Nenad Pejic: “Emir Kusturica – political ignoramus”

After the meeting with Lukashenka the Serbian film maker one remembered about his support of Slobodan Milošević.

Deputy Director of Radio “Freedom”/ “Free Europe” Nenad Pejic shared his thoughts in connection with yesterday’s statements of a well-known film maker Emir Kusturica in Minsk.

-- Tell us, how the public life of Kusturica is perceived in Serbia and, on the whole, at the territory of the former Yugoslavia. Let’s start from his conversion to the orthodoxy in 2005. Is it an often step for people with Muslim roots to accept orthodoxy in the former Yugoslavia?

-- In truth it is a very rare practice. Very rare. And Kusturica – is one of the few people who did it publicly. I know him very well. He – is a genius as regards the film art. But as regards politics – he is a precise opposite to genius.

He - is one of those who supported Milošević, a person, who was responsible for unleashing war and the defeat in that war. At present Kusturica supports radical nationalists in Serbia. They often visit him at his personal ranch in the South of Serbia. Local people protest against Kusturica, they say that he occupied their land without their consent.

As far as the perception of Kusturica by radical nationalist circles, for them he is someone like a hero. For people who think otherwise, he is just a political ignoramus.

-- You said that Kusturica had supported Milošević. Did he make public statements on this account?

-- Many times.

-- What political views does Kusturica have now? Is it true that he still regrets about the collapse of Yugoslavia?

-- I think, yes, though I can’t say for sure. Many people regret for the collapse of Yugoslavia, for different reasons. Kusturica is part of radical nationalist movement in Serbia. He participates in meetings, he makes public statements in their benefit, he meets with leading Serbian nationalists. So from the political view point – he is a Serbian nationalist.

-- How would you comment the statement made by Kusturica yesterday in Minsk during his meeting with Alyaksandr Lukashenka? Kusturica said, that Belarus is the only country which did not let international corporations take away its national property…

-- Emir, most likely, had some personal interest, if he said so.