Serbia can get candidate status “by year's end”

Well Serbia seems to go the Turkish way to EU. But even candidacy won't guarranty the result required. Russia by the way is a WTO candidate for 18 years. And after Greece , Portugal , Spain , Italy ect. this EU carrot may prove to be not so sweet as it seems for the time being.

The new paradigm for EU membership in the 21st Century is to join NATO first. One need only look at Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania to be convinced of this simple chronologically based fact. Now that Albania and Croatia are NATO members the next step on the path to European integration is to be become a candidate for EU membership. By first applying for candidate status to the EU, I'm afraid Serbia is putting the cart before the horse. But of course, there is still that pesky little obstacle of having to apprehend Mladic.

Hi RK

…. on the other hand, sorting out all the legal and other issues necessary for possibly joining the EU takes Serbia further away from the poor standards, corruption and mess it was in before, and brings things much more into line with high standards enjoyed by the peoples of the EU.

Much to celebrate.

I might win lotto by the end of the year. You never know.

BT is giving complete spin here. His party is running scared from the potential protests/strikes mid-April and possible early elections. He is hoping that people will read this and feel they must stick with him in order to continue the EU path.

The reality: It is HIGHLY unlikely that Serbia will get EU candidacy status this year. Four huge issues are far from resolved: Kosovo, Mladic, economic peril, and corruption/ lack of transparency.

The EU regrets letting Bulgaria and Romania in. Cyprus is a constant headache and Greece has given everyone indigestion. Ireland and Portugal are still quite fragile, economically. They will not start another country with so many problems. Not this year. Croatia seemed like a shoe-in, but they even have problems now.

The EU liaison also made it quite clear they will work with any legally elected official that supports EU candidacy. It doesn't have to be the DS party. That isn't important to them...but very important to BT.

Count - Like so many others here, you know nothing at all about international politics and yet presume to spout nonsense! Neither Cyprus nor Malta were members of NATO when they joined in 2004 (and still aren't). There is absolutely no indication whatsoever that the EU is moving to make membership of NATO a condition for accession. Indeed, it is a fundamental principle of the EU that new conditions of membership cannot be applied to new members that are not applicable to standing members. As long as Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Malta and Cyprus remain outside of NATO, then there is absolutely no reason to suggest that Serbia must join in order to accede to the EU.

God bless Serbia. I love the motherland.

The new paradigm for EU membership in the 21st Century is to join NATO first. One need only look at Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania to be convinced of this simple chronologically based fact. Now that Albania and Croatia are NATO members the next step on the path to European integration is to be become a candidate for EU membership. By first applying for candidate status to the EU, I'm afraid Serbia is putting the cart before the horse. But of course, there is still that pesky little obstacle of having to apprehend Mladic.

I might win lotto by the end of the year. You never know.

Well Serbia seems to go the Turkish way to EU. But even candidacy won't guarranty the result required. Russia by the way is a WTO candidate for 18 years. And after Greece , Portugal , Spain , Italy ect. this EU carrot may prove to be not so sweet as it seems for the time being.

Hi RK

…. on the other hand, sorting out all the legal and other issues necessary for possibly joining the EU takes Serbia further away from the poor standards, corruption and mess it was in before, and brings things much more into line with high standards enjoyed by the peoples of the EU.

Much to celebrate.

BT is giving complete spin here. His party is running scared from the potential protests/strikes mid-April and possible early elections. He is hoping that people will read this and feel they must stick with him in order to continue the EU path.

The reality: It is HIGHLY unlikely that Serbia will get EU candidacy status this year. Four huge issues are far from