regulated by and in words. As W. J. for strong visual and erotic impact so more evident in T. Mitchell stresses, “The central goal that they can be said to connote to-be- nude paintings. of ekphrastic hope might be called looked-at-ness.” ‘the overcoming of otherness.’” The The female nude poet’s process of reading visual codes of As part of the creative process, the has always been paintings and transforming them into model poses for the male artist. popular in male poems is, in a sense, a kind of struggle While posing, they are expected to dominated art/ for the dominance of the word over remain motionless, and silent. Berger, history. Painters the image. Thus it can be argued that explicating this traditional idea of a of the female ekphrastic texts disclose a rivalry, a female being looked at, or gazed upon, nude were struggle for power. states similarly to Mulvey that: “men traditionally men act and women appear. Men look at since, in the past In ekphrastic poetry, the image is the women. Women watch themselves women painters, other of the word, indeed is in a sense being looked at. This determines not appropriated and translated into it. The only most relations between men Page 7

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Georgiana Aldessa Lincan is a 24 years old Roma feminist and activist, graduate of the Master of Politics, Gender and Minorities within National University of Political Studies and Public Administration in Bucharest. Since 2013 she has been active in E-Romnja- Association for Promoting Roma Women Rights. She has experience in grassroots activity with Roma women and Roma youth initiative groups, in community development, advocacy and identity papers. Through her work she wants to open up opportunities and to encourage Roma girls and women to become leaders and do what they like.

I am Roma and I feel privileged because I have white skin By Georgiana Lincan

• Even though I am part of a marginalized Roma community in Mizil, I nevertheless have white skin. Most of the time I can pass as “gadjie” (non-Roma).

• I have Roma friends who don’t want to be out in the sun in the summer, so that they do not get tanned, or who buy skin bleaching cream for themselves.

• In my community in Mizil, I always heard people saying: “Dikta, mandro kai si, penes che si gadji!” (“Look at how pretty she is, she looks like a Romanian girl!”)

I am Roma, from a “traditional” offer to Roma women growing up I realized I needed to speak more “Professional Fellows Program”, Roma community in Mizil. From in similar communities the same about the privilege of white skin an exchange experience for the age of six months until I was support I received. once I got to the U.S. bourgeoning leaders financed eighteen years old, I was raised by by the U.S. State Department grandmother whose only source of As a Roma woman coming from a Even though I come from a and coordinated by Ce-Re (The income were my uncle’s disability very precarious community, I can marginalized and stigmatized Center for Resources for Public pensions. I was supported by say that the access to education is Roma community, I nevertheless Participation). The duration of the different people throughout my not only dependent on your will have white skin. I didn’t realize program is a month and a half and life, both financially as well as to achieve something in your life, how important it was for me targets people in Eastern Europe spiritually, until I completed my but also on an entire context: the as Roma to talk about “white who work or would like to work in Master’s degree in political science. parents’ mentality, the family’s privilege”, meaning the privilege community organizing. financial situation, the home you can hold purely on the basis I have been working for E-Romnja environment, the educational of having white skin, until last Colorism is a subject that is for six years - The Association for system, sexism, discrimination, month, when I visited the U.S. not often discussed in Europe; the Promotion of Roma Women’s unequal opportunities, etc. however it is quite well-known and Rights. Through this work I try to I visited the U.S. through the important in the U.S. “Colorism

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Page 5 refers to discrimination based Girls with white skin who are whose numbers were limited, were excluded from studies of naked models, on skin color. Colorism about to become brides are male and female, on the ground of social decorum. disadvantages dark-skinned valued much more than those people while privileging those with darker skin Although the image of the female body within a frame became a symbol of with lighter skin,” writes civilization, this body was disempowered and vilified. Servants, prostitutes and American journalist, Nadra I know cases where arranged poor women were chosen as nude models. Since posing as such was considered Karem Nittle. marriages are still planned, disrespectable, it was only these women at the bottom of society that were ready and girls with white skin who to serve as nude models for usually little pay or in the case of many servant „Dikta, mandro kai si, penes are about to become brides are girls no extra pay at all. To be depicted as naked rendered them even more powerless. As they were deprived of their clothes, which are markers of social che si gadji!” (Look at how valued much more than those status and identity, they were deprived also of their classes, their identities, and pretty she is, she looks like a with darker skin. their subjectivities. These models were usually the anonymous unacknowledged Romanian girl!) subjects of paintings. I have Roma friends who don’t Because I have white skin, I want to stand out in the sun, The female body, indeed the body per se, was moreover vilified in western mostly pass as “gadjie” (non- so that they don’t get tanned, culture. Beginning with Descartes, the thinking subject was thought to be Roma). Even if I strongly or who buy skin bleaching disembodied in western ideology. Christian and Cartesian thought rejected the take hold of my ethnicity, cream as a reaction to the body as signifying a void, nothingness, even worse, a fallen state, deception, because I am proud that I am beauty standards fixed by the dirt, and sin. There was a constant denial of corporeality and an elevation of mind or spirit. The body occupied the place of the excluded other. a Roma and that I am a part majority society, and are met of the community in Mizil, with negative attitudes from However, as Kenneth Clark states, in order to assume absolute mastery, nevertheless my identity is the majority society in public the male painter must turn the naked body into a nude painting. Clark, often questioned. spaces. commenting on the differentiation on the naked and the nude, argues that the nude is the elevated body in representation, the body produced by culture, a Many times, non-Roma (the The feeling of guilt will form of art contrary to the naked body without clothes that is linked with dirt majority population) tell me always put you in a defensive, and the disorder of formlessness. I am an “exception”, Roma selfish position Margrit Shildrick and Janet Price point to the male’s construction of “the activists I meet tell me I am too female body [as] … intrinsically unpredictable, leaky and disruptive” and white to be Roma, and in the I am certainly not trying to therefore as “… out of control, beyond, and set against, the force of reason” and community, where everyone suggest that in becoming “conteminat[ing] and engulf[ing]” As Lynda Nead points out, above the female knows me, I often hear “Dikta, aware of one’s own privilege body must thus be transformed into an aesthetically pleasing artistic image. mandro kai si, penes che si necessitates someone to feel The naked female body is in a sense dressed. In Ways of Seeing, John Berger gadji!” (“Look at how pretty she guilty because you are white or indeed remarks that “Nudity is a form of dress”; rather than seeing it as a dress is, she looks like a Romanian part of the majority. The feeling girl!”) from many people. of guilt will always put you in a defensive, selfish position, while Ekphrasis has become a tool of subverting hegemonic ideology and The Roma have internalized actually and more importantly, social structures. the racist perspective that those who are underprivileged white skin is automatically a are in need alliances and allies. sign of physical beauty and that conceals the supposedly vile naked body, he speaks of nudity as a dress have lower self-esteem if their When I was in the U.S., I objectifying and thus rendering the naked figure visible in culture, however, at skin is darker. “To be white” spoke with African-American the price of forcing her body into submission. becomes synonymous with “to and Hispanic women about The painters struggle to assert mastery over the female also involves sexual be beautiful”, therefore “to be their work and the problems possession. Anna C. Chave states that “Conventionally, both the act of painting beautiful” is equal to “to be they encounter in their own and that of viewing have been described as phallic acts, acts of penetration in the majority”, in a white communities, and found that performed on that passive receptacle, the blank field of the canvas.” The artist’s European country. Therefore there were many similarities obsession with transforming the naked female figure into a regulated art it can be understood that a between our communities: they object is inseparable from the physical attraction he feels towards her, as if the person coming from an ethnic also face challenges in terms of sexual relationship between a male artist and a female model were a condition. minority, who is affected by discrimination, racism, sexism, Actually Martin Postle observes that in “Victorian England, (...) the female colorism is prone to developing and segregation in schools and model was synonymous with prostitution.” It strengthens the idea that to an inferiority complex in cities. They, like us, wish to initiate the artistic enterprise, the object must first be sexually possessed, the regards to the majority. get involved in more activities, brush of the male painter being also his penis. What Gilbert and Gubar assert yet family life occupies a lot of about the male writer as also applicable to the male painter: “Male sexuality is In the book “Black Skin, their time. not just analogically but actually the essence of literary power. The poet’s pen - in this context his stick - is in some sense a penis. (…) In patriarchal Western White Masks”, Franz Fanon culture, therefore, the text’s author is a father, a progenitor, a procreator, an explains that “In a white I resonated with a lot of the aesthetic patriarch whose pen is an instrument of generative power like his society, from early childhood, problems and barriers that the penis. The notion of ownership or possession is embedded in the metaphor of a person learns to associate African-American community paternity. Thus because he is an author, a man of letters is simultaneously, like “blackness” with “wrongness”. faced, yet, however much I can his divine counterpart, a father, a master or ruler, and an owner: the spiritual And when children of color understand all the systems of type of a patriarch, as we understand that term in Western society. ” are exposed to such experience, oppression, I will never feel they will develop a childhood discrimination in the same way The male painters’s sexual possession of his female model is an act signifying the colonisation and exploitation of the female body, thus inviting the idea trauma as a mental wound that as African-American women, or of an ideological battlefield. He is the one who controls the brush, colours, affects their personalities. Those in the way that Roma girls and perspective and the female body. This analogy between artistic creativity and affected by colorism will often women in my community with male sexuality also evokes the notion of the artist as a male genius. Feminist feel reduced to just their dark darker skin do. ekphrasis now is on stage in order to deconstruct this historical oppression in skin. the art works and the cult of the male artist.

