Tadić dissolves parliament, calls elections

In recent days various representatives of the EU and the US government have been urging the Serbian electorate to vote for
pro-EU parties in the forthcoming election. It has been a relentless campaign to influence the outcome. Yet everything, everything, they have actually DONE has served to further distance the Serbian people from both the EU and the US.

Sponsoring the K-Albanian UDI, recognising this UDI, ignoring the concerns of the K-Serbs, ignoring the Serbian government - all guaranteed to seriously undermine any confidence in the EU/US alliance.

And then yesterday we had the US Ambassador issuing a very explicit threat to Serbia. It is worth looking at his words again. Referring to Kosovo, he said: "We will make it work. I just hope that we don’t have to do so, yet again, at the expense of the Serbian people, because of bad leadership."

If that's not a threat to the ordinary people of Serbia, then I don't know what is. I find it very, very sinister.

Christ urged us to turn the other cheek if we were slapped. But even he, I believe, would have lost patience at this stage.

To start with, Ambassador Munter should be asked to withdraw his remarks, and if he fails to do so he should be told to leave the country.

The president called for a fair and clean campaign, and for the elections to take place in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere "for Serbia to have stable institutions that will work for the good of Serbian citizens in the coming years."
--
I suspect the dirty campaining will come from the DS side as was evident in the previous election.

So is it going to be the usual "EU or isolation" message? Perhaps suggestions coming from the EU that Kosovo will be a member before Serbia? Though that possibility is absurd, the uninformed may believe it. What else will they come up with as there is a lot at stake now?

Personally, I feel Serbia should stay out of the EU. It will cause a brain drain and prices will increase quite significantly. I can't say that any of the new members have seen great benefit to their countries since joining. Perhaps someone can point them out?

I have news for ZK UK, there already is a brain drain in Serbia and prices are already quite high (inflation this year is likely to be double-digit). You have it exactly backwards; EU membership has stemmed the brain drain in Central European countries and contained inflation. The average per capita GDP in those countries is five times that of our country. It is tempting given what's going on in Kosovo to argue that we can afford to give up on EU integration, but its a complete fantasy. As I expect you'll see on May 11, most of us are done living in fantasyland.

Zet, There are alternatives to EU membership that still allow Serbia to integrate into it without being a member (eg. being a member of EFTA instead). It doesn't have to be so black and white.

i am a former ds voter and i voted for tadic a month ago. as for these elections i'll try to determine if it makes sense voting for dss or if one should go for radicals. i hope it does make sense voting for dss. i would like them to be present in the srs government as balance. and also to bring experience.

EFTA is an option if you're oil independent (Norway), a filthy rich bank haven (Swizerland) or a tiny principality in the heart of Europe which is fully integrated economically with big bad Germany (Liechtenstein). We don't fit any of these categories, unfortunately.

Olf,

I don't know what your home country is, but let me ask you a simple question: If a foreign ambassador in your country threatened your people, what would you do? Especially if this man represented a country that had already attacked and bombed your country.

Well???

I just wonder whether the campaign will focues on Kosova and other priorities that current government has failed or they are going to focus on something else like, improving life standard of ordinary Serb, start developing the riuned economy etc...

Tom
your post would be deined form every ordinary Serb. Your suggestions are outdated, they belong to Milosevic era.

ZK UK, We agree on the goal of Serbia preserving Kosovo and prospering economically. But you're in the fantasyland I was talking about if you think we can do well economically without the EU. Anyways, this is a false choice. We can follow the path already walked by Cyprus and Ireland, which gained EU membership without giving up their sovereign claims to Northern Cyprus and Northern Ireland.

Zet, in case you hadn't noticed, the powers within the EU are trying very hard to take Kosovo away from Serbia. Also, there are no EU nations that recognise Northern Cyprus. In fact, the EU is trying to reunite it. I'm sure you realise they are attempting the complete opposite with Kosovo? But I suppose you think it's worth an EU carrot.

