EU: Choose next cabinet carefully

Again, I have to say that it is at least unfair and against the basic principles of democracy trying to interfere in the Serbian Government formation

EU definition of Democracy - every citizen has a vote for the person WE want them to govern.

- sounds ominously similar to the post War Communist version of democracy!!!

I guess 50 years later McCarthy was right in some respects but wrong about which side of the atlantic!

You are wrong! Nobody wants to interfere in the Serbia’s internal affairs. However no one wants the situation in the Balkans to deteriorate and knowing the propensity of Serbia’s modern politicians for hard line reactions and actions it is not surprising to see the EU sending a warning message. Obviously, in 1999 the warning message was not enough! Besides, Serbia yearns for EU membership, so take it the soft way, so think twice.

agree with this statement by Mr. Rehn.
it is merely a reminder that Vojislav Kostunica and his "inferior" minister Dragan Jocic failed to cooperate with the Hague, causing much damage to the Serbian economy after the SAA talks were halted.
The vast majority of Serbs support EU integration, so why not suggest a leadership that the EU thinks will help the country move forward.
Kostunica's coalition only got 47 spots in the 250 seat parliament, and it's time they stepped down from positions in which they failed.

Alfa & Dingd,

you miss the point. The fact that Rehn is an intelligent and well educated individual you should expect a modicum of diplomacy at the time that a Serbian Govt. is being formed - unless of course you perposefully want to dictate matters!

Such public expressions of wanting so an so fired (maybe unofficial but who let it out beyond officials) and expecting certain ministiries in certain conrol shows either complete ineptitude or else total manipulation by stating one desired outcome but knowing that the oppostite is all the more likely for your intervention. Sipmle Game theory really and I am certain Rehn knows exactly what he is suggesting & why. If the otcome is not what one desired then you can play foul while if it is what you desired then you know that you have total conrol - soemthing that is not democratic to say the least!

To suggest that SAA talks were halted because someone was not apprehended is all the more contradictory given that SAA talks were signed with Montenegro yet there has been intelligence showing that Karadzic is more then likely to be found there - do you not sense the contradiction between EU policy to one nation and the opposite to the other?

Beyond that, by now suggesting that the apprehension of Mladic is not significant but that the perception that you are trying will be given by replacing a particular minister or ministers at the request of the EU is a further contradiction in the EU's policy and reflects on them and not the former govts choice of ministers.

I don't think that the vast majority are compelled to joining the EU specifically if it means loss of democrtaic rights or do you think that is a price worth paying?

Let the parties decide in their own time and amongst themselves but outside interventions have a habit of making the choice all the more harder and creating scenario's that would not have occured otherwise! While Serbia is not part of the EU why should it dictate who is appointed or not?

Princip,

EU wants Serbia to join it, and Serbia, hopefully, wants to join the EU.

Do you want Serbia to join? Then get used to political pressure from the EU, because every other member state has to. You don´t want Serbia to join? Then what´s your problem? No one is making gun threats here. Of course no one but the Serbian people has the right to decide who´s to govern Serbia. However, EU has every right in the world to decide which preconditions and standards Serbia has to live up to in order to join it. Then it´s up to the Serbian people to decide if these preconditions are acceptable or not.

I don´t know what your point is. If it´s an attempt to demonstrate what an evil, anti-serb institution the EU is, its a very lame one. You merely sound like a paranoid conspiracy buff.

I have been reading your postings for quite a while and I can´t recall one constructive comment coming from you. What is it that you want to say? Please enlighten me because I truly want to know.

What the EU demands is the 'right form of democracy'. We see around the world how the EU & US supports democratic elections, but only if the 'right' people are elected.

Can the EU afford to have Serbia permanently destablized? Their continued behavior since 2001 almost seems to have been designed from the outset to do this, regardless of what their real policies might have been.

Their abject failure to implement 'Standards before Status' shows that they have no influence on Thaci and the KLA and are in fact intimidated.

Their solution?

Take the easier route - i.e. a lot of 'tough talk' and 'dire warnings' against Serbia, but where will the EU be if they actually have to carry out their threats?

It is an entirely self-defeating policy.

The EU NEEDS Serbia's acquiescence and no veto at the UNSC.

It seems like the real policy of the West is 'Vote & Pray'. Vote for independence, Pray that the Albanian leadership in Kosovo will stop causing trouble. If their policy depends so much on God, then these people aren't fit to represent their own countries at an EU level.

Sumadinac, what is it you would like to hear?

On the subject of "EU: Choose next cabinet carefully" it is no conspiracy that the EU are interfering in Serbian politics and clearly are brazen enough to meddle in a Non-Memebers politics while suggesting it part with 15% of it's territory! If you believe that a welcome suggestion from the EU then please say so and I would like to hear your take on this too! For instance do you agree that the EU should be picking and choosing ministers and suggesting choose carefully or ....? I don't think this is a conspiracy - this would imply that it was secret but clearly this is public and brazen! That you might be happy with such a scenario is your opinion but does everyone have to toe the line and not use their brain and see what is obvious and state it as they see it?