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Elizabeta Sheleva was born in Ohrid (1961). She is professor at the Department of General and Comparative Literature, University in Skopje. She is the Chairperson of the Independent Writers’ Association of Macedonia Sheleva has been the manager of the scientific and research project ‘Doubled Otherness – Balkanism Gender Aspects’, and has also been a visiting professor at the post-graduate studies school ‘Feminism in Transnational Perspective’, in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The text we are publishing is her Address on the Occasion of Announcing Ana Blandiana as The 2019 Winner of the “Golden Wreath” Award of Struga Poetry Evenings, won previously by Pablo Neruda, Eugenio Montale, Rafael Alberti, Yannis Ritsos, Allen Ginsberg, Joseph Brodsky, Yves Bonnefoy, Seamus Heaney, Margaret Atwood, etc. “Everything I touch turns into Words” By Elizabeta Sheleva

Ana Blandiana was born and raised in pseudonym unites the euphony of the perhaps this is why in her poetry there a vital impetus to revitalization of its Romania’s rich, highly admired literary traditional legends of the walled Ana is a strong, expressive and tempting noble mission... tradition and dynamic literary scene with the name of her mother’s home echo of the forbidden books, literary that have produced world-class authors village, thus creating a new powerful works, and truths, but also a sense Her lyricism is often meditative, such as Emil Cioran, Eugène Ionesco, coinage symbolizing Ana, the female of suppressed beauties and victories at times even resonating with a Nichita Stănescu, Mikhail Eminescu poet, but this time “walled” in the – glowing and blazing long before confessional tone, marked by constant and many other leading literary impressive Fortress or Temple of finally reaching the triumph or the existential anxiety and profound figures. Words. repentance of the day! questioning of the fundamental dilemmas of human fate, the Being a woman in this cruel, deeply Ana Blandiana has a powerful and ‘I was banned, even before I became understanding (and challenges) of patriarchal and cynical world has never impressive poetic voice – but she is also a poet’ – Ana shockingly testifies, otherness/inequality, questions of been easy, not even today. However, a symbol of rebellion – the rebellion revealing how (during Ceausescu’s moral responsibility and inevitability, totalitarian regime) she was hiding her the creative power of love as the basic manuscripts and carried them with her agent of openness to the world, as well wherever she went (sometimes leaving as the literary energy, the dramatic yet Being a woman in this cruel, deeply patriarchal and cynical them to her trusted friends); every silent mysteries and temptations of the world has never been easy, not even today. However, being time she left her home, she was afraid creative act. that they would be taken away and a woman, a writer, and a tireless fighter for justice and true burned. ‘Everything I touch turns into Words,’ Blandiana says, suggesting values – this certainly requires much more commitment, Blandiana’s poetry does not flirt once again that poetry is actually with the popular, yet superficial Magic, not a conscious intention; it’s courageous perseverance and sacrifice. Especially if you writing; she is very critical in fact, a God-given gift, and not something and fundamentally concerned about that is rationally or (consciously) are a woman born here in the Balkans, a place that has the loss and absence of freedom, this predetermined. traditionally been mistrustful of (and definitely arrogant contemporary and historical abyss by which all humanity is stunned. “Poetry between Silence and towards) women! Transgression” (as the title of one of Her writing combines her personal her essays suggests) most appropriately and intimate challenges with her captures the self-reflective pendulum being a woman, a writer, and a tireless against Ceausescu’s totalitarianism, metaphysical and contemplative in which her lyrics vibrate: she is hard fighter for justice and true values – especially when her father was thoughts; it is in fact lyricism of on herself but also on others, she is this certainly requires much more imprisoned for the mere fact that he simultaneous euphonies: between deeply perceptive and ecstatic, bitter commitment, courageous perseverance was a priest, while she herself ever Eros and Thanatos, drawing on their and lucid, rebellious and energetic, and sacrifice. This also means living since her youth has been censored and embrace, but also of euphonies of fanciful and animate. with the burden and the risk, doubled persecuted like many other innocent the corporeal and the spiritual, of the due to the naked (and fateful) fact that victims of the regime. I could never sensory and the sensual, of the sincere Charles Altieri from the University you were born a Woman! Especially forget her shocking statement and outspokenness of a child and the wise of Berkeley confirms the praises for if you are a woman born here in the testimony that she was afraid to leave pondering of mature age. The critical her work in the Introduction to her Balkans, a place that has traditionally her own manuscripts in her home, and reception of Ana Blandiana across volume The Sun of Hereafter: been mistrustful of (and definitely had to carry them with her wherever Europe testifies of her significant arrogant towards) women! she went, or hide them in her friends’ “One of Europe’s best poets, contribution to the enrichment of houses so that they wouldn’t be seized Blandiana is amazing for her contemporary literature and presents This is why it seems that her or destroyed by the government. And imaginative capacity to make

10 Ars PoeticaEditorial more ambitious and self-promoting, rather than truly talented and worthy of its reputation and mission! Remaining faithful and consistent with its original sensibility, Ana Blandiana’s poetry nurtures a subtle, intrinsically motivated intertextual dialogue with its spiritual and poetic relatives, both from Romanian and European cultural and literary tradition, but also from the Bible, or modern American poetry. Here, above all, we have in mind the great Romanian self-exile and metaphysician of despair Emil Cioran and his famous phrase “vegetal people”, which Ana further develops and shapes into an extraordinary poetic image with a bitter and self-ironic message for her own nation and the usual self-perception of Romanians as readers feel they share quite intimate ‘I’ve privatized the pain / And now, all testimony is innocent! passive victims, rather than as actors conditions with the poet, even as the around me / It’s closed up in the walls in their own history. Owing to this poems complicate and deepen their of my flesh, / Like a magnet that has A poet, such as Blandiana, is in extraordinarily strong and substantially enduring exile sense of an inescapable metaphysical pulled it in from the world.’ constant, , an exile rich metaphor of a vegetative nation dimension to experience. (…) of a kind that, on the outside, may (or, paradigm), Blandiana’s poem Blandiana is a pure lyricist (…). Creation, according to Blandiana, seem invisible or unbeknown, but is opens in the wider regional key, self- Her poems characteristically achieve inevitably involves the voluntary therefore no less tragic and incurable, characteristic and applicable, not only sacrifice of the artist strange precisions by having pervasive , as the famous and on the contrary, transformed to Romania, but to the entire Balkans, metaphors unfold her sense of ‘sacred folk ballad of “The Artist Manole” into voluntary asceticism, introvert as well as its mentality, which is often void’ as negative plenitude.” (in various versions, also known withdrawal from the world, even perceived and self-justified by the captive in her own home as common benefit of the Balkan life as a syndrome of rootedness, but also by The greatness of a poet is not folklore) implies, and it is twice as valid (which Anna really experienced most hardness, sacrificialness, or fatalism, woman- determined by the number of and applies precisely to the strongly and literally during the time of (historical) defeat, but also (modern) creator published works, or even by the and her double-sacrificed totalitarian regime and constant police lostness! Or, more precisely, as a large, number of awards received, but above position in society (initially, walled like surveillance, by the Romanian secret collective, immovable vegetable set, all and primarily by the depth of his/ any woman, thus sustaining the family services, over and around her house). in Ana’s words: ‘condemned to birth / her poems, the authenticity of the “edifice”, while, secondarily, walled In the motif of imprisonment in Fetus next to fetus / A nation entire / lyrical expression, the lucidness of the like any creator sustaining his/her own That doesn’t hear, doesn’t see, doesn’t spiritual spark, as well as the boldness artistic edifice, with his/her own body the poems of Blandiana there are several degrees of intensity and levels understand, / But keeps on moving to openly uncover existential wounds, and blood)! / Through the tormented bodies the pain of existence itself, the facing of expression: from the historically In addition to the inevitable moment referential, the mythologically universal of women, / through the blood of with death, as an infallible outcome of mothers / No one has asked.’ existence. or imperative of personal self-sacrifice, and the allusive, a particularly important and emphatic to the gender For Anna Blandiana the poems are place in Blandiana’s poems is reserved (as a woman, not décor, ornament, clothing, but for the motive of the poet’s guilt especially a woman in the Balkans) self-walling and One of Europe’s best poets, Blandiana is amazing for her lifelong jail/ dungeon, which she imaginative capacity to make readers feel they share quite then develops as a powerful metaphor intimate conditions with the poet that pregnantly overwhelms life in Romania (but, a “shield” or “bones”, which are and responsibility (and the artist’s in more widely, in the painfully pre-arranged around her general) as a witness of a certain time Balkans, as well). “flesh”, while pain itself remains the and its great sufferings and injustices “only guarantee” of the certainty (when, for example, the ‘portrait of the Blandiana’s poetry, of existence. “We live in a wound; victim’ itself, as Anna writes, ‘becomes while prone to the only certain thing is the pain more important than its earthly life’). metaphysical that surrounds us.” Thereto, not reflections and only one’s own and personal, but As an immediate contemporary, a meditativeness, is also the pain of others, which often censored (and persecuted) witness not at all abstract, remains unprovided for, untouched to a totalitarian society and regime dry-headed, by the word and consolation, is an (like the one in Romania), whose sterile, nor is integral part of Blandiana’s poetry, blows directly on her own skin also self-conceiving, which can thus be experienced as a affected her family, Blandiana possesses pretentious, ritual redemption of suffering and a particularly keen and engaging superficially a dignified mark of despair, both sensitivity about the neural aspects susceptible as much personal as well as someone else’s and questionableness of testifying and of contemporary despair. the testimony itself, about which, she poetry is today, herself warns sharply: not even the which remains Ana Blandiana and Elizabeta Sheleva

11 EditorialDossier DOSSIER: Human Rights in the Balkans

Sonja Biserko is a Serbian campaigner for human rights. She is the founder and president of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia. Biserko’s ongoing work for human rights has included documenting the resurgence of nationalist sentiment that followed the war in Kosovo, Through active support for minority and refugee communities within Serbia and Kosovo she has sought in particular to promote dialogue between Serbs and Albanians in this country. Among some 140 other publications she has written about the Srebrenica genocide, the fall of Vukovar, the wars in the former Yugoslavia and war crimes and accounts of the trials of Slobodan Milosevic and Vojislav Seselj. In 2005 she was one of 1000 women in the group 1000 Women for Peace nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. On 8 May 2013, she was appointed as a member of the United Nations human rights investigation into North Korea.