If you believe Serbia can only do well within the EU then we will have to agree to disagree. It seems to be doing quite well without it now. Investment is coming in not only from the West but also Russia, China and India. Then you look at countries like Bulgaria and Poland and see they are worse off after membership.

ZK UK, The "powers within the EU" bombed us, in case you forgot, but that didn't stop us from pursuing EU membership. And if you believe Serbia "is doing quite well without" the EU now, then you really are living in fantasyland or you're not living in Serbia. 20 percent unemployment and double-digit inflation is "doing quite well?"

ZK:

Yes Serbia does have options, but not joining the EU will harm Serbia economically. Whether Serbs wish that is a choice for them, not for the EU - I just wish people would not pretend that any other option will have bad economic repercussions.

As for EFTA - No state has joined properly since 1970 (Liechtenstein took charge of its own affairs in EFTA from Switzerland in 1991, and Finland moved from Associate to full membership in 1986). It is not clear that membership would even be possible, and even if it were all EFTA countries will recognise Kosovo independence, so it is more unified than the EU in that respect. Also the main benefit of EFTA would be through the EEA, which is in the gift of the EU. I don't see how EFTA could admit Serbia without EU support.

Zet, with 7.5% economic growth (2007 est), Serbia is doing extremely well. Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Serbia Employment rates should improve as time goes on. Serbia's economic growth currently beats all EU members except Slovakia, Latvia and Estonia.

Looks like we are doing pretty well to me.

Well up until yesterday I thought it was an odds on victory for SRS / DSS but after chatting with some 'insiders' I'm beginning to wonder.

Not one but two members of the 'patriotic' block have had discussions with DS. Its not of course through policy or principle, its simple maths.

I'll leave you guys to work out which parties I'm talking about.

ZK lets not forget that the greatest brain drain in the history of Serbia occurred when Serbia was in conflict with much of the world during the 90's.

If anything I think there is a danger of educated people leaving. Before some of you punch the air in delight at this you might want to seriously think about how Serbia needs those with skills, even if many of them do not vote for 'patriotic' parties. Oh, I won't be going anywhere, but thats because I don't have an education...

Zet, you forgot Iceland.

Anyway, EFTA or EEA, there are ways of being integrated without EU membership. I would like Serbia to keep its freedom but not lose out economically. Where there's a will there's a way!

Olf,

“… Tom, your post would be deined form every ordinary Serb…”

Olf, you are very wrong, of course we Serbs are outraged by US “diplomats” scandalous trampling of all international norms of diplomatic behavior, insulting our politicians, interfering with our internal affairs, trying to influence our elections and threat us. Tom very clearly sad it as it is.

Tom, thank you, nicely sad. Ambassador deserved to be sent back home immediately, but on the other side, maybe we could better let him talk, let the Serb population see and hear for themselves how US is spreading “democracy”, “human rights” and all the rest of blah, blah, … That should help even most naïve Serbs to see the reality.
As for the ambassador threats, I don’t think that bombs will rain on us these time, he is bluffing. Not that they wouldn’t do it if they could but things are not developing very well for Empire builders these days. As an illustration how bad for them things really are, they are now asking Russia to help them in Afghanistan: http://www.espritdecorps.ca/Ontarget%20080312.htm and Dollar is set to drop even further…

Zet,

“…goal of Serbia preserving Kosovo and prospering economically…”

EU insists that we give up on Kosovo and they don’t give any guaranties at all for our economic prosperity.
“… you're in the fantasyland I was talking about if you think we can do well economically without the EU…”
Why is that? We are living in the globalized world, a lot changed in that last twenty years of so, and not always according to the interests of the “International Community”. Most of us in the Balkans didn’t notice that yet, but Western world is actually loosing grip in many ways. US and EU doesn’t have a monopoly on the technology they used to have. There is absolutely nothing what EU produces that we can’t by cheaper in Asia. There are plenty of countries to trade with all over the world.

