Ummm...What?!

How exactly can this have happened?

Jailed former President Slobodan Milosevic and another U.N. war crimes suspect won seats in Serbia's parliament as an extreme nationalist party swept weekend elections, according to results released Monday.

Did I miss something here? Is the man not currently in prison before the Hague awaiting trial on War Crimes charges?

And what of this:

Milosevic...can't attend parliamentary sessions, but [his party] can still decide to award [him a seat] when the new parliament convenes in January.

"It would be symbolic for Milosevic to get a seat in the parliament," said his party deputy, Ivica Dacic. "We'll talk to Milosevic about it, and we'll see if he wants it."

Ah, so now we're back to 'awarding' seats of government, hmm?

Giving their political system the benefit of the doubt as far as corruption is concerned (which, given past events, I should not do), it still remains to point out the severe dangers inherent in voting for a political party, rather than voting for individuals. The Parliamentary system here in Canada works in a similar way: you vote for a local representative, and he or she in turn votes for the party leader - beyond that they really have little input into the way government functions, unless they're in the Cabinet. Basically, you are really voting for a body with a political party name attached, rather than a person whose issues and stands are on display.

To be honest, I'm still confused as to what is happening in Serbia, and I may have royally misinterpreted events...but Good Lord in Heaven, people! What's going on?!
-- posted by Austin @ 3:17 PM (PermaLink/Comment) ¶