Human Rights in Serbia: Subordinated to geostrategic deliberations By Sonja Biserko

Human rights in the Balkans, as in civilization, which is, essentially, and individualism. It is seen as overly seven members of the Council of Serbia, cannot be fully considered rooted in the historical and social individualized and absolutized, and Europe, and within this framework outside the political and social experience of the West. Serbia is, imposed on cultures, social and the government ratified a whole series context and the consequences of the additionally, a special case because it political environments which are of the highest international standards wars from the 1990s, which are still has not drawn up a war balance for different, as if it is universal in nature. of human rights, including the preventing the consolidation of the the 1990s nor has it relinquished its European Convention about Human newly established states. The larger aspirations toward its neighbors. Rights. However there is no political international context—the erosion of Dr. Zoran Devrnja, an assistant will to respect the standards to which the liberal order—has brought about professor at the Faculty of Orthodox Serbia committed as a state. There is the erosion of universal values, and, Theology in Belgrade, criticizes those no interaction between the state, the as UN Secretary-General António The frustration of who espouse a liberal-humanistic civil sector, the citizens and the media Guterres warns, “human rights are the failed transition concept of human rights as not which would be a precondition to full under siege the world over.” On the engaging in dialog with others, application of the standards of human occasion of Human Rights Day, brought about a but instead foisting their concept rights. Guterres said that the “Universal on others, in such a way that the Declaration on Human Rights has rejection of liberalism, The pro-European orientation of position of liberal humanism remains been a global beacon—shining a light Serbia since 2000 has never been individualism and untouchable and unquestioned. For, for dignity, equality and well-being, formally brought into question. In he says, the contemporary moment and bringing hope to dark places.” human rights as the first years of the transition, the in the world tells us that this needs vast majority of citizens supported Amid the disorientation and collapse ideologies questioning. this orientation. However over the of the socialist system of values (as The theological shaping of public last years the mood among citizens for well as in all the other post-socialist life in Serbia began after 2000, when joining the European Union has been countries), religion was given a key Orthodoxy, with political pretensions, gradually diminishing. According role in the shaping of the new values. began to shape the public, social to the most recent research, 90% For religion is thought to be the spine As religion was given the dominant space, thereby jeopardizing the of the citizens of Serbia believe that that holds every traditional society role in the public and the media, the rights of others to their own identity. Russia champions Serbian interests together. positions of the Serbian Orthodox Orthodoxy rejects the secular values (primarily in Kosovo) and is the most Church has also had a significant of civil society—democracy, civil generous donor, though it is not even The frustration of the failed transition impact on the perception of the society, pluralistic discourse, secular among the top ten donors. brought about a rejection of concept of human rights. Orthodox and religious tolerance and individual liberalism, individualism and human theologians do not relate affirmatively Serbia is still officially committed to human rights. rights as ideologies. The ideology to the contemporary concept of membership in the EU, though it of human rights begins to be seen human rights: it is seen as an import Meanwhile, Serbia is one of the forty- has become increasingly clear that as an imperial project of western from the West, with its liberal values Serbia is dragging its feet regarding

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The lack of a clearly defined strategy is the source of the problem, both in terms of Serbia’s path to Europe, and its relations with its neighbors.

On 24 December 2019, Aleksandar Vulin, the minister of defense, presented the Strategy for Defense of the Republic of Serbia and the Strategy of National Security, which, as he said, protect in the best way possible his national and defense interests; these are preservation of sovereigny and territory coehsion, military neutrality, concern about the Serbian people living beyond the borders of Serbia, European integration and an efficient rule of law. The documents mention only one priority for foreign affairs —the Republika Srpska and its preservation. The document also states that “Kosovo independence is absolutely unacceptable.” Serbia did not define its basic objectives nor its foreign policy the reforms required for membership. Re-patriarchization has made major Not only is Serbia persisting in its nor on which values it would rest. After the October changes, the strides. In all research, young people failed project (most recent is the Instead of realistically surveying its civil sector gained momentum and strongly endorse conservative example of Montenegro), but it is possibilities, Serbia is conducting served as a significant corrective positions regarding the position making declarations and strategies an inconsistent foreign policy, and promoter of democratic values. of women, as well as the LGTB which only reinforce this orientation. characterized by contradictions and However all these initial results community. Ethnic distance is also Hence the Charter on the Serbian confusing priorities. were undone by the arrival of the very pronounced, contributing to the Cultural Space stated that the strategic Serbian Progressive Party, the media narrative of the political elites with starting point for Serbian cultural The lack of a clearly defined strategy were shackled, the civil sector media support which dehumanizes policy is based on the conviction is the source of the problem, both in marginalized, and all independent and vilifies all their neighbors. that, before a broader integration, the terms of Serbia’s path to Europe, and regulatory mechanisms were rendered This feeds tensions and makes any first, necessary step is to strengthen its relations with its neighbors. Such a meaningless. fundamental normalization of cohesion within the Serbian cultural condition is reflected not only in the relations in the region impossible. space. And this is only one step away disorientation of the state, but in its Paradoxical, however, is the fact that from declaring the unification of all conditionality with certain external the current prime minister is not The basic problem of Serbia is that it Serbs, as was the case in the 1990s. circumstances and actors. only a woman, but a member of opted for an ethnic state, not a civil the LGTB community. The Pride state, which means that the ideology The Charter sets out as a priority So without powerful support from the Parade is held every year, with a of ethnic nationalism is dominant. the harmonization of activities EU, the Western Balkans and every heavy police presence, which means Still ascendant is the ideology that and measures of strategic interest individual country, there is the threat that the society has not changed its began the aggression on Yugoslavia, for Serbian culture and its mutual of further regression which creates a attitude about toward the LGTB the “Liberation and Unification interconnection, primarily with favorable space for the involvement of movement. This community is of the Serbs.” Such a concept of the Republika Srpska (they signed other actors, especially Russia. All this still under great pressure and often state excludes the minorities which the Charter together), then with significantly contributes to further exposed to violence. The position of are languishing on the margins of the Serbian people of Montenegro, erosion of human rights and liberal women is also in regression (though society, the existing legal framework Macedonia, Croatia, and with the values. this session of Parliament has the notwithstanding. Serbs in the greater region and the Translated by Ellen Elias-Bursac largest number of women members). diaspora.

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Deyan Kiuranov, PhD, of Sofia, Bulgaria, was active in the Bulgarian BG to EU, and anticommunist opposition and afterwards worked Human Rights: as a political sociologist and anthropologist for NGOs and Soros’ negative attitudes, Open Society in Bulgaria and Belarus. His main no acts current interests are interethnic relations By Deyan Kiuranov and Russia.

Bulgaria joined the European and other countries. We shouldn’t, however, jump to So the majority would opt for Union in 2007. The Romano the conclusion that Bulgaria would Europeanism with Human Rights However, if one would ask Prodi Commission had given the soon be following Greenland in (perceived as a bad thing) against Bulgarians today what they green light for integration of ex- 1985 and the UK in 2020 in a Eurasianism without Human Rights thought about that HR case, it is a communist countries five years Bulexit. In this case it wouldn’t be (seen as a good thing). safe guess that one would register earlier. At that time, the beginning a guessing matter: surveys2 show a negative majority. Not because Doubtless this points to a rift of the 2000s, opinion polls in clearly that there is no support for of sympathy with the German between feeling and act, word and Bulgaria were showing a sizeable leaving the Union in this country. Holocaust denier: there isn’t much deed, and reveals a fundamental pro-EU minority, a much smaller It looks like a case of an attitude active anti-semitism in Bulgaria, moral and bihevioral problem. anti-EU minority and a majority that doesn’t materialize as action, predominantly due to the fact That problem could be, and of people who weren’t clear on the and most probably never will. that there are so very few Jews still probably is, surmounted by issue, but were generally in favor. Why? systematic lying to oneself, which The prevailing pro-EU attitude We could understand that may be a prerequisite, yet also was best formulated by an elderly In that sort of public situation better if we’d consider the result, of a social pathology. Bulgarian lady of Romani origin climate which ignores it together with a positive The result would be mass low (in an interview for a political Bulgarian attitude, which doesn’t self-esteem, lack of integrity anthropological survey directed the rule of law, Human materialize either. In an extensive and diminished if not destroyed by the author): “I am for Europe Rights are seen by the survey of populist propaganda,3 personal dignity. because the Europeans should it was explained why there was in come and give us some law and majority as a necessary On the other hand, we have seen Bulgaria simultaneously a majority order”. societies, usually of a traditional evil, imposed by the favoring Putin’s Russia and a and closed type, in which the In 2019 it was a Bulgarian, Yonko EU, to be managed majority favoring the pro-Western attitude prevails that they shouldn’t Grozev, who was “giving law and orientation of the Bulgarian act with dignity when dealing order to Europe” as judge at the predominantly by lying government. A simple explanation with stronger, better developed European Court of Human Rights to the EU. was offered, the result of rather and open societies. One doesn’t in Strasbourg: the session he was complicated thinking: the West lose one’s dignity when lying to chairing upheld the decision of a had more to give. The West was those stronger parties; it’s OK to German court against a Holocaust seen as not only able to offer more use subtrefuge against them as it is denier.1 He was appointed to living in the country. It would be money, but also the prestige of OK to use a ruse in battle! Dignity the HR court after being a very because of anti-Europeanism and modern/postmodern lifestyles. The is viewed as good for internal successful Human Rights lawyer, the negativism towards the idea heartfelt traditionalistic attractions uses only, within the boundaries who had won a series of cases of of cross-border HR legislation of Russian postcommunism of tradition. We have here HR abuse against Bulgaria, Russia enforcement. apparently were no match for that. Klausewitz’s adage on its head:

