EU to support Serbia

Why does this remind me of the fox kindly offering to carry the gingerbread man across the river?

eu isn´t a support at all, as long as it doesn´t respect terretorial integrity of serbia.

the question is pretty simple, economic wealth or european (farmers) union. the serb voter gave a clear answer on that, with pro-eu-parties gaining just nearly 30%! the belgrade stock exchange gave also a clear answer by exploding since the saa-talks were abandoned, and that without foreign money that will be allowed at the end of 2007.

nobody needs and wants eu!

Come on Serbia wake up, you dont need the EU and its open border policy. Serbia is the only country in Europe with a free trade agreement with Russia and international companies wish to exploit that by investing in Serbia, they are not investing in Serbia because they are an EU candidate country. The geography of Serbia favours them, it cost countries more on fuel to drive around serbia, and serbia holds part of the international waterways of the River Danube. So it is important for the EU that Serbia joins, but if we join we must join on our terms or extract far more concessions, showing desparation to join and serbia will extract no concessions. Serbia will eventually have a relaxed visa policy if surrounded by EU countries, just look at Norway and Switzerland. Serbia outside the EU can deal with an independant Kosovo how it wishes, inside the EU it cannot.

The title of this article should have been;

EU "support" - nothing different!

Raso & Mark it is true that Serbia could strive an alternative path beyond the blind obsession of an ever larger and technocratic EU. However, it must change it's institutional operation to grasp the greatest competitive advantages that it would have by not being in the EU. Liberalisation of movement - goods, capital and human - is something that they would need to ensure with the EU but beyond that it needs little of the technocratic red tape that is putting the economic brakes on the EU nations.

Come on Mark, do you want your country Serbia to continue to stumble through the 21st century making mistake after mistake?

Even Petrovic wrote today how Serbia is constantly making serious errors concerning entry to EU and hopelessly resisting Kosova Independence.

Princip, You are right that serbia must sort out its institutions or should it be more its politicians. But liberalisation and movement of goods, capital and humans exist with the EU and non Eu countries like norway and switzerland and serbia will get the same due to its geographic postion. Serbia has more improtant issues to rectify, declining population is a major problem, with an open border EU and a declining population the albanians will reach Belgrade. The politicians must sort out this problem before considering to join. For me a partitioned kosovo is the only option, let the albanians go and they can join up with albania and macedonia for all I care.

Arben,

You albanians claim that you cannot live with serbs, if so how can you live with serbs in an EU, what difference does it make. The EU track record is rubbish, look at Bosnia there is no ethnic trust under an EU high rep so what makes you think there will be in Kosovo. You should know that most of the border for Kosovo is with Serbia and it is essential to have good relations with serbia if international companies are to invest there. You believe in the EU with its freedom of movement but serbs have no freedom of movement in a UN run Kosovo so you will have a long wait to join, and if all serbs left kosovo you would need to harmonise your economy with the EU but without cooperation or an isolated serbia there is very little chance. So explain to me how an isolated serbia would do any good to kosovo, dont forget your pm ceku recognises the importance of serbia to its economy. If your people showed sympathy rather than hatred towards kosovo serbs and welcomed them rather than forcing them into enclaves and looked after the churches, than the argument for your independance would have been much stronger

this is spin by FUD Masters (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). There will be no such isolation of Serbia or blockage from the EU (quite simply, proximity to the EU makes it already within the EU and one cannot stopthe inevitable from happening).

Next, Serbia's economy is currently being capitalized by the same family of Western countries that threaten it with EU exclusion. This is political propaganda intended to scare the serb voting public (so that they may influence their leaders to negotiate K away). These same diplomats have national businesses lined up to bid on 07 tenders.

The economic cat is out of the bag... they have nothing to threaten with anymore.

CEFTA requires a functioning Serbia at the center of it to serve as distrib center for every company to come. The region is dead with a non-functioning Serbia. This is Economics 101 people.

The discussion should not be about EU... but about CEFTA.

