HERCEG NOVI: Effigy of Andrej Nikolaidis Burned; He Says Damage Done to the City That Burns a Writer

(Patria) - Television Herceg Novi broadcast live the "burning process" of an effigy depicting writer and analyst Andrej Nikolaidis, and besides visitors and participants, the television audience could hear personal insults, nationalist and chauvinistic obsessive remarks, such as have never been uttered at the Herceg Novi carnival before, reports Pobjeda.me.

Although sharp words and satire are expected at carnival festivities, in the so-called "indictment" in Herceg Novi it was said that Nikolaidis "deserved" punishment because "this executioner's apprentice, pro-Greek Grk, is a representative of contemporary 'fecal Montenegrin literature'." In addition to the fascist characterization of the person, the "prosecutor" extended the insults not only to Nikolaidis but also to a part of Montenegrin society.

"He multiplied the dose of stench to draw attention to himself. While some write with ink, he writes with his own diarrhea, founding a creative writing workshop in his homeland," said the self-proclaimed carnival prosecutor.

We will not relay further insults. Below we bring the reaction of Andrej Nikolaidis.

"People will gather, and they will read something that is insulting to me, and everyone will laugh, and then they will burn the effigy, and everyone will perhaps feel better for a full 15 seconds, and then they will all face the problems they have, and I will continue to live as I live and, of course, write as I write.

Because does anyone really think that I will change anything in the way I write after this? No, I can only be sharper. I react badly to pressure. I am not a person who should be pressured. Whatever bothers you about me, when you pressure me, there will be even more of it. And I promise them that.

I have no problem with them burning my effigy, and I think carnival festivities function as a kind of catharsis. To simplify, they will burn me at the carnival so they don't burn me in real life, and that's good, that's a much better option.
However, since I have never been in a decision-making position, I have never had the opportunity to do any harm to the citizens of Herceg Novi, even if I had wanted to, and I absolutely did not.

One could speak of a kind of cowardice on the part of the organizers, who, obviously having a problem choosing one of the politicians, and not wanting to offend any of them, chose me, who can do nothing to them, unlike the politicians.

Another thing, I am a writer. It is a very bad message for a community when you burn a writer. And if there had been someone among the people making decisions, regardless of the degree of animosity towards someone, which is insane, if there had been someone rational, they would have said don't do it, because we will do more harm to ourselves than this public burning and public humiliation of Nikolaidis will benefit us.

It is possible that the message about burning an opposition journalist is even worse than the message about burning a writer. So I think the people who did this did not do good for Herceg Novi. They did me no harm. So, on a deeply cynical level, you know what this means for me? Three statements from international PEN and at least three more translations. I am deeply grateful for them doing that. I have no harm, but they have done harm to the city of Herceg Novi."