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peace is a continuation of war by msust find new approaches to stage populist reaction, a reaction of by lying to the EU. In particular, other means. This is basically the a comeback. the people. It then became easy that’s why the government (a) attitude of the Bulgarian majority for the government to back out of proposed the Strategy in the first BG to EU, and It should be understood clearly that towards the EU, translating as: give the Convention and the Strategy, place, but (b) happily withdrew it. this reaction to the attempt of the as little as possible, get as much as pleading democratic submission to Of course, Brussels has had enough EU and the Bulgarian government possible per fas et nefas. Bulgaria, the people’s will. But why hadn’t time to learn seeing through Human Rights: to guarantee more rights was the poorest and most retarded the government denounced that such lies. However, as Bulgaria democracy in action all along. For country in the Union, seems to new legislation as Unbulgarian keeps its fiscal discipline and its thirty years NGOs in Bulgaria feel that she is justified to do that from the start, rather than become borders tightly closed to migrants, have tried to raise awareness to negative attitudes, (there are other countries doing the object of popular criticism? Brussels would rather not expose HR and other liberal issues to much the same, but comparisons those lies and be happy with a no avail. However, when anti- The short answer is that the are beyond our scope here). Besides government lying about that. That liberal causes caught the people’s government is not afraid that no acts being closed society thinking, there tacit arrangement has been called imagination, they led them quickly popular criticism will produce seems to obtain here an admixture here “politics of mutual winking”: to mass self-organization, pressure political action. The present of communist ideology, aimed the Bulgarian government from below on elites, and finally government has governed under at morally justifying all attempts winks at Brussels, saying that of victory. The word “imagination” the same prime minister for by the “poor and ignorant” to course Bulgaria is a democracy is sadly not just a cliché here, for 10 years now, and they have better their status. Etc. However, and striving to have rule of law, the mass reaction was based on understood the pattern pf rather than going into social HR and all that, while Brussels Bulgarian politics: there might be psychology in this cursory glimpse winks back as if they believed it; strong reactions against particular of contemporary Bulgarian society, simultaneouslsy, the government However, as Bulgaria policies, but those reactions would let’s mark the major acts that do winks at the people, saying that it never turn into acts against the materialize in these circumstances. keeps its fiscal discipline is all for fighting corruption, and government. Everyday one hears the people accuse it of corruption Two resounding acts of 2019 and its borders tightly from the media and in the street verbally, but wink back indicating have been: (1) the Bulgarian (verbatim) “There is no state in closed to migrants, that they’ll still vote for the ruling Constitutional court judged Bulgaria” or “It’s not that Bulgaria party. the Istanbul Convention of the Brussels would rather has a mafia, it’s the mafia that has Council of Europe on preventing not expose those lies Bulgaria” (meaning corruption The objectivistic conclusion can and combating violence against and be happy with a rings at all levels); however, the only be that at this stage Bulgaria women and domestic violence as government is always voted to will stably occupy the last place contradictory to the Constitution, government lying about resume office. Even if there are compared to all EU members, both hence not to be ratified, and that. street demonstrations, there economically (despite its steady it wasn’t; (2) the Bulgarian always turns out to be an electoral growth) and politically, in terms government withdrew the majority (and elections are not of rule of law and Human Rights National Strategy for the Child falsified, at least not significantly). (mostly due to corruption plus 2019-2030 that it had proposed. imaginary threats. The Istanbul The economic situation over the traditionalism). That this may also Both acts were committed in Convention was perceived as a last decade has improved, with an look pessimistic is another matter. an atmosphere of self-organized threat to parents that their children average GDP growth of around 3% traditionalistic populist reaction. A “would be forcibly made from and a slowly falling unemployment sociologist working for a Bulgarian boys and girls into genders (sic)”, rate from around 8% in 2009 to parenthood NGO that supported an unclear abomination. And the around 5% now). Corruption the Strategy (David Deyanov) Child’s Strategy “would forcibly is hard to measure objectively, (Endnotes) has written in a non-paper in take the kids away from their of course, but is believed to be 1 Judgment of 03.11.2019, Pastoers the beginning of 2020: “The parents”, destroying the Bulgarian ubiquitous and high at all social vs. Germany, see e.g. https:// [civic] organizations [opposing family. Sure enough, the poltical levels. That doesn’t bother the hudoc.echr.coe.int/ng#{%22item the Strategy] not only reached establishment also participated: majority, because all endeavor id%22:[%22001-196148%22]} their goal, but gained enormous the ex-communist party (the to profit by that corruption in 2 There are numerous reliable domestic added value”, for during their main opposition force) joined proportion to their standing and surveys, but easiest to access on the campaign a facebook goup of nationalistic parties in using that opportunities; corruption rings Internet would be the relevant Standard their adherents with some 210 000 civic upsurge to agitate against the have become consolidated, hence Eurobarometers members appeared, “many of European Union; the established there is a feeling of stability. One 3 Conducted during 2016-2017 by a team them young parents, with local churches – the Bulgarian Orthodox may say that the present Bulgarian headed by Prof. Dimiter Vatsov, New groups throughout the country”; Church united for the occasion social contract looks like the people Bulgarian University (the author was part nationally they formed the with the Bulgarian Muslim telling the elite: “It’s OK by us that of the team); results were published in association “ROD - Parents united Mufti authority to stigmatize you seize what you can, provided the journal Critique and Humanism, issue for the children” (in Bulgarian the the attempted new legislation you let us steal what we can”. 49 (1, 2018) “Media, Conspiracies and abbreviation ROD means “genus”.) as unholy, i.e. both Unchristian In that sort of public climate which Propaganda in the Post Cold War World” As a result, he concludes, the and Unmuslim, and on that basis ignores the rule of law, Human (in English); Part 1 also accessible at conservative values narrative won would harangue the lay state; Rights are seen by the majority as https://hssfoundation.org/wp-content/ definitely over the Human Rights all “reactionary forces” chipped a necessary evil, imposed by the uploads/2017/04/REPORT_PART1_ narrative, and NGOs such as his in; however the point is that it EU, to be managed predominantly EN.pdf have become marginalized and was basically a case of genuine

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Ismail Tasholli studied analytical philosophy at the University of Graz, Austria, furtherly specializing in sociology. He is an active political commentator in Kosovo’s media, a member of the presidency of Kosovo’s Association of Philosophers, and of the editorial board of the leading philosolical journal “Agora”. He is one of the founders of the Kosovo’s Parliament of Youth.

I, You and Man By Ismail Tasholli

The meandering evolution of the cultural diversity, and so the human history of intellectual thought being cannot be categorised simply is a conceptual route by which as a universal essence, but instead, we grapple with how to define is made of flesh and blood. He is man. A variety of viewpoints, not, as the French philosopher Alain including those diametrically Finkielkraut commented, somewhat opposed, depending on the time cynically, about universalist and context, try to unpack the discourses: “A non-corporeal reality, complexity of the concept of a being without being, a creature

The analysis of human rights cannot only be based on law or international relations, but instead it needs also to be a philosophical exploration of the dilemmas posed within the discourse of the universal declaration of human rights driving the various approaches to values and dispute over universalist defining man. discourse, we will analyse two man. Perhaps the most significant without flesh and blood, color and examples of relations between attempt to define man emerged in self, that is the being that exists in Recent conflicts in the Balkans and Kosovo and Serbia. the confrontation between Socrates the great universalist discourse”. Africa have exposed the need for and the Sophists, and later these This alternative approach, or as challenging ideas would form the Lyotard put it, “The Other’s Rights”, core of the conceptualisation of explores the paradox of human The NATO bombing was the salvation of man who is excluded man in modernity. The concept of rights because the announcement of by “normative terrorism,” the ordinary man, that essential man in the Enlightenment cannot universal human rights came from be understood as separate from the French parliament, a particular, point of life - the man who lives in the world, and not in goodness and justice. The contract national institution, making a claim theoretical abstraction. philosophers produced “proto- to universalism. manifestos” on human rights: for example, Locke’s social contract on It should be noted that the analysis Normative terror natural and civil rights, Jean-Jacques of human rights cannot only be a philosophical analysis of human based on law or international rights because these conflicts require Rousseau’s social contract, and “The intervention of universal essence relations, but instead it needs also the redefinition of human rights Kant’s effort to universalize law in into ontological diversity problematizes to be a philosophical exploration in relation to new contexts and relation ot man, set out in his work or initiates the question of legitimizing of the dilemmas posed within the situations. So this essay will try to Perpetual Peace. This is, however, that intervention which must uphold discourse of the universal declaration extract man from the bureaucratic, just one aspect of the philosophical universal values. The identification of of human rights, and that is because institutional, political traps of approaches, which have in common the actions of particular entities with rights are normative regulations that definition, by trying to diagnose the a priori indisputability of man’s universal value orientations has rightly also have consequences for man’s some neuralgic points in this existence as a universal essence. been called ”.1 daily life. And these consequences complex concept. And, to make normative terrorism An alternative philosophical reveal how complex it is to reconcile more tangible the contrasting The attempt by the regime of approach views man as embedded in the contrasting views and interests theory and opinion about universal Milosevic to reduce man in Kosovo

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that they have killed human beings. Prishtina train resemble the The same logic was used by Hitler terrifying trains in Schindler’s to argue that he had not massacred List, the horror of fascist inhumanity human beings, but “Jews”. Rabbosi, that I, too, experienced, as an the philosopher and jurist, has ordinary man. These images of the argued that fundamental human Kosovo war are a reminder of our rights must be redefined, as they are past, this European past, which now “out of date”. Post-holocaust, the cinema depicts so effortlessly, the dilemma was how to redefine and this connects us to the dark human rights; now the dilemma sequences of another film, Europe, post-Srebrenica and post-Reçak is to by the director Lars Von Trier, ask whether the human being is still where trains represent the despair a human being. and suffering of project Europe – yet again, the same terrible train is in Europe - as if a slumbering Europe NATO: Just do it has forgotten what happened before. The slogan “NATO - Just do it” is The NATO bombing was the not only explicitly about salvation of man – no doubt, this the salvation of Kosovo sounds a controversial thesis – but Albanians, but implicitly the real question is, the salvation it suggests that Europe had of which man? The man who is a chance to save itself. On excluded by “normative terrorism,” this point, there is a “vox the ordinary man, that essential in deserto clamantis,” the point of life - the man who lives in German philosopher Jürgen the world, and not in theoretical Habermas, who was the abstraction. The “intervention in guardian and polemiscist of Kosovo” marks a new poetic hope interventionism, defending in human rights - a hope that does cosmopolitan law within a particular not see man just as a wager in a context. There are also many great cause, but also sees man in philosophers, writers and publicists his existence. Man in a great cause who were for NATO intervention - is just part of a genocidal machine, while those of us from Kosovo cried or in the particular context of from tents and camps for NATO to Milosevic, and as the thinker Mark “Just Do It”. Danner put it, part of the “planned rationality of murder”. Thus, the NATO intervention was the first Coda: effort to prevent a genocide already taking place. These two case studies, regarding “normative terrorism” and “Nato- Initially those skeptical about the Just Do It”, challenge the views set to the administrative-normative physical bodies, made, as noted, intervention in Kosovo called out in this analysis of a definition of plain on universalist premises aimed from flesh and blood; and at the it a new war. But we need to universal human rights: the classical to legitimize violence as a necessity. moment philosophy has to dance focus on the context, which was view of human rights in new and The administrative-normative axis around that which we call “cultural “humanitarian intervention,” which particular contexts of human rights. is legitimized through a discourse relativism,” which argues that of course immediately raises the in which there are people and human beings are complex and question as to what humanitarian More than any abstract theorizing pseudo-people2, and as pseudo- without a unitary definition. intervention is. According to some about man, man is an open “project” people do not fulfill the condition in relation to certain historical of being human, consequently their contexts. He is alive. fundamental rights are denied.3 The attempt by the regime of Milosevic to reduce man in This dichotomy has its roots in the Kosovo to the administrative-normative plain on universalist divinization of human essence – by (Endnotes) which man himself, as an ordinary premises aimed to legitimize violence as a necessity. individual, is not significant in the 1. Astrit Salihu, “Diskursi Filozofik i Postmodernes”, [Philosophical Post- abstract conception of humanity. Modern Discourse] Dukagjini, Pejë, 1996, theorists, this is the definition: p. 61 Thus, the particular intervention, Genocide is the mirage of the “Military intervention in the 2. For more see: Richard Rorty, “Humanitarian Rights, Rationality and with universalist goals, brings us to unitary definition that “the Serb internal affairs of a sovereign state Sentimentality” a position where the claim made is a human being” and that “the to protect human rights”. But, at 3. The British philosopher John Gray states about humanity is not humane Albanian is not” - whereby massacres that: “fundamental rights are indisputable, so what point will such intervention rights – at least as understood in the anglo- because the consequences of cause us to renounce man and his occur - when it is no longer possible american contemporary jurisprudence humanism have sent us to Auschwitz rights. Rights that ultimately lead to survive in that state, in a state of schools – are unconditional rights” (For and the Gulag - and in the context more see: John Gray, “Enlightenment’s to the denial of the other’s life. That apartheid, ethnic cleansing, or when Wake. Politics and Culture at the Close of Kosovo, the Reçak genocide is is why still Milosevic and Vucic will massacres start? of the Modern Age” , London/New York, the act of Milosevic’s “normative not accept the Reçak massacre and Routledge, 1997) Let me craft a tale of ethnic quasi-humanism”. Humans are not the genocide against the Albanians, Translated by Alexandra Channer supernatural abstract concepts, but as in their minds they do not think cleansing: the photos of the

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Robert Wilton is a writer, translator, coach and Balkan wanderer. After a dozen years in the British Civil Service, he was advisor to the Prime Minister of Kosovo in the years leading to independence, head of policy for the office helping the country implement independence, and has helped to run an international human rights mission in Albania. He is the author of five historical novels, and writes on the history and culture of south-eastern Europe. He is an established translator of Albanian poetry, and a documentary screenwriter. He also works as a writing coach and life coach. He is co-founder of The Ideas Partnership, a volunteer-driven charity working for the education and empowerment of marginalized children, and Chairman of the International Human Rights Film Festival of Albania (https://ihrffa.net/). The text we are publishing is his address at the opening of the last edition of the festival.