The president called for a fair and clean campaign, and for the elections to take place in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere "for Serbia to have stable institutions that will work for the good of Serbian citizens in the coming years."
--
I suspect the dirty campaining will come from the DS side as was evident in the previous election.

So is it going to be the usual "EU or isolation" message? Perhaps suggestions coming from the EU that Kosovo will be a member before Serbia? Though that possibility is absurd, the uninformed may believe it. What else will they come up with as there is a lot at stake now?

Personally, I feel Serbia should stay out of the EU. It will cause a brain drain and prices will increase quite significantly. I can't say that any of the new members have seen great benefit to their countries since joining. Perhaps someone can point them out?

EFTA is an option if you're oil independent (Norway), a filthy rich bank haven (Swizerland) or a tiny principality in the heart of Europe which is fully integrated economically with big bad Germany (Liechtenstein). We don't fit any of these categories, unfortunately.

I have news for ZK UK, there already is a brain drain in Serbia and prices are already quite high (inflation this year is likely to be double-digit). You have it exactly backwards; EU membership has stemmed the brain drain in Central European countries and contained inflation. The average per capita GDP in those countries is five times that of our country. It is tempting given what's going on in Kosovo to argue that we can afford to give up on EU integration, but its a complete fantasy. As I expect you'll see on May 11, most of us are done living in fantasyland.

i am a former ds voter and i voted for tadic a month ago. as for these elections i'll try to determine if it makes sense voting for dss or if one should go for radicals. i hope it does make sense voting for dss. i would like them to be present in the srs government as balance. and also to bring experience.

Zet, There are alternatives to EU membership that still allow Serbia to integrate into it without being a member (eg. being a member of EFTA instead). It doesn't have to be so black and white.

Well up until yesterday I thought it was an odds on victory for SRS / DSS but after chatting with some 'insiders' I'm beginning to wonder.

Not one but two members of the 'patriotic' block have had discussions with DS. Its not of course through policy or principle, its simple maths.

I'll leave you guys to work out which parties I'm talking about.

ZK lets not forget that the greatest brain drain in the history of Serbia occurred when Serbia was in conflict with much of the world during the 90's.

If anything I think there is a danger of educated people leaving. Before some of you punch the air in delight at this you might want to seriously think about how Serbia needs those with skills, even if many of them do not vote for 'patriotic' parties. Oh, I won't be going anywhere, but thats because I don't have an education...

I just wonder whether the campaign will focues on Kosova and other priorities that current government has failed or they are going to focus on something else like, improving life standard of ordinary Serb, start developing the riuned economy etc...

Tom
your post would be deined form every ordinary Serb. Your suggestions are outdated, they belong to Milosevic era.

ZK:

Yes Serbia does have options, but not joining the EU will harm Serbia economically. Whether Serbs wish that is a choice for them, not for the EU - I just wish people would not pretend that any other option will have bad economic repercussions.

As for EFTA - No state has joined properly since 1970 (Liechtenstein took charge of its own affairs in EFTA from Switzerland in 1991, and Finland moved from Associate to full membership in 1986). It is not clear that membership would even be possible, and even if it were all EFTA countries will recognise Kosovo independence, so it is more unified than the EU in that respect. Also the main benefit of EFTA would be through the EEA, which is in the gift of the EU. I don't see how EFTA could admit Serbia without EU support.

In recent days various representatives of the EU and the US government have been urging the Serbian electorate to vote for
pro-EU parties in the forthcoming election. It has been a relentless campaign to influence the outcome. Yet everything, everything, they have actually DONE has served to further distance the Serbian people from both the EU and the US.

Sponsoring the K-Albanian UDI, recognising this UDI, ignoring the concerns of the K-Serbs, ignoring the Serbian government - all guaranteed to seriously undermine any confidence in the EU/US alliance.

