Actress Mirjana Karanović told N1 that societal change is essential and fundamental to human existence. “Every change is a step forward, even when it seems like a step back. I believe what is happening now is leading toward some change. What happens afterward depends on people and circumstances. But no government should rely on violence to remain in power. The previous government lost the elections, handed over power, and left. That is how it should be,” she said.
Reflecting on the 1990s, Karanović noted that Serbia lived under a regime that disregarded its citizens: “For ten years we lived under Slobodan Milošević’s regime, which ignored the needs of the people, seized and looted property, and forced people into battles even though Serbia was officially not at war. Many people have completely forgotten those years.”
She emphasized the importance of societal awareness and the desire for change: “Today, we are in a similar process. What matters is that change is happening. Change is the key to any development. People change daily, and societies evolve. The goal of any authoritarian government is to keep everything the same forever, which is unnatural.”
Karanović also criticized elections marred by violence and threats, stressing that free elections should allow governments to change regularly, introducing new people committed to societal improvement: “We do not have a government that genuinely works for the betterment of society, even if they claim otherwise. In reality, that is not true. We know it is not true. These are illusions, but we are still in the cradle of democracy,” she said.