Ignorance Kills By Robert Wilton

Weapons kill: guns, bombs, knives… We live in a world where it is possible for single social media friendship group, than Attitudes kill: hatred, fear, jealousy, greed, us to know other people from different most communities have ever known. prejudice… cultures, to visit them, to meet them, more quickly and more easily than ever before. But if we remain ignorant about these Ignorance kills, too. We can meet more foreigners in a one week people, ignorant about the possibilities of global communication, then they will We live in a world where it is possible remain foreign, and frightening. Cynical for us to know more information, more We live in a world where it is possible politicians and cynical media present quickly and more easily, than ever our fellow-humans to us as other, alien, before. But the speed and availability of for us to know other people from dangerous. Human difference and human information is creating confusion instead different cultures, to visit them, to interaction – historically the most powerful of clarity: in the jungle of possible facts, meet them, more quickly and more forces for economic growth and cultural with our characteristics observed and development and intellectual advance – profiled by those we cannot see, with our easily than ever before. become threats. Humans made strong data tracked, misled by forces who know But if we remain ignorant about by genetic diversity are taught to fear what we want to hear and where we will difference. Nations created by immigrants go to hear it, hunted by algorithms, we are these people, ignorant about the are encouraged to reject them. prey. possibilities of global communication, Ignorance, in the form of racism, murders Confused and uncertain, desperate for then they will remain foreign, and dozens of people in shopping malls simplicity and clarity, we are prey to those frightening. and schools. Ignorance, in the form of who offer simple strong messages. We are extremism, slaughters concert-goers vulnerable to those who tell us whom to and commuters. Ignorance, in the form blame for our problems, to those who give holiday than our parents met in their whole of indifference and political ineptness, us easy answers. In the chaos, manipulation lives. We can see more foreigners on the drowns migrants in the Mediterranean is easy and prejudice is easy, and hate is streets of our capital cities today, than came and leaves them to wash up dead on easy, and they exploit ignorance. in all previous centuries. We can have a Europe’s beaches, their voices never heard. more exotic global network of contacts in a Each of them is a conversation we never

18 EditorialDossier had, a lesson we did not learn, a friend we did not make.

More than two millennia ago, Plato had Socrates saying that if he was wiser than someone else, it was because ‘what I do not know I do not think I know either’. Centuries of scholarship have been based on the principle that humans are distinctive because of our capacity to learn, and that we still have a long way to go. But having created the tools to share and learn knowledge in a way unimaginable even decades ago, we are confused instead of enlightened. And demagogues celebrate and exploit our ignorance: we are first encouraged to build mental barriers, and then physical barriers.

We have the tools – biological and technological – to challenge this. Buried somewhere inside us, we have the hunger to know what we do not know; we have the humanity that seeks to understand those who are unfamiliar to us.

We can challenge our ignorance; we can explore each other; we can be more.

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Fred Abrahams is associate program director at Human Rights Watch where he trains research staff and supervises work on technology, conflicts and refugees. He has documented human rights and laws-of- war violations in places such as Albania, Bangladesh, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Sri Lanka, and Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. He co-authored A Village Destroyed: War Crimes in Kosovo and wrote Modern Albania: From Dictatorship to Democracy in Europe.

INTERVIEW, EXCLUSIVELY FOR “THE BRIDGE” Fred Abrahams: The collapse of communism and the tragedy of ethno-wars

You have had a long experience in our with the rules of the game when the allows for power-holders to amass In the formal school setting, one region. Which where, according to you, game gets nasty, meaning the laws great strength with consequences of critical task is to avoid reification the most salient aspects in terms of of war. And in former Yugoslavia, life and death. of national myths, in which the Human Rights? the conduct was brutal; I don’t need The third phase that we see now, heroes (men) and values of a to list the atrocities that all sides post-communist, post-war transition country are hoisted above the needs F. Abrahams: My engagement in committed. Courts are still trying has inherited the maladies of the and aspirations of others. The false the Balkans touched two eras, which to address those crimes and societies phases that came before. fantasies on which kitsch poems are of course overlap and interact. The in all places are struggling with the written and banal ballads are sung. first was the fall of the communist abominations that got committed How does the education with the Instead, we could teach children system, the collapse of rigid and against them and in their name. values of Human Rights contribute about joint human endeavours and powerful party-states. The second Of course, the two eras are related. in overcoming national and ethnic the movements the bind us. That was the violence, turmoil and tragedy The lack of independent institutions tensions and conflicts? doesn’t mean to avoid or degrade of the ethno-driven wars. In both national history but to place them cases, I focused primarily on the in the context of a larger stage. southern Balkans, and in particular We can go deeper not pointing to a concrete human right Human rights offers one framework Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. for that because it addresses the For the first, the human rights that is enshrined in international documents but to a inalienable rights that we all have, themes that stood out were often loftier aspiration: to live free from fear. regardless of what side of a border the classic civil and political rights: we call home. These rights respect freedom of speech and assembly, autonomy and independence on the right to due process and a helped nationalist manipulators rise F. Abrahams: From schools to the one hand and universality on fair trial, the ban on torture and to power and drive to war. A people society. What we teach children the other, and I believe that children inhumane treatment in prison. More not used to living without fear, being in the classroom can deescalate become wiser and societies healthier broadly, we might call it the need told who is in charge, turned to a tension, increase mutual with a lesson like that. to build independent institutions, new formula: venom towards the understanding and bridge divisions. such as media, the judiciary and other. But it does not suffice on its own. With regards to certain nationalisms police, which serve the public Common themes emerge, too. The Or maybe we need to widen the in the Balkans, Jacques Rupnik said rather than the party in power. But main connector is probably the definition of education to include that they claim for a French idea of we can go deeper than that, not absence of checks and controls on what we teach children – by the state, i.e. a political-juridical idea pointing to a concrete human right power. Those with their hands on showing and doing – in the family, of the state, in which all citizens were that is enshrined in international the levers pull and push them as they our social circles, and in the public equal, no matter what their ethnic documents but to a loftier aspiration: wish without consent or review by sphere because they are constantly identities, while on the other hand, to live free from fear. the affected. A lack of transparency watching and absorbing how adults they have a German idea of the nation, For the second, we dealt mostly and accountability in war and peace behave. i.e. an ethnic-cultural one. How does

20 ArsDossierEditorial Poetica the Human Rights system of values What is your opinion about the present and can easily be stoked. My pressure on Hungary and Poland, tackle this divide between universalism situation of Human Rights in the stomach turns when I see convicted for example, for violating democratic and particularism in reality? Balkans? war criminals get released from norms and the rule of law. And we’ve prison and feted as heroes by seen inspired action by young people F. Abrahams: The international F. Abrahams: I have not conducted governments today. That’s a message who demand action around the human rights system falls squarely investigations lately to understand the to children! And local courts climate threat.But the over-arching on universality while, as mentioned nuance, and my reporting was always prosecuting war crimes have been trends require urgent attention. above, respecting particularism. based on that. But the view from a slow and ineffective, and going after Populist parties gained strength in That is, an over-arching right that we distance leaves me deeply disturbed. the smallest fish. the European Parliament, where they all enjoy is the right to be ourselves Another commonality is abuse can push their xenophobic agenda. (within the limits of harming others). Of course each country has its own against women, who suffer from In many European countries, we saw Different states and regions have dynamics but a few troubling trends domestic violence and discrimination rising discrimination and violence different interpretations of course, emerge, for instance the common with inadequate interventions and against minorities with inadequate and there’s room for that if the debate fragility of institutions as checks policies by the state. responses by the state. As we honor is transparent and sincere. Europe’s on power, or put another way, the The international context adds the 75 anniversary of the liberation

interpretation of free speech, for politicization of the bodies that a dangerous layer. Geopolitical of Auschwitz we are witnessing anti- instance, is more restrictive than that should stand on their own. Across the relations are obviously changing with Semitism at post-war peaks. And in the United States, where Nazis are region, we’re seeing leaders who work Europe, the U.S., Russia, Turkey, of course Europe has not found a allowed to protest and publish. to undermine these institutions, China in the mix. At a geographic humane and orderly way to manage In the Balkans, the ethno-character of viewing power as an opportunity and political crossroads, the Balkans migration, choosing instead to block rights implementation is sometimes to steal rather than an obligation to are vulnerable to instability as the arrivals and outsource responsibility ingrained in law; I’m thinking of serve. tectonic plates shift. Low trust to other countries, such as Libya Bosnia as one example where roughly The media deserves special mention in political leaders, high levels of where migrants and asylum seekers 12 percent of the population cannot here, with a concerted effort to corruption, weak institutions and are routinely detained, abused and run for president or parliament defang effective, independent ethnic animosity make a calamitous killed. because of their religion, ethnicity, journalism – the kind that asks cocktail. The rifts within the EU are or where they live (despite a ruling tough questions and holds leaders preventing it from pursuing a condemning this by the European to account. The courts stand out as And what is your opinion about their coherent rights-respecting strategy in Court of Human Rights). But in well, with prosecutors and judges situation in Europe? the Balkans. The record of promoting many places it’s not the law itself but who are bought or pressured to serve rights in the region is mixed but the implementation of the law, or the interests above the law. F. Abrahams: We saw some divisions that exist, and appear set corruption that corrodes the law. Meanwhile, the anger and hopeful signs over the past year. to grow, will likely make this record resentment from the wars remain, The European Union applied more worse.