Looking forward to a response.

Again, I have to say that it is at least unfair and against the basic principles of democracy trying to interfere in the Serbian Government formation

EU definition of Democracy - every citizen has a vote for the person WE want them to govern.

- sounds ominously similar to the post War Communist version of democracy!!!

I guess 50 years later McCarthy was right in some respects but wrong about which side of the atlantic!

You are wrong! Nobody wants to interfere in the Serbia’s internal affairs. However no one wants the situation in the Balkans to deteriorate and knowing the propensity of Serbia’s modern politicians for hard line reactions and actions it is not surprising to see the EU sending a warning message. Obviously, in 1999 the warning message was not enough! Besides, Serbia yearns for EU membership, so take it the soft way, so think twice.

agree with this statement by Mr. Rehn.
it is merely a reminder that Vojislav Kostunica and his "inferior" minister Dragan Jocic failed to cooperate with the Hague, causing much damage to the Serbian economy after the SAA talks were halted.
The vast majority of Serbs support EU integration, so why not suggest a leadership that the EU thinks will help the country move forward.
Kostunica's coalition only got 47 spots in the 250 seat parliament, and it's time they stepped down from positions in which they failed.

Alfa & Dingd,

you miss the point. The fact that Rehn is an intelligent and well educated individual you should expect a modicum of diplomacy at the time that a Serbian Govt. is being formed - unless of course you perposefully want to dictate matters!

Such public expressions of wanting so an so fired (maybe unofficial but who let it out beyond officials) and expecting certain ministiries in certain conrol shows either complete ineptitude or else total manipulation by stating one desired outcome but knowing that the oppostite is all the more likely for your intervention. Sipmle Game theory really and I am certain Rehn knows exactly what he is suggesting & why. If the otcome is not what one desired then you can play foul while if it is what you desired then you know that you have total conrol - soemthing that is not democratic to say the least!

To suggest that SAA talks were halted because someone was not apprehended is all the more contradictory given that SAA talks were signed with Montenegro yet there has been intelligence showing that Karadzic is more then likely to be found there - do you not sense the contradiction between EU policy to one nation and the opposite to the other?

Beyond that, by now suggesting that the apprehension of Mladic is not significant but that the perception that you are trying will be given by replacing a particular minister or ministers at the request of the EU is a further contradiction in the EU's policy and reflects on them and not the former govts choice of ministers.

I don't think that the vast majority are compelled to joining the EU specifically if it means loss of democrtaic rights or do you think that is a price worth paying?

Let the parties decide in their own time and amongst themselves but outside interventions have a habit of making the choice all the more harder and creating scenario's that would not have occured otherwise! While Serbia is not part of the EU why should it dictate who is appointed or not?

Princip,

EU wants Serbia to join it, and Serbia, hopefully, wants to join the EU.

Do you want Serbia to join? Then get used to political pressure from the EU, because every other member state has to. You don´t want Serbia to join? Then what´s your problem? No one is making gun threats here. Of course no one but the Serbian people has the right to decide who´s to govern Serbia. However, EU has every right in the world to decide which preconditions and standards Serbia has to live up to in order to join it. Then it´s up to the Serbian people to decide if these preconditions are acceptable or not.

I don´t know what your point is. If it´s an attempt to demonstrate what an evil, anti-serb institution the EU is, its a very lame one. You merely sound like a paranoid conspiracy buff.

I have been reading your postings for quite a while and I can´t recall one constructive comment coming from you. What is it that you want to say? Please enlighten me because I truly want to know.

What the EU demands is the 'right form of democracy'. We see around the world how the EU & US supports democratic elections, but only if the 'right' people are elected.

Can the EU afford to have Serbia permanently destablized? Their continued behavior since 2001 almost seems to have been designed from the outset to do this, regardless of what their real policies might have been.

Their abject failure to implement 'Standards before Status' shows that they have no influence on Thaci and the KLA and are in fact intimidated.

Their solution?

Take the easier route - i.e. a lot of 'tough talk' and 'dire warnings' against Serbia, but where will the EU be if they actually have to carry out their threats?

It is an entirely self-defeating policy.

The EU NEEDS Serbia's acquiescence and no veto at the UNSC.

It seems like the real policy of the West is 'Vote & Pray'. Vote for independence, Pray that the Albanian leadership in Kosovo will stop causing trouble. If their policy depends so much on God, then these people aren't fit to represent their own countries at an EU level.

Sumadinac, what is it you would like to hear?

On the subject of "EU: Choose next cabinet carefully" it is no conspiracy that the EU are interfering in Serbian politics and clearly are brazen enough to meddle in a Non-Memebers politics while suggesting it part with 15% of it's territory! If you believe that a welcome suggestion from the EU then please say so and I would like to hear your take on this too! For instance do you agree that the EU should be picking and choosing ministers and suggesting choose carefully or ....? I don't think this is a conspiracy - this would imply that it was secret but clearly this is public and brazen! That you might be happy with such a scenario is your opinion but does everyone have to toe the line and not use their brain and see what is obvious and state it as they see it?

Looking forward to a response.