Take this message... stamp RETURN TO SENDER on it.... and send it straight back to Brussels.

Princip, I don't know what is wrong with you, because economic liberalization is an awful thing for society. It only helps corporations and makes society worse off. It increases poverty, decreases wages, takes income away from the state, and destabilizes the country. We have seen how all over the world economic liberalization has failed as an economic policy to help the people.

Second class status in the EU? EU countries having full rights to free trade and investment opportunities in Serbia, but Serbs having no right to live or work abroad? Would we even have full voting rights?

EU now? No I don’t think so. Serbia should wait until the EU stabilizes a bit more and continue to work on bridging relations with both Russia and the EU. Russia is European too. A balanced approach between the two major competing powers in Europe will serve Serbia best. We must support Russia for their strong and vocal support of our concerns in Kosovo.

Serbia needs to build up a capitalist spirit and seriously improve their level of service if they are to compete with foreign companies. This needs to be accomplished first, or foreign companies will buy everything and we will have a continuous capital flow out of the country.

Joining the EU now is not the same as joining it 10 years ago. There simply is no valid reason to join at this time. Not as second class citizens begging for handouts.

Mark,
Nobody wants an isolated Serbia deeped in the darkness of nationalism.
This is obvious when the UN decide to postpone the presentaion of he Atisahaari's plan after the serbian elections. They also gave you more time to prepare yourself and create a goverment before Vienna talks. The real problem is not with EU, US and UN. The real problem of Serbia are the Serbs themselves.

Raso,Mark and Princip you all made very good points.

However Mark if Serbia did join EU along with all Balkan countries I hardly think Albanians would choose to move further into Serbia. I mean lets be real Serbia has the best living conditions in the area with the biggest economy but if we joined EU Albanians in Serbia (Kosovo etc..) would I think rather choose to move to France or UK then move further into Serbia. Seriously if the EU asked every Albanian in Kosovo if they would like to move to EU countries or stay in Kosovo right now I am sure around 90% would say yes and move to EU countries. hahaha problem in Kosovo solved eh?...hehe

Ah don't worry about EU for now, we wont enter it for some time...no one can enter until 2012 until they get their stupid new constitution so anyway...plus by then the economy will be more than stable (Which is already is) and perhaps people in Serbia will realize that we don't really even need it. Perhaps if we are surrounded by EU nations it will increase the number if investors, such as Ukraine has seen with a vast number of companies coming through. Sop far Serbia is bordered by 3 EU nations (Hungary,Romania, and Bulgaria) so we might see more comfortable investors now with these but still remain out side the sphere of the EU.

Lazar,

I agree and re-assure you that Serbia's example of liberalistion need not be the same as exemplified in the west with the worst elements each and every day and most especially at bonus time when certain few individuals are "rewarded" [sic] with many lifetimes of average salay in one shot and little reward is gained for those who have been just as productive in the best way they can.

However, Serbia will need to liberalise it's economy and ensure that business internal and external can operate without red-tape and simple taxation rules - it must as you point out be in the best interests of all and not a select few. I do not disagree with you regarding your fears but I am positive that Serbia will carve out a prosperous future that is fair and equitable and equally is liberated and dynamic. Clearly we could discuss this further but realise that maybe you have been too quick to jump on one term rather then appreciate that there are many ways to skin a cat.

The real problem is not with EU, US and UN. The real problem of Serbia are the Serbs themselves.
(Hermon, 13 February 2007, 20:24)

Actually, the real problem is with the EU, US and UN.

US-has illegally invaded Iraq without a clear mandate from the United Nations and making false allegations that Iraq was creating "weapons of mass destruction"

US foreign policy in 1999 was to bomb Serbia without a UN resolution, and against even the NATO charter , itself a defensive alliance. The EU just followed along with US policy, although some members resisted. It was the EU member countries pressure to the United States which ended the illegal bombing of the former Yugoslavia.

Therefore, the US continues to override the UN and agree to disagree with the EU the world a much more dangerous place.