21 EditorialLoc-alia Amila Kahrović Posavljak was born in Sarajevo, 1984. She survived three and a half years of siege as a child and it made a huge impact on her work. She graduated at the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo and got a degree Master of sciences in literature history. She worked as a political journalist but then left journalist engagement in order to start writing literature. She published poetry book Koščice (Little Bones) in 2016, and got a prestigious regional Mak Dizdar award. Her first novel Smrtova djeca (Deaths children) was published in 2017, got award Excellence in Literature (USA) and is now being translated into English. She also wrote papers in literary theory and interpretations in publications indexed in approved scientific basis. Amila Kahrović Posavljak lives and works in Sarajevo.

Is there literature Nobel Prize after Handke? By Amila Kahrović Posavljak

Delivering Nobel Prize to than one fact becomes clear. His and the specificity of human conformists. Peter Handke sparked a lot of literature got a horrible climax in experiences’’ in standing against Awarding Handke is awarding the controversies. The decision itself defending a genocide ideology. Even Western centers of power by ideology it follows. If it is argued raised some questions that seemed before that phase, Handke’s writing adoring the Balkan’s butcher that he got the reward for his opus to be forgotten in contemporary was turning sort of pop-literature Slobodan Milošević who left few rather than one book that is even Europe and what is severely known framed in a false anti-establishment hundreds of thousands of dead more wrong. His opus contains as Western world. Again, it opened attitude. Why false? For a very civilians after him? Let’s face the some good (and good is not an a field of questioning relations simple fact. facts. It is not an anti-imperial excellent) literature from his early between literature canon and attitude to stand with the genocide phases. And there is also some not politics, aesthetics and genocide In the early ‘90s, Handke took ideologists and performers and later so good literature. In the second denial. What is good literature and a stand with performers and deny genocide. It rather takes the phase, his writings became a cheap who will determine what good ideologists of the first genocide side of one establishment against pamphlet. That sort of Handke’s literature is? ‘’literature’’ is especially obvious in his writings after traveling the The specificity of genocide denial It is not an anti-imperial attitude to stand with the entity Republic of Srpska and Handke has been rewarded for his taking pictures on sites of genocide, writings and ‘’for an influential genocide ideologists and performers and later deny Srebrenica and Vishegrad in a time work that with linguistic ingenuity genocide. It rather takes the side of one establishment when international investigators has explored the periphery and the were searching for mass graves specificity of human experiences’’. against the other, in this case taking the side of a genocide with almost nine thousand killed In defending its shameful decision establishment against the Western one. That is the point Srebrenica Muslim boys and men. Handke’s opinion mates announced And his attitude has not stopped that he is rewarded only for his where a lot of anti-establishment stars prove themselves to there. He denied genocide, approved literature. Really? So, what is its results and moved on with beautiful in Handke’s literature be pure conformists. dehumanizing victims such as or what are periphery and the Mothers of Srebrenica. Instead of specificity of human experience? engaging literature, he offered us Even writers who reacted stated that in Europe after World War II. the other, in this case taking the side Great Serbia advocacy and genocide Handke wrote some good literature Why? It was a cheap sort of anti- of a genocide establishment against denial activism. Is that ‘’periphery’’ and then, all of a sudden, turned establishment, anti-Western and the Western one. That is the point Swedish Academia admires so into the devil. Well, if Handke’s anti-imperial attitude. where a lot of anti-establishment much? And after all, a writer whose literature has been seriously read, So, what is ‘’exploring periphery stars prove themselves to be pure literature can be divided into phases

22 EditorialLoc-alia failed to prosecute him and after normalized way and putting them Instead of engaging literature, he offered us Great Serbia all gave his apologist the greatest into the mainstream. And who literary award that will guarantee actually has the right to do that, advocacy and genocide denial activism. Is that ‘’periphery’’ his place in literature and academy even in the name of exploring Swedish Academia admires so much? canon. As a part of the canon, ‘’periphery’’ by admiring people Handke will be able to speak his such as Slobodan Milošević and ‘’alternative truth’’ in which nine Milan Lukić? of pre and after adoring Milošević is than the actual truth of genocide thousand men and boys murdered simply a failure. victims and after all International in Srebrenica genocide are simply So, the question for Academia: who So, where is aesthetics in Handke’s Criminal Tribunal for the former a conspiracy against innocent gave you the mandate to include literature? And how it is actually Yugoslavia? That sort of selection Slobodan Milošević, the guy from in the global canon something full possible to differentiate the writer could very easily be the dead-end the ‘’periphery’’ that the Swedish of cheap pamphlets and genocide from his writings? It seems that of a modern European and Western academia likes so much. That last denial? Do you know that a the old and simple mantra of the culture. phase comes at a time of massive genocide denial is a criminal act? differentiation of the writer from his genocide denial and making strong What actually makes the difference work is used to make ‘’controversial’’ Canonizing war criminal’s efforts to make ‘’all sides equal’’ between Handke and Neo-Nazis? writers acceptable. Of course, the apologists in the 90’s war although just one He proved to be verbally aggressive word ‘’controversy’’ in cases such Not simply for a rewarding as Handke’s is simply a euphemism writer such as Handke. But also for ideas close to fascist ideologies for bringing to life the ideology and genocide denial. Insisting on of Slobodan Milošević and Great What periphery do you choose to admire? The one of the the difference between a writer Serbia that has led to massive victims, or that of war criminals? and his work is simply making ethnic cleansings in the Balkans pro-fascist literature acceptable or and genocide in Bosnia and understanding the text as a result of Herzegovina. In that manner, of them performed genocide. towards families of genocide certain extra-writer inspiration, some Handke just keeps the rhythm of Rewarding Handke is, therefore, a victims and journalists. If anyone sort of epiphany. the former European establishment final point of historical revisionism. else has done such a thing, he or (isn’t it strange for an ‘’anti- And that could be the long term she would lose everything, his/her Aesthetics of genocide denial establishment’’ writer). The career would be ruined and he/ So, imagine a writer’s day in 1996 she would face criminal charges. while writing about his travels. He Unless he does that against ‘’less takes a bath in the river Drina in important’’ victims in the name of Vishegrad and takes a picture, a river ‘’periphery’’ exploring. known as the biggest mass grave in And regarding the periphery Europe (Milan Lukić and his group exploring, have you ever heard of Serbian soldiers are convicted for of Karim Zaimović? He was rapes and mass killings of Bosniaks, an amazing and unimaginable, Muslims in Vishegrad and throwing innovative Bosnian writer. He was victims in the Drina river after killed during the Sarajevo siege in sadistic torture). There was also the 1995, only 23 years old. In spite Vilina Vlas hotel, that has previously of such a short and life ended in been used as a rape camp for Bosniak tragic, he wrote some amazing women and girls some aged only real anti-establishment attitude problem for Europe because there literature and an amazing book, 12, the hotel still not clean from was present with a lot of brave is no small or big genocide. Each The Secret of Raspberry jam. You traces of rape, torture, and killings. journalists and artists who were genocide is based on the idea that should read it. That is innovative After a bath and drink the anti- warning the European leaders where some people should be killed and and resistant literature. Karim establishment writer makes notes and was killed by Serbian soldiers stories about a tremendous travel, in Sarajevo under the siege. supporting the genocide ideology The real anti-establishment attitude was present with a He was killed by soldiers your and exploring ‘’the periphery’’. Since new laureate is celebrating and the literature has been for a long time lot of brave journalists and artists who were warning the pledging that their fight was a (and someone should get Swedish European leaders where their neutrality towards ethnic matter of justice, in the name academia to know it) understood of exploring the ‘’periphery’’ as an ideological discourse in some cleansing and genocide will lead to. That European and people’s experience. That ways, where is the point of making establishment first didn’t want to stop Milošević, then ‘’periphery’’ committed and the difference between an author approved genocide. and his writings? What periphery failed to prosecute him and after all gave his apologist the While you were celebrating do you choose to admire? The greatest literary award that will guarantee his place in Handke’s literature, people were one of the victims, or that of war protesting. Mostly families of the criminals? There are more questions literature and academy canon. victims. Some of them have never to ask. How do you put this sort found the bones of their loved of essentializing and ideology-free ones. You ignored them. See, there aesthetics in what is called the post- their neutrality towards ethnic removed simply for their identity. are different types of what you truth era? Or is the post-truth era cleansing and genocide will lead to. All genocide celebration and call ‘’periphery’’. The one you take actually selected-truth era where That European establishment first denial are rooted in the same idea: stand for – that is your ethical and Handke’s ‘’truth’’ is more important didn’t want to stop Milošević, then revitalizing fascist ideologies in a intellectual ID.

23 EditorialLoc-alia

Bucharest - Ion Caramit- The first issue in Paris was addressed ru, all the way to winner by UNESCO Director-General Irina of this year's award, leg- Bokova in person, and for the first endary Portuguese actress time in history, a Balkan event has Maria do Ceu Guerra been under high patronage of the from Lisbon. French Ministry of Culture.

The most significant In addition, a considerable number event in the field of Bal- of young filmmakers had their first kan cinematography is experience with European audiences the establishment of the in Paris, and since 2014 in Berlin. SEE a Paris Film Festival The Festival has been awarding Life- in 2011, and four years time Achievement Awards since its later, SEE a Berlin Film first release: Festival, which act as a windows to the new film Grand Prix SEE Actor, so far award- achievements from all ed to Miki Manojlovic (Serbia), Balkan countries, each Meto Jovanovski (Macedonia), Mile- spring at the two centers na Zupancic (Slovenia), Emir Hadzi- of European culture. hafisbegovic (Bosnia and Herzegov- ina) Bane Popovic (Montenegro), The most important Pa- Cvetana Maneva (Bulgaria) . . . risian newspapers such as Le Monde and Telerama, Also a major event at the festival is wrote that these festivals the presentation of the legendary are true creators of the directors from South East Europe, Culture of Peace among with the Lifetime Achievement the Balkan peoples, and Award - SEE Legend, which is be- justify the definition of ing presented both in Paris and in the great Swiss writer Berlin. So far, Veljko Bulajic, Dusan Nicolas Bouvier who Makavejev, Lucian Pintile have been wrote: "The Balkans is awarded this award, and this year, THE HEART OF EU- the award went to Serbian director ROPE". Boro Draskovic.

