"Majority in EU" for speeding up Serbia bid

Another Badinter Commission which will rip up the old rules for Brussel's convenience? Or maybe they'll bring in Ahtesaari to 'assist' in the talks.

They simply can't be trusted.

bad news for our eu-freaks and -lovers ...

"majority" is not enough, just like the so called "republic kosovos" majority is not enough to enter nato or eu.

the typical eu-freak (not just in Serbia) usually isn´t the brightest light in gods chandellier, but even an eu-lover should get this (very) simple calculation and stop wasting my and my childrens time.

Droutsas also said that all of the EU member-states that did not recognize Kosovo initially would remain on this position, despite the ICJ’s decision.

B92

I think this statement by the Greek foreign minister will put into rest all conspiracy theories and speculation that sprang up last week after the ICJ ruling.

I just wonder why B92 has burried this statement into small print.

1. No EUnity
2. Those who've said "no" remain to it
3. Accelerated ascension for Serbia into an organization its destined to be in anyway.

Yes, things are defintely back to normal after last week's events.

"1. Europe has never been united; ever." (johny)

-- Agreed.

"2. One loan can change the game play."

-- Provided that Kosovo is part of the loan package. Not everything revolves around this wayward territory.

"3. There is no such thing as destiny. Its all about the will of Germany, UK, France and Netherlands too."

-- All of whom have repeatedly bent over backwards for Belgrade's EU ascension to the point of making it look ridiculous. We tend to exaggerate the importance of Kosovo to EUnity on this site. One side believes Serbia can go nowhere unless it yields. The other believes it can do whatever it wants regardless of larger powers like Germany. If we read reports like these for what they are, it would certainly seem that the EU parliament

a) knows it's not going to get around this impasse, and therefore

b) wants to at least start SOME kind of talks between both sides.

If at the end of the day Belgrade relents to keeping "status" off the table, I think many in the EU would be willing to give them whatever else they want in compensation. The messages from Brussels are far less stern than some people here would like to think, and I reckon that if Belgrade nudges just a little more, many more states will happily cooperate with them.

But I guess we'll all have to wait and see what happens.

"All of whom have repeatedly bent over backwards for Belgrade's EU ascension to the point of making it look ridiculous."

-- Carrots and sticks. The point of view from where this is looked at also matters. If you read the Serbian media you get the exact idea you state. On the other hand if you look at other media you get the idea that at some point Serbia will be in the EU. That is not saying much and is no different from what they say to any other EU hopeful.


"We tend to exaggerate the importance of Kosovo to EUnity on this site. One side believes Serbia can go nowhere unless it yields. The other believes it can do whatever it wants regardless of larger powers like Germany. If we read reports like these for what they are, it would certainly seem that the EU parliament

a) knows it's not going to get around this impasse, and therefore

b) wants to at least start SOME kind of talks between both sides."

--Frankly, this is not even about Kosova. At the core, it is about whether a country can join the EU based on its own terms or on the terms the big fish in the EU lay for them. Serbia wants to get in through its own terms, whether that is by not capturing all war criminals or by dictating its own will to the EU big fish in regard to Kosova. The choice the big guns have to make is whether they will allow for a prospective member to dictate its own membership rules or not; and how will that affect the other prospective members. Will they also be allowed to write their own terms towards EU membership? Will, in this perspective, Serbia be allowed to set a precedent for the other EU prospective members?

"If at the end of the day Belgrade relents to keeping "status" off the table, I think many in the EU would be willing to give them whatever else they want in compensation".

-- That is a big if and from the looks of it; it seems like most in Belgrade do not have the guts to do that. They so far are trapped in their own contraptions of red lines, explicit or implicit rules. Also "whatever else" is too generous of a term. One has to remember that neither Serbs nor Albanians hold the keys of the world and big powers bending over backwards to yield to either party is simply an absurdity. At the end of the day they will do what they've always done; rule however they see fit and however it pleases them whether Belgrade and Prishtina likes it or not. How do you think Belgrade ended up having Kosova in its own borders despite such a large Albanian population in the first place? The big powers decided they had to do so; and so it was done. They didn't bend down backwards then, they will not in the future. Like then, they will see that their will is sealed. That's what makes them world powers and that's what makes us dependent on Russia and the US.


"The messages from Brussels are far less stern than some people here would like to think, and I reckon that if Belgrade nudges just a little more, many more states will happily cooperate with them.

But I guess we'll all have to wait and see what happens."

-- Yes we'll have to see whether or not becoming a nuisance bears any fruits or whether doing what they say will actually be better. Remember nobody is asking Belgrade anything but to find a modus-vivendi with Kosova. Belgrade itself so far has chosen the path of antagonism rather than striving for a modus- vivendi and personally speaking that has been disastrous so far. Antagonism towards big powers bears no fruits. If you can't beat them join them. Someone in Belgrade have to realize that you cannot beat them. Then we might see the whole region moving and progressing.

1. No EUnity
2. Those who've said "no" remain to it
3. Accelerated ascension for Serbia into an organization its destined to be in anyway.

Yes, things are defintely back to normal after last week's events.
(Mike, 27 July 2010 16:40)

1. Europe has never been united; ever.
2. One loan can change the game play.
3. There is no such thing as destiny. Its all about the will of Germany, UK, France and Netherlands too. If they feel like it they will allow it, if not they won't. Becoming an annoyance for them will keep you out; and there is nothing little Cyprus can do about it. With their funds and leverage they can really make lives in Belgrade difficult if you choose to continue to be a nuisance for them.

bad news for our eu-freaks and -lovers ...