Why does this remind me of the fox kindly offering to carry the gingerbread man across the river?

eu isn´t a support at all, as long as it doesn´t respect terretorial integrity of serbia.

the question is pretty simple, economic wealth or european (farmers) union. the serb voter gave a clear answer on that, with pro-eu-parties gaining just nearly 30%! the belgrade stock exchange gave also a clear answer by exploding since the saa-talks were abandoned, and that without foreign money that will be allowed at the end of 2007.

nobody needs and wants eu!

Come on Serbia wake up, you dont need the EU and its open border policy. Serbia is the only country in Europe with a free trade agreement with Russia and international companies wish to exploit that by investing in Serbia, they are not investing in Serbia because they are an EU candidate country. The geography of Serbia favours them, it cost countries more on fuel to drive around serbia, and serbia holds part of the international waterways of the River Danube. So it is important for the EU that Serbia joins, but if we join we must join on our terms or extract far more concessions, showing desparation to join and serbia will extract no concessions. Serbia will eventually have a relaxed visa policy if surrounded by EU countries, just look at Norway and Switzerland. Serbia outside the EU can deal with an independant Kosovo how it wishes, inside the EU it cannot.

The title of this article should have been;

EU "support" - nothing different!

Raso & Mark it is true that Serbia could strive an alternative path beyond the blind obsession of an ever larger and technocratic EU. However, it must change it's institutional operation to grasp the greatest competitive advantages that it would have by not being in the EU. Liberalisation of movement - goods, capital and human - is something that they would need to ensure with the EU but beyond that it needs little of the technocratic red tape that is putting the economic brakes on the EU nations.

Come on Mark, do you want your country Serbia to continue to stumble through the 21st century making mistake after mistake?

Even Petrovic wrote today how Serbia is constantly making serious errors concerning entry to EU and hopelessly resisting Kosova Independence.

Princip, You are right that serbia must sort out its institutions or should it be more its politicians. But liberalisation and movement of goods, capital and humans exist with the EU and non Eu countries like norway and switzerland and serbia will get the same due to its geographic postion. Serbia has more improtant issues to rectify, declining population is a major problem, with an open border EU and a declining population the albanians will reach Belgrade. The politicians must sort out this problem before considering to join. For me a partitioned kosovo is the only option, let the albanians go and they can join up with albania and macedonia for all I care.

Arben,

You albanians claim that you cannot live with serbs, if so how can you live with serbs in an EU, what difference does it make. The EU track record is rubbish, look at Bosnia there is no ethnic trust under an EU high rep so what makes you think there will be in Kosovo. You should know that most of the border for Kosovo is with Serbia and it is essential to have good relations with serbia if international companies are to invest there. You believe in the EU with its freedom of movement but serbs have no freedom of movement in a UN run Kosovo so you will have a long wait to join, and if all serbs left kosovo you would need to harmonise your economy with the EU but without cooperation or an isolated serbia there is very little chance. So explain to me how an isolated serbia would do any good to kosovo, dont forget your pm ceku recognises the importance of serbia to its economy. If your people showed sympathy rather than hatred towards kosovo serbs and welcomed them rather than forcing them into enclaves and looked after the churches, than the argument for your independance would have been much stronger

this is spin by FUD Masters (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). There will be no such isolation of Serbia or blockage from the EU (quite simply, proximity to the EU makes it already within the EU and one cannot stopthe inevitable from happening).

Next, Serbia's economy is currently being capitalized by the same family of Western countries that threaten it with EU exclusion. This is political propaganda intended to scare the serb voting public (so that they may influence their leaders to negotiate K away). These same diplomats have national businesses lined up to bid on 07 tenders.

The economic cat is out of the bag... they have nothing to threaten with anymore.

CEFTA requires a functioning Serbia at the center of it to serve as distrib center for every company to come. The region is dead with a non-functioning Serbia. This is Economics 101 people.

The discussion should not be about EU... but about CEFTA.