The Southeast Europe- During the festivals days, Professor an Festival in Paris was Boro Draskovic proposed an extraor- launched by several Bal- dinary idea: Award-winning films kan cultural dreamers, from festivals in Paris and Berlin to as well as some French be screened in several cities in South- legendary figures, such east Europe that same year! This The story of the Balkanofilmophilia eratures, and after that, formation as Claude Lelouche, marked the birth of a new festival in in today's reality (cultural, political of the NETA Theater Association, Charles Aznavour, Yves Boisset, the Balkans under the name BAL- and historical) of the countries of at the beginning of 2000, when the starting a marvelous Balkan cultural KANOFILMOPHILIA !!! Southeast Europe is an urgent ne- exchanges of plays at various festi- adventure, from the Parisian cinema cessity for us all. After the fall of the vals was renewed, thus marking the L'Entrepot, and the 14th Arrondisse- The first city to start that tradition Berlin Wall in 1989, and the turning beginning of a new era of European- ment of Paris. is Novi Sad, in December 2019, as of the great ideals in all countries ization of the Balkans in the field of Boro Draskovic is one of the found- from the region into a big nightmare, culture. It was similar to the wish of Jean ers of the Novi Sad Academy of Arts, the onset of the bloody wars in for- Monnet, the father of the European and will continue through several Consequently, in 2003, the Festival mer Yugoslavia that left thousands Union, who wrote in his diary: cities in Southeast Europe: Belgrade, Actor Europe was born on the shores dead and millions more displaced. Podgorica, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, of Lake Prespa, which the European "If Europe is to be re-created, we Many Balkan, European, and world Tirana. . . Parliament declared as a Transbound- would have to start with culture! authors, from all domains, sought ary European park. Starting with the This will produce an idea - Uniting for solutions to restore the cultural In our case, we can take the same legendary Yugoslav and Serbian actor the Balkans through Europeaniza- bridges, and turn back the Balkans wording - If the Balkans is to be Ljuba Tadic, who was proclaimed tion, but based on cultural identities into a field of civilization, instead of united as a civilization field, it should Actor of Europe in 2003, a pleth- that will mark this turbulent time being captives of hatred and a desire be done under the motto: Only cul- ora of Balkan and European actors of ours, in the hope that beauty and for mutual extinction and liquida- ture can pacify the Balkans! Since conveyed the message of peace and art, even in the Balkans, will save the tion. that year, about 150 feature films, understanding, such as: Rade Šer- world! 100 documentaries, 50 animated and The first initiative of this kind was bedzija, Anastas Pop Dimitrov, Joana over 300 short films from all coun- the establishment of the Balkanika, Popovska, Dimitri Orgotska, but also (This activity is organized with the tries of Southeast Europe have been literary prize, which is awarded for big names from Paris - Marcel Boz- collaboration of Academia Balkanica screened. the best novel from all Balkan lit- zone, London - Bruce Meyers, from Europeana)

24 The GazeEditorial of the Other

Péter Krasztev ( Budapest, 1965) is a social scientist, literary historian and translator, Associate Professor at Budapest Business School (Communication Department). After receiving his Ph.D. in 1995 he published three edited volumes, one monograph on Central-East European Literary Symbolism (1995) as well as a collection of studies on film, anthropology and literature (in Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Russian). He worked as an International Expert for an EU social support project in Belgrade for two years, and in 2005 became director of the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Bratislava. Since 2015 he is a regularly invited to work as an expert for Horizon 2020 and Erasmus EC programmes. His most recent co-edited volume in English, The Hungarian Patient. Social Opposition to an Illiberal Democracy was published by CEU Press in 2015. Split societies, illiberal salvation By Péter Krasztev

Viktor Orbán first announced “illiberal norm-defying politicians have violated capitalism. They consider the Fidesz their midst. democracy” in June 2014. By then, the accepted “liberal consensus” regime a brand of “authoritarian public discourse was using liberal and that characterized the bipartisan illiberalism” that uses nationalist Perhaps the association first strikes liberalism as slurs, synonymous with political sphere since 1989, and their rhetoric to strengthen the position one as far-fetched, but the expression treason, godlessness, foreign agency, concentration of power had led the of the national bourgeoisie. Even “hybrid” had already appeared in a or in the more radical government economic elite into state dependency, the most permissive critiques see a similar context back in 1979, in a media used simply as a euphemism for cutting off their competitors from form of the Far-Eastern “developing book by a Russian social historian by Jewish. In intellectual and professional external support. This in turn led state” concept unfold in its étatist, the name of Alexandar Ahiezer. A circles, it was a cliché how starting to the rise of populism, and the protectionist and economy- liberal thinker all but forgotten today, from 2010, his party pursued illiberal vanquishing of political foes. centralizing pattern, all aiming to he used the same term to denote an boost international competitiveness. attitude that had since come to post- But the greatest success story of communist prominence, which he political science ideas is that of the described as follows: “besides being Of all the narratives surrounding illiberalism, perhaps “hybrid regime”, coined by American liberal, it be mainly utilitarian, and analysts Way and Levitski in 2002. variations of these themes that will be the idea of the “mafia state” is easiest to grasp. According to Hungarian politician integrated with traditionalism.” One of and sociologist András Bozóki, while the key words of his magnum opus of power has retained the decorum of a over 1000 pages is the term “splitting”, democracy, and institutions appear to notably the cleaving in two of Russian policies/ideals/actions etc. Even Pushing this argument further, we be functioning, below the surface the society at its every major historical before the 2010 power take, political come to the concept of “failing structure had been altered extensively event – accession to Christianity, philosophers and other analysts have liberalism”, represented by Ivan Krastev to serve the purposes and interests of the “difficult times” and the reforms turned out over a hundred studies, for example. According to Krastev, those in power. The elections are one of Peter the Great, the rural-urban th books and expository essays that liberal democracy has failed to deliver such “Potemkin village”, formally free, schism of the 19 Century, and the establish ideas, theories and categories on its economic promise, while but manipulated and gerrymandered Westernist (zapadnik) – traditionalist to interpret the situation at hand. If exacerbating poverty and financial Marx were right about quantitative iniquity. Those arguing for liberalism’s accumulation giving way to qualitative global crisis also add that newly shift, such a massive (over)production established institutions are inflexible The greatest success story of political science ideas is that of knowledge should have sparked a and impersonal, serving to estrange revolution ages ago. Perhaps he was people from basic democratic values. of the “hybrid regime” wrong after all. Proponents of the historical-cultural approach follow a different line of Of all the narratives surrounding argument to draw similar conclusions, using a new election law. Another is illiberalism, perhaps the idea of namely that Western-inspired liberal the Constitutional Court, Hungary’s (potshevnik) confrontation, down to the “mafia state” is easiest to grasp. institutions are left devoid of content, highest court, formally independent in the “great October tragedy”. Unlike Expounding the thesis of state with neither “Goulash communism” its rulings, but made up of members other societies, Russia has so far seen capture, this concept asserts that nor Horthyist autocracy yielding delegated by the ruling government no integrative processes emerging to ideology only serves as a blind for an enough democratic material to furnish party. Then there is the State Attorney ease these schisms. These phenomena illicit family business, whereby an them. General, nominally independent, but return in historical cycles, and authoritarian state keeps everyone a party member nonetheless; and the one might picture this as a sort of International writers are following but the padre’s inner circle away from Courts of Law, which are overseen by a Mendeleev-table, where future cells their lead, often citing nationalist- economic resources. Others blame government agency; the public media, are still left empty, but their main antisemitic history and its perceived the “treachery of the elites” for the which is an instrument of licentious characteristics are already predictable, return in illiberal populism’s rise to decline in democracy. Jaques Rupnik propaganda… It is not my ambition and in hindsight – as the related quote success. System-critical anti-capitalists and others in the same vein argued to compile a complete list of criminal illustrates – these predictions turn out however attribute the triumph of the “political polarization”, which – charges here, it suffices to be living in grossly simplified – asserts that rogue illiberalism to the crisis of global Page 24

25 The GazeEditorial of the Other

Page 23 According to Harari, liberalism thrives begun to introduce: an authoritarian has embodied the nation’s true self, in the myth of rationality, whereas we hierarchy based on vast concentrations we have come to be united at last, we accurate. This same logic would permit human beings, physiologically, down and control of wealth; order based are fulfilling our historic mission, a the predicted, if obviously unnamed, to our neurons, are fundamentally on fear, intimidation, and obedience; wake-up call to Europe, etc.) is far less authoritarian hybrid system of Putin’s irrational creatures. “Referendums a broken government; no balance surprising than the title, which appears another year or two. The manuscript and elections aren’t about rationality, of power; priorities shifted from the to be a message directly to Ahiezer, was confiscated by the KGB in 1982, they’re about emotions,” he affirms, public sector to the corporate and dead ten years and all but unknown but the author spent another eight and it follows that those who aspire military sectors; responsibility shifted in his homeland. Later in the years on its reconstruction, so it could to power have only to provide what from society to the individual; control manifesto there are multiple allusions finally be published in 1991. we along with Lakoff may call the of elections through control of who to Russian history, admittedly in a votes and how the votes are counted; special interpretation, but following control of ideas through the media; the pattern of Ahiezer’s cycles. Surkov and patriarchal family values.” This neglects to mention the historian While power has retained the decorum of a democracy, was published in 2008, whereas Fidesz by name, but neither does he cite came to power in 2010. And I am Harari or Lakoff when turning their and institutions appear to be functioning, below the quoting Harari as, among other things, arguments against liberalism as the he is one of Orbán’s favorite authors, symbol of the West. He takes careful surface the structure had been altered extensively to and according to inside sources, the note that Western analysts’ fury at the prime minister has requested his mystifying and paranormal behavior serve the purposes and interests of those in power. personal consultation. He seems to be of Russian voters, something that following the script closely in his work. they attribute to populism, for their