"majority" is not enough, just like the so called "republic kosovos" majority is not enough to enter nato or eu.

the typical eu-freak (not just in Serbia) usually isn´t the brightest light in gods chandellier, but even an eu-lover should get this (very) simple calculation and stop wasting my and my childrens time.

Another Badinter Commission which will rip up the old rules for Brussel's convenience? Or maybe they'll bring in Ahtesaari to 'assist' in the talks.

They simply can't be trusted.

1. No EUnity
2. Those who've said "no" remain to it
3. Accelerated ascension for Serbia into an organization its destined to be in anyway.

Yes, things are defintely back to normal after last week's events.

1. No EUnity
2. Those who've said "no" remain to it
3. Accelerated ascension for Serbia into an organization its destined to be in anyway.

Yes, things are defintely back to normal after last week's events.
(Mike, 27 July 2010 16:40)

1. Europe has never been united; ever.
2. One loan can change the game play.
3. There is no such thing as destiny. Its all about the will of Germany, UK, France and Netherlands too. If they feel like it they will allow it, if not they won't. Becoming an annoyance for them will keep you out; and there is nothing little Cyprus can do about it. With their funds and leverage they can really make lives in Belgrade difficult if you choose to continue to be a nuisance for them.

"All of whom have repeatedly bent over backwards for Belgrade's EU ascension to the point of making it look ridiculous."

-- Carrots and sticks. The point of view from where this is looked at also matters. If you read the Serbian media you get the exact idea you state. On the other hand if you look at other media you get the idea that at some point Serbia will be in the EU. That is not saying much and is no different from what they say to any other EU hopeful.


"We tend to exaggerate the importance of Kosovo to EUnity on this site. One side believes Serbia can go nowhere unless it yields. The other believes it can do whatever it wants regardless of larger powers like Germany. If we read reports like these for what they are, it would certainly seem that the EU parliament

a) knows it's not going to get around this impasse, and therefore

b) wants to at least start SOME kind of talks between both sides."

--Frankly, this is not even about Kosova. At the core, it is about whether a country can join the EU based on its own terms or on the terms the big fish in the EU lay for them. Serbia wants to get in through its own terms, whether that is by not capturing all war criminals or by dictating its own will to the EU big fish in regard to Kosova. The choice the big guns have to make is whether they will allow for a prospective member to dictate its own membership rules or not; and how will that affect the other prospective members. Will they also be allowed to write their own terms towards EU membership? Will, in this perspective, Serbia be allowed to set a precedent for the other EU prospective members?

"If at the end of the day Belgrade relents to keeping "status" off the table, I think many in the EU would be willing to give them whatever else they want in compensation".

-- That is a big if and from the looks of it; it seems like most in Belgrade do not have the guts to do that. They so far are trapped in their own contraptions of red lines, explicit or implicit rules. Also "whatever else" is too generous of a term. One has to remember that neither Serbs nor Albanians hold the keys of the world and big powers bending over backwards to yield to either party is simply an absurdity. At the end of the day they will do what they've always done; rule however they see fit and however it pleases them whether Belgrade and Prishtina likes it or not. How do you think Belgrade ended up having Kosova in its own borders despite such a large Albanian population in the first place? The big powers decided they had to do so; and so it was done. They didn't bend down backwards then, they will not in the future. Like then, they will see that their will is sealed. That's what makes them world powers and that's what makes us dependent on Russia and the US.


"The messages from Brussels are far less stern than some people here would like to think, and I reckon that if Belgrade nudges just a little more, many more states will happily cooperate with them.

But I guess we'll all have to wait and see what happens."

-- Yes we'll have to see whether or not becoming a nuisance bears any fruits or whether doing what they say will actually be better. Remember nobody is asking Belgrade anything but to find a modus-vivendi with Kosova. Belgrade itself so far has chosen the path of antagonism rather than striving for a modus- vivendi and personally speaking that has been disastrous so far. Antagonism towards big powers bears no fruits. If you can't beat them join them. Someone in Belgrade have to realize that you cannot beat them. Then we might see the whole region moving and progressing.

Droutsas also said that all of the EU member-states that did not recognize Kosovo initially would remain on this position, despite the ICJ’s decision.

B92

I think this statement by the Greek foreign minister will put into rest all conspiracy theories and speculation that sprang up last week after the ICJ ruling.

I just wonder why B92 has burried this statement into small print.

"1. Europe has never been united; ever." (johny)

-- Agreed.

"2. One loan can change the game play."

-- Provided that Kosovo is part of the loan package. Not everything revolves around this wayward territory.

"3. There is no such thing as destiny. Its all about the will of Germany, UK, France and Netherlands too."

-- All of whom have repeatedly bent over backwards for Belgrade's EU ascension to the point of making it look ridiculous. We tend to exaggerate the importance of Kosovo to EUnity on this site. One side believes Serbia can go nowhere unless it yields. The other believes it can do whatever it wants regardless of larger powers like Germany. If we read reports like these for what they are, it would certainly seem that the EU parliament

a) knows it's not going to get around this impasse, and therefore

b) wants to at least start SOME kind of talks between both sides.

If at the end of the day Belgrade relents to keeping "status" off the table, I think many in the EU would be willing to give them whatever else they want in compensation. The messages from Brussels are far less stern than some people here would like to think, and I reckon that if Belgrade nudges just a little more, many more states will happily cooperate with them.

But I guess we'll all have to wait and see what happens.