Three-finger salute (Serbian)

The three-finger salute ( _sr. три пpcтa or tri prsta) is a salute with the thumb, index, and middle fingers open used by some Serbs.

Meanings of the salute

Salute is first represented on Paja Jovanović's painting Takovo Uprising. The picture represents folk Prince Miloš Obrenović, founder of the House of Obrenović pledging the oath in front of the people and saying the legendary words: "Here I am and here you are: War to the Turks!". On the painting Miloš is saluting to Serbs with three fingers. [ [http://www.pressonline.rs/page/stories/sr.html?view=story&id=44595&sectionId=33] .] This act started Second Serbian Uprising against Ottomans.

One popular theory of the origin of the salute is the way Orthodox Serbs cross, with the three fingers (which is associated with the Christian Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). There is a statement often used by many Serbs : "Nema krsta bez tri prsta" (English: "There is no cross without three fingers"). [ [http://www.ceu.hu/nation/theses/hajdinjak0001.pdf Hajdinjak, Marko. (2000) Yugoslavia - Dismantled and Plundered] .] [ [http://www.un.org/icty/transe1/960531ed.htm 1 THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL CASE NO. IT-94-1-T] ] .

Members of Serbian Renewal Movement political party, say that it was popularized by Vuk Drašković during street demonstrations in March, 1991 in Belgrade, where the three fingers represented the three demands that the Serbian Renewal Movement has put before the government. [ [http://www.b92.net/specijal/predsednicki-izbori/tekstovi.php?nav_id=71688 Tri Srbije?] . B92 Editorial. 10 October 2002.] "- Lepo ste se toga setili! Podignuta tri prsta jesu simbol koji je u masovnu upotrebu uveo Vuk Drašković na mitingu u Beogradu 13. marta 1991. godine. Tada je SPO imala tri zahteva, a jedan od njih je bio da se puste svi pohapšeni 9. marta. To je bio naš simbol borbe za promene, a iako je trebalo dosta vremena da se taj simbol prihvati, očigledno je da je uspelo. I kada ga danas koriste radikali, nemam ništa protiv - kaže Srećković.". Three fingers are a symbol that was introduced by Vuk Drašković during demonstrations in Belgrade on 13 March 1991. Serbian Renewal Movement had three demands, and one of them was to release all people arrested for 9 March. That was our symbol of fight for change, although it took a lot of time for that symbol to be adopted it is clearly now adopted. I don't mind Serbian Radicals using it today" - says Srećković. [http://www.kurir-info.co.yu/Arhiva/2006/novembar/11/V-04-11112006.shtml] from Kurir] However there are other meanings of the salute and it is also used by some political opponents of the Serbian Renewal Movement. ["Ni supruga lidera SPO, Danica Drašković, nije bila ništa manje zatečena radikalskim preokretom.Najpre je kroz osmeh konstatovala: "Neka, neka, uskoro će početi i da uzvikuju i "svi, svi, svi", pa dodala da "nema ništa protiv toga da i radikali mašu sa tri prsta"." -- "The wife of SPO's leader, Danica Drašković, was not less surprised by the Radical's turnaround (usage of salute). She firstly said: "That's alright, everybody will soon start shouting "all, all, all" and said that she "doesn't mind that the Radicals use three fingers salute". [http://www.kurir-info.co.yu/Arhiva/2006/novembar/11/V-04-11112006.shtml] from Kurir] Srđan Srećković, a vice-president of the Serbian Renewal Movement, said in an interview to Kurir that it can also symbolize "one finger for St. Sava, other finger for for Njegoš, and third finger for Karađorđe." [ [http://www.kurir-info.co.yu/Arhiva/2006/novembar/11/V-04-11112006.shtml] from Kurir]

In Republic of Serbian Krajina salute was popularized by Jovan Rašković. His daughter Sanda said that he never gave explanation for using it.

Usage

Serbian three-finger salute was often used as a nationalist sign before and during the Yugoslav wars and it was often flashed by Serbian soldiers during their military operations. Croats, Bosniaks and Albanians widely used the V sign as a victory/defiance sign. This was brought about as a reaction to the Serbian three finger salute often raised by the Serbs.

During the wars, Slobodan Milošević, his party comrades and supporters have not used the salute. In contrast, it was widely used on the demonstrations organized by the opposition during 90's.

Three finger salute was widely used by unionists in Montenegro, during their rallies before Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006.

Today in Serbia it can be most often seen by some sport fans and even some players themselves when celebrating sport victories. When winning the European basketball championship in 1995, the entire Yugoslav national team displayed the three fingers. Sasha Djordjevic says why he flashed the three fingers "not to be provocative. Just: That's Serbia, that's us, that's me - nothing else. It's my pride. " [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/events/1996/olympics/storyolympic/yuhoops.html Prisoners of War] by Sports Illustrated] After Serbia and Montenegro won the World Championship in water polo in the 2005, team captain Vladimir Vujasinović stated "thank you for being there for us in hard times, you gave us the strength to go all the way and win the gold medal. I am proud of you, my country and all my people," and displayed the traditional three-finger Serbian salute. [ [http://www.mfa.gov.yu/FDP/reuters03082005_e.html Swimming-Serbia's water polo team get heroes' welcome] by Reuters on August 2nd, 2005] . Mateja Kežman flashed three finger salute after he scored goal, which brought Serbia and Montenegro to 2006 World Cup, in decisive qualification match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belgrade. [ [http://arhiva.kurir-info.co.yu/Arhiva/2005/oktobar/13/SP-05-13102005.shtml] ]
Vlade Divac is also known to have often shown the three-finger salute after wins and scores.More recently, the best Serbian tennis player Novak Đoković often shows three-finger salute after his victories. [ [http://images.imagup.com/01/images/06/1193592578_image.jpg] ]

Also, the three finger salute is used by members and supporters of almost all Serbian political parties (excluding LDP and SPS), on their rallies during election campaigns. It can be seen at all kinds of street demonstrations, notably Kosovo is Serbia rally.

Eurovision 2007

Eurovision song contest winner, Serbian Marija Šerifović, while celebrating the maximum of 12 points that she received from Bosnian viewers displayed the three-finger salute. This has caused controversy as some Bosnian viewers have seen it as provocation. [ [http://www.sina.org.yu/magazin-vest.php?id=36528 Pincom.info: Tajni znakovi Eurosonga: Kome je Marija podigla tri prsta?] ]

2008 Summer Olympics

During Parade of nations at 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony, Serbian president Boris Tadić and Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić saluted to the Serbian Olympic Team with three fingers. Furthermore Belgrade tabloid "PRESS" (owned by Dragan Djilas, member of Tadic's Democratic Party) scandalously altered Reuters original photo of U.S. President George W. Bush, to make him look like he is saluting the Serbian Olympic Team with three fingers. [http://www.pressonline.rs/page/stories/sr.html?view=story&id=43897&sectionId=37]

Connotations

Rade Leskovac, president of the Party of Danube Serbs, Serbian minority party in Croatia, caused a controversy in 2007 when election posters featured him giving a nationalist Serbian three-fingered salute were posted around the city of Vukovar. [http://www.rtv.co.yu/sr/vesti/politika/balkan/2007_11_16/vest_40710.jsp]

References