Koštunica: Government is inept

Absolutely, this so-called Serbian government is a complete joke! It's a good thing countries like Russia and some EU members are protecting Kosovo more than these sell-outs.

They have completely messed up the Kovačević case and I am really glad the US is playing a role in weakening this Frankenstein government. It's incompetence is obvious and it continues to demonstrate its lack of a backbone.

The only positive result is the energy deal with Russia but we all know that Kostunica is the real credit to that deal.

Whilst the economy is going down the drain, whilst price of living goes up, wages go down what does Kostunica and his patriots want to talk about?

Its the economy stupid, that covers ALL of Serbia.

Bganon, you and I both agree that territory is part and parcel with the economy and economic growth and a defense of sovereignty is also a defense of the nations future and wealth.

I have to concede that the economy should be a greater focus of the opposition as the economy is a great failure of this government. By sitting on their lazy behinds, as you put it, the government and opposition are not paying attention to all the woe that faces the people.

Where you and I part ways is in quoting Bill Clinton's campaign slogan (It's the economy stupid). As a people, we have learned just about as much as we wanted to from the man who bombed tv stations cigarette factories and bakeries. We do not need to look to the west for guidance, nor the east we need to find it in our selves.

Kostunica's nationalism will get Serbia nowhere. It is not going to go back to war to reclaim its control over its territory, so what else could he do? The answer is nothing other than play politics at home and keep Serbia isolated.

It is not good that there are those in the EU who take an anti-Serbia stance as a hangover from the Milosevic days - they still want to punish Belgrade and to ensure that Kosovo is taken away (although that is to reward the ethnic cleansing of Serbs that predated Milosevic and to deny the democratic nature of the current government).

The current government of Serbia is taking the best line available - maintain the Kosovo claim and work towards the EU keeping the two things independent of each other.

Those who dream that the EU will somehow become poor or fall apart have not got a clue. Nationalism and anti-EU (or anti-Anything) is the politics of the resentful - it is not the constructive politics of the future.

The EU is the future that all of Europe has chosen and it should include Serbia as an equal partner.

Those in the EU I think should be sidelined are the ones (as I heard on tv the other day) that argue that 'the important countries - US, England, Germany, France' should determine the future of Kosovo are also the politicians that are a danger to the EU itself. An EU that just serves the big nations is a failure - that is not what Europe (including Serbia) deserves.

Marko the slogan that I mentioned (actually slogans of all kinds are pretty stupid including that one) was quoted long before Clinton used it, although yes it became associated with him.

Focusing on the economy in Serbia is nothing to do with Clinton, its necessary as you point out.

The problem here is that we have a Serbian government that is doing relatively well on the Kosovo issue and is plagued by economic issues and has made mistakes on this subject.

Where then should the focus be, at least for now?

What Kostunica can't ever seem to understand (it truly is what is called 'mind set') is that other issues exist apart from Kosovo. He is also showing a lack of political maturity and understanding. Its taken as given in Serbian society that Kosovo is an important issue but there is no more political mileage on the issue. You might think that this shows Kostunica to be principled (but politically mistaken), but I think its because he still believes Serbia to be that of the 1990's. In war time national issues were the most important, but that was a special situation. Serbian citizens are simply not that nationalistic to beat to the Kosovo drum every time a politician gets his sticks out. Perhaps that disasterous period defined what he believed to be the Serbian mentality, or perhaps it influenced his and only a minority of Serbians?

Another important issue is whether DSS and opposition has an alternative economic policy. We know the radicals don't really do economic policies, but it would be good for the country on a number of levels if Kostunica spent much more time defining sensible alternative economic policies. In the end he will need to persuade voters on this issue, as this government becomes more unpopular, we all know about his Kosovo view.

Will he sabotage himself again at the next election by turning off moderate voters by speaking only on national issues? I think he will and he won't let DSS do it any other way until he decides to retire.

Whilst the economy is going down the drain, whilst price of living goes up, wages go down what does Kostunica and his patriots want to talk about?

Its the economy stupid, that covers ALL of Serbia.

Absolutely, this so-called Serbian government is a complete joke! It's a good thing countries like Russia and some EU members are protecting Kosovo more than these sell-outs.

They have completely messed up the Kovačević case and I am really glad the US is playing a role in weakening this Frankenstein government. It's incompetence is obvious and it continues to demonstrate its lack of a backbone.

The only positive result is the energy deal with Russia but we all know that Kostunica is the real credit to that deal.

Kostunica's nationalism will get Serbia nowhere. It is not going to go back to war to reclaim its control over its territory, so what else could he do? The answer is nothing other than play politics at home and keep Serbia isolated.

It is not good that there are those in the EU who take an anti-Serbia stance as a hangover from the Milosevic days - they still want to punish Belgrade and to ensure that Kosovo is taken away (although that is to reward the ethnic cleansing of Serbs that predated Milosevic and to deny the democratic nature of the current government).

The current government of Serbia is taking the best line available - maintain the Kosovo claim and work towards the EU keeping the two things independent of each other.

Those who dream that the EU will somehow become poor or fall apart have not got a clue. Nationalism and anti-EU (or anti-Anything) is the politics of the resentful - it is not the constructive politics of the future.

The EU is the future that all of Europe has chosen and it should include Serbia as an equal partner.

Those in the EU I think should be sidelined are the ones (as I heard on tv the other day) that argue that 'the important countries - US, England, Germany, France' should determine the future of Kosovo are also the politicians that are a danger to the EU itself. An EU that just serves the big nations is a failure - that is not what Europe (including Serbia) deserves.

Marko the slogan that I mentioned (actually slogans of all kinds are pretty stupid including that one) was quoted long before Clinton used it, although yes it became associated with him.

Focusing on the economy in Serbia is nothing to do with Clinton, its necessary as you point out.

The problem here is that we have a Serbian government that is doing relatively well on the Kosovo issue and is plagued by economic issues and has made mistakes on this subject.

Where then should the focus be, at least for now?

What Kostunica can't ever seem to understand (it truly is what is called 'mind set') is that other issues exist apart from Kosovo. He is also showing a lack of political maturity and understanding. Its taken as given in Serbian society that Kosovo is an important issue but there is no more political mileage on the issue. You might think that this shows Kostunica to be principled (but politically mistaken), but I think its because he still believes Serbia to be that of the 1990's. In war time national issues were the most important, but that was a special situation. Serbian citizens are simply not that nationalistic to beat to the Kosovo drum every time a politician gets his sticks out. Perhaps that disasterous period defined what he believed to be the Serbian mentality, or perhaps it influenced his and only a minority of Serbians?

Another important issue is whether DSS and opposition has an alternative economic policy. We know the radicals don't really do economic policies, but it would be good for the country on a number of levels if Kostunica spent much more time defining sensible alternative economic policies. In the end he will need to persuade voters on this issue, as this government becomes more unpopular, we all know about his Kosovo view.

Will he sabotage himself again at the next election by turning off moderate voters by speaking only on national issues? I think he will and he won't let DSS do it any other way until he decides to retire.

Bganon, you and I both agree that territory is part and parcel with the economy and economic growth and a defense of sovereignty is also a defense of the nations future and wealth.

I have to concede that the economy should be a greater focus of the opposition as the economy is a great failure of this government. By sitting on their lazy behinds, as you put it, the government and opposition are not paying attention to all the woe that faces the people.

Where you and I part ways is in quoting Bill Clinton's campaign slogan (It's the economy stupid). As a people, we have learned just about as much as we wanted to from the man who bombed tv stations cigarette factories and bakeries. We do not need to look to the west for guidance, nor the east we need to find it in our selves.