And then yesterday we had the US Ambassador issuing a very explicit threat to Serbia. It is worth looking at his words again. Referring to Kosovo, he said: "We will make it work. I just hope that we don’t have to do so, yet again, at the expense of the Serbian people, because of bad leadership."

If that's not a threat to the ordinary people of Serbia, then I don't know what is. I find it very, very sinister.

Christ urged us to turn the other cheek if we were slapped. But even he, I believe, would have lost patience at this stage.

To start with, Ambassador Munter should be asked to withdraw his remarks, and if he fails to do so he should be told to leave the country.

Olf,

I don't know what your home country is, but let me ask you a simple question: If a foreign ambassador in your country threatened your people, what would you do? Especially if this man represented a country that had already attacked and bombed your country.

Well???

Zet, you forgot Iceland.

Anyway, EFTA or EEA, there are ways of being integrated without EU membership. I would like Serbia to keep its freedom but not lose out economically. Where there's a will there's a way!

ZK UK, We agree on the goal of Serbia preserving Kosovo and prospering economically. But you're in the fantasyland I was talking about if you think we can do well economically without the EU. Anyways, this is a false choice. We can follow the path already walked by Cyprus and Ireland, which gained EU membership without giving up their sovereign claims to Northern Cyprus and Northern Ireland.

Zet, in case you hadn't noticed, the powers within the EU are trying very hard to take Kosovo away from Serbia. Also, there are no EU nations that recognise Northern Cyprus. In fact, the EU is trying to reunite it. I'm sure you realise they are attempting the complete opposite with Kosovo? But I suppose you think it's worth an EU carrot.

If you believe Serbia can only do well within the EU then we will have to agree to disagree. It seems to be doing quite well without it now. Investment is coming in not only from the West but also Russia, China and India. Then you look at countries like Bulgaria and Poland and see they are worse off after membership.

Olf,

“… Tom, your post would be deined form every ordinary Serb…”

Olf, you are very wrong, of course we Serbs are outraged by US “diplomats” scandalous trampling of all international norms of diplomatic behavior, insulting our politicians, interfering with our internal affairs, trying to influence our elections and threat us. Tom very clearly sad it as it is.

Tom, thank you, nicely sad. Ambassador deserved to be sent back home immediately, but on the other side, maybe we could better let him talk, let the Serb population see and hear for themselves how US is spreading “democracy”, “human rights” and all the rest of blah, blah, … That should help even most naïve Serbs to see the reality.
As for the ambassador threats, I don’t think that bombs will rain on us these time, he is bluffing. Not that they wouldn’t do it if they could but things are not developing very well for Empire builders these days. As an illustration how bad for them things really are, they are now asking Russia to help them in Afghanistan: http://www.espritdecorps.ca/Ontarget%20080312.htm and Dollar is set to drop even further…

ZK UK, The "powers within the EU" bombed us, in case you forgot, but that didn't stop us from pursuing EU membership. And if you believe Serbia "is doing quite well without" the EU now, then you really are living in fantasyland or you're not living in Serbia. 20 percent unemployment and double-digit inflation is "doing quite well?"

Zet,

“…goal of Serbia preserving Kosovo and prospering economically…”

EU insists that we give up on Kosovo and they don’t give any guaranties at all for our economic prosperity.
“… you're in the fantasyland I was talking about if you think we can do well economically without the EU…”
Why is that? We are living in the globalized world, a lot changed in that last twenty years of so, and not always according to the interests of the “International Community”. Most of us in the Balkans didn’t notice that yet, but Western world is actually loosing grip in many ways. US and EU doesn’t have a monopoly on the technology they used to have. There is absolutely nothing what EU produces that we can’t by cheaper in Asia. There are plenty of countries to trade with all over the world.

Zet, with 7.5% economic growth (2007 est), Serbia is doing extremely well. Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Serbia Employment rates should improve as time goes on. Serbia's economic growth currently beats all EU members except Slovakia, Latvia and Estonia.

Looks like we are doing pretty well to me.