Take this message... stamp RETURN TO SENDER on it.... and send it straight back to Brussels.

Princip, I don't know what is wrong with you, because economic liberalization is an awful thing for society. It only helps corporations and makes society worse off. It increases poverty, decreases wages, takes income away from the state, and destabilizes the country. We have seen how all over the world economic liberalization has failed as an economic policy to help the people.

Second class status in the EU? EU countries having full rights to free trade and investment opportunities in Serbia, but Serbs having no right to live or work abroad? Would we even have full voting rights?

EU now? No I don’t think so. Serbia should wait until the EU stabilizes a bit more and continue to work on bridging relations with both Russia and the EU. Russia is European too. A balanced approach between the two major competing powers in Europe will serve Serbia best. We must support Russia for their strong and vocal support of our concerns in Kosovo.

Serbia needs to build up a capitalist spirit and seriously improve their level of service if they are to compete with foreign companies. This needs to be accomplished first, or foreign companies will buy everything and we will have a continuous capital flow out of the country.

Joining the EU now is not the same as joining it 10 years ago. There simply is no valid reason to join at this time. Not as second class citizens begging for handouts.

Mark,
Nobody wants an isolated Serbia deeped in the darkness of nationalism.
This is obvious when the UN decide to postpone the presentaion of he Atisahaari's plan after the serbian elections. They also gave you more time to prepare yourself and create a goverment before Vienna talks. The real problem is not with EU, US and UN. The real problem of Serbia are the Serbs themselves.

Raso,Mark and Princip you all made very good points.

However Mark if Serbia did join EU along with all Balkan countries I hardly think Albanians would choose to move further into Serbia. I mean lets be real Serbia has the best living conditions in the area with the biggest economy but if we joined EU Albanians in Serbia (Kosovo etc..) would I think rather choose to move to France or UK then move further into Serbia. Seriously if the EU asked every Albanian in Kosovo if they would like to move to EU countries or stay in Kosovo right now I am sure around 90% would say yes and move to EU countries. hahaha problem in Kosovo solved eh?...hehe

Ah don't worry about EU for now, we wont enter it for some time...no one can enter until 2012 until they get their stupid new constitution so anyway...plus by then the economy will be more than stable (Which is already is) and perhaps people in Serbia will realize that we don't really even need it. Perhaps if we are surrounded by EU nations it will increase the number if investors, such as Ukraine has seen with a vast number of companies coming through. Sop far Serbia is bordered by 3 EU nations (Hungary,Romania, and Bulgaria) so we might see more comfortable investors now with these but still remain out side the sphere of the EU.

Lazar,

I agree and re-assure you that Serbia's example of liberalistion need not be the same as exemplified in the west with the worst elements each and every day and most especially at bonus time when certain few individuals are "rewarded" [sic] with many lifetimes of average salay in one shot and little reward is gained for those who have been just as productive in the best way they can.

However, Serbia will need to liberalise it's economy and ensure that business internal and external can operate without red-tape and simple taxation rules - it must as you point out be in the best interests of all and not a select few. I do not disagree with you regarding your fears but I am positive that Serbia will carve out a prosperous future that is fair and equitable and equally is liberated and dynamic. Clearly we could discuss this further but realise that maybe you have been too quick to jump on one term rather then appreciate that there are many ways to skin a cat.

The real problem is not with EU, US and UN. The real problem of Serbia are the Serbs themselves.
(Hermon, 13 February 2007, 20:24)

Actually, the real problem is with the EU, US and UN.

US-has illegally invaded Iraq without a clear mandate from the United Nations and making false allegations that Iraq was creating "weapons of mass destruction"

US foreign policy in 1999 was to bomb Serbia without a UN resolution, and against even the NATO charter , itself a defensive alliance. The EU just followed along with US policy, although some members resisted. It was the EU member countries pressure to the United States which ended the illegal bombing of the former Yugoslavia.

Therefore, the US continues to override the UN and agree to disagree with the EU the world a much more dangerous place.