A dedicated liberal scientist till the end, “antidemocratic” side with a coherent Ahiezer was called on for my own story narrative. Irrespective of whether only considering how he drew a precise the narrative is factually true or not, This puts the whole issue in a different dimension, distinction between tradition and people will regurgitate the newly heritage, despite the fact that nobody restructured fairytale as their own, be namely why it was specifically in the three most socially was discussing trend patterns or memes that a narrative of Garden Hungary, back then. Immediately, this puts the Ferryboat Hungary, Bridge Hungary divided European countries that illiberalism prevails: in whole issue in a different dimension, etc. There are plenty of authors whose namely why it was specifically in the visions we can cherry-pick, and in the Hungary, Turkey and Russia. three most socially divided European age of post-truth, anything goes, that countries that illiberalism prevails: in is, anything can be called into motion Hungary, Turkey and Russia. Wherever as a truth. We can of course scorn our the idea of empire (and let’s not even fellow citizens for their mythomania Perhaps it might considerably benefit lack of a better word. Yet they should begin to contemplate its reality in of turul-flying Central Asian “ethnic the democratic side to pay at least accept that gradually and in a growing our particular case) has such a strong kinship”, runic Hungarian road signs, half as much attention to their ideas, number of countries, this is and will be distorting effect on self-image as to and fantasies of national unity; yet we as is reciprocated. And let’s just drop the norm in voters’ behavior. The term actually obstruct coming to terms with too are nothing if not believers: in the that old line of how it’s “our side” that paranormal is a careful choice, and is the past, there a well-tuned “politics not placed in quotes: the paranormal of memory” can always be used to indicates something beyond mere emotionally manipulate the majority In the age of post-truth, anything goes, that is, anything voter irrationality, and points toward toward any desired aim. And yes, all of the occult, namely the mystical the political scientists’ half-truths are can be called into motion as a truth. spiritual fellowship known in Russian indeed correct and on the mark, the as sobornost, which has been a central process does require bad politicians, ideological pillar of Russian thought for an ineffectively communicating and centuries. I can almost see this unique purportedly liberal elite, an increase in rationality of the Enlightenment, with produces knowledge. It may well be brand of spirituality flooding forth from social inequality; but all this has only entirely counterfactual views regarding so, but it is still “their side” reaping the Russia, much as the ideas and practice scant bearing on affect, desires, dreams, our own rationality. As Lakoff asserts, benefits. of international proletariat revolution and fears. “The proper emotions are rational”, so had back in the day. I can all but feel we tend to have a hard time dealing While they all appear to follow a how the KGB-affiliated International In a culturally divided country, we with this. Yet even in 1979, Ahiezer similar logic, it is hard to track the Investment Bank associates, with their have two of everything: two academies cautioned: “One mustn’t forget, that extent to which these authoritarian diplomatic immunity, will also stand for of the arts, two writer’s guilds, two in terms of aggregate human history, regimes borrow from one another or this mentality… respective associations of jazz music liberal values are but a thin veneer merely share common typological and theater, even two distinct civil of ice cover over the deep waters features. Hailed as Putin’s own It would be nice to bring this narrative societies: “ours” and “theirs”. Living of traditionalism.” This is indeed a here, I might as well interpret the notable piece of intuitive insight: the words of cognitive psychologist and ice has given way under us, and as Progressives have, without knowing why, given linguist George Lakoff, originally ideologists trawl the depths for new pertaining to the US: “The divide is narratives, or as Harari puts it, “the conservatives an enormous advantage in the culture war located in our brains - in the ways vacuum left by liberalism’s collapse Americans understand the world. is slowly being filled with nostalgic There we find two competing modes fantasies of a national golden age”. of thought that lead to contradictory Rasputin, Russian politician and to an optimistic and reassuring ways of governing our country, one Since political struggle is no longer businessman Vladislav Surkov is conclusion. Maybe by quoting fundamentally democratic and one about competing programs and known for postmodern, or rather post- Lincoln, “You can fool all the people fundamentally antidemocratic.” It visions but a matter of competing truth political disinformation, and some of the time, and some of the may sound eerily essentialist, but even for human brains, democracy is on has published his manifesto this year people all the time, but you cannot one of the freest thinkers in the world, a losing streak. “Yet progressives in February called Putin’s Long State. fool all the people all the time.” And historian Yuval Harari encourages have, without knowing why, given All the textual overlap with Orbán’s yet in post-truth times, this notion us to revise liberalism, giving clear conservatives an enormous advantage typical speech rhetoric (e.g. we have may be appealing, but it no longer indication of where it has lost its in the culture war. The radical rid ourselves of the worrisome weight rings true. allure and efficiency in casual politics. conservatives seek and have already of the failing West, this government

26 OurEditorialDossier essay

Ardian-Christian Kyçyku / Kuciuk, is a writer in Albanian and Romanian, born on the 23rd of August 1969, Pogradec, Albania, author of more than 50 original books (novels, short stories, theater, scenarios, scientific studies, essays, antologies, translations). Doctor in Comparative and Universal Literature, university Professor. Rector of the Romanian University of Science and Arts “Gheorghe Cristea” – Bucharest. Since 1998 he is co-founder and co-director of European Review “Haemus”, which has an archive of over 7.500 pages. Founding member of the Albanian Cultural Association “Haemus” and of Haemus Institut – Balkan Studies. National Literary Prize of Albania “Silver Pen”, Tirana 2013; Honorary Citizen of Pogradec 2014; Kult Academy Prize “The best book / The best author”, Tirana 2015 and 2018; Prize II „Katarina Josip” for Albanian Original Drama, Prishtina 2016; Grand Prix at Très Court International Film Festival – Cluj- Napoca 2017; Ambassador of the Nation, Tirana 2019. Photo credit: Iulia Enkelana The Uneaten Pages By Ardian-Christian Kyçyku

Some people have survived by your children will find by majority written by man, did force almost as powerful as the eating paper. Even authors have themselves, but not books like nothing harmful but to teach the political. Why hadn’t the state to eat paper sometimes. Their these…” younger generations how this banned bread, for instance? predecessor must have been that planet has been destroyed, how a anonymous monk who used to Books must be treasured. The sense of nobility is being lost, and The heir crossed the border easily, write with his right hand and father had gone hungry in order especially how a man’s soul has but he didn’t enter the waters of eat with his left hand. They say to buy those books. The son become empty, for sale. the neighbouring state yet. To us, that one prophetic morning he inheriting them hasn’t the slightest he was now an enemy of the people realized he had eaten everything idea that around the end of the Trembling, the son grabbed a and to them, a potential secret he had written. What had really 1950s, the Stalinist regime in fishing boat, filled it with the books agent. happened inside his body? For the Tirana banned numerous books, he had inherited, and set out to monk, what was the meaning of He paused in the neutral waters. the act of writing, being a writer, If he turned back, punishment Those books, like the majority written by man, did nothing immortality, and his potential awaited, but if he kept going, the readers? Maybe he had found some harmful but to teach the younger generations how this planet has neighbours would torture him fundamental answers which he had been destroyed, how a sense of nobility is being lost, and especially until he accepted their “fiction”, eaten, in rage, in hunger, by virtue how a man’s soul has become empty, for sale. that is until he pledged – thanks of habit, or because there was to a beating – that he really was a nothing else to do. special agent of the state security most of them masterpieces, written cross the border in Lake Ohrid. At service, an agent with a mission to A few hundred years later, in my by Albanian or foreign writers. first, no one noticed his absence. send books in the mother tongue native Albania, the monk has Some people who owned these He was so insignificant that there to our co-nationals who are slowly been reincarnated into another volumes, those who couldn’t bear was no reason to miss him! But forgetting their language and anonymous being. This slave to the to surrender their copies to the in the meantime, he had begun customs. The neighbours always lord was a poor man, the son of special collection points where they to sense a certain value to the knew that the code of an extremely another poor and anonymous man, would be turned into cardboard, or books: The government wouldn’t dangerous spy network could yet he inherited a bookcase from who couldn’t bring themselves to have banned them, if they hadn’t be hidden within a sentence, a his father. His father’s dying words burn the books in their backyards, contained something hidden that metaphor, a description of nature were: instead buried them underground, might outlive the life of the regime, or the weather, an event of joy or thereby risking severe punishment. if they didn’t focus attention sadness. “Money, poverty and life, these Just think, those books, like the between the fronts in power, a Page 26

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Page 27 and other elements, or if it remains whose work he could eat, but he often humiliating imagination. on paper? didn’t curse those whose works Nevertheless, the art of writing made you go hungry. Thankfully seemed to be not only more Now, as he waited, the books The frontier guards of the two there were not many of the latter. human, but also more powerful, could be read, with the attention countries had encircled the fugitive Nonetheless, after a while, the because strength comes not from given to an anthology, as very few who had inherited the books, and book-eater felt obliged to eat having, but from choosing. So, books have ever been read, and they were waiting. They could not some of his favourite pages too. I chose the author of the little as only some specialized readers volume from the neutral waters; could have read them. The fugitive I gave him a name that sounded remained in neutral waters. Never To us, he was now an enemy of the people and to them, like a nickname (Iko - runaway); before had he been more in his I gave him newspapers and books own waters. He started to read, in a potential secret agent. to eat which deserved to be eaten, order to forget his hunger and his but also some secret files covering worries, but also to understand shoot him, because then everyone Desperate now, but not entirely half a century; and I left him to why his father was so fond of these would know that neither regime hopeless, he kept some paragraphs, confront the cruel border guards, paper bricks. He read only during – steeped in a bloody ideological and then just a sentence, a word, who did not know how to predict the daylight because as night fell, confrontation - was democratic and some punctuation marks, the gaps fate, in a play written between the he had no light to read by. He that each was seriously violating between words or letters. Then, waters that join and divide two read, and he waited, for us or the fundamental human rights, such in the boat, he discovered a little Balkan literatures. neighbours to make the first move.

as the right to stay in neutral thin book, without a title (or with waters, to read and eat books. another book’s title), wearing the After that I started eating But he didn’t want to faint from Meanwhile the fugitive faced a cover of another book, with the fragments from the story. When hunger, so he had to eat. The universal dilemma: Which was the name of another author, or without I was full, I read what I hadn’t books. At first, he tore off and ate last page he should eat? And by an author’s name. Now is the been able to eat. I promise that I the plain pages, which had no text. which author? What topic should moment to ask ourselves seriously: couldn’t eat any more pages; that But soon he reached pages with he eat? He had enjoyed reading Is this fugitive and border crosser I couldn’t save anything but the text. Only now he became a sort some of the pages enormously. the Reader or the Author? strapline under the title, “Book of literary critic, selecting which He had a brilliant idea: Select his – Fragments of life and letters, pages he would spare and which he favourite pages, tear them out of How could such a writer or inspired by the Theatre”; and that would transform into faeces. What the book very carefully, as if they reader escape Balkan frontier nothing threatened my existence, should be eaten: Mature fragments, were children’s skin, gather and guards between the 1950s and except Death. or annexes? When does a literary order them carefully, and then 1990s? Particularly after World message have a long life: After it eat all the other pages. While he War II, when it became clear Translated by Luminiţa Tărchilă is digested by the body’s chemicals ate them, he blessed the authors that reality had an endless and

28 EditorialLoc-alia

Staff Address: Ethical Board Bashkim Shehu (editor-in-chief) Rr. Gjik Kuqali, P. 2, Sh. 2, Ap. 4, Sonja Biserko Skënder Minxhozi (editor) Tirana, Albania Ana Blandiana e-mail: Ismail Kadare Aida Kumi (graphic designer) [email protected] Ivan Krastev Granit Gjana (webmaster) www.bridge-magazine.net Adam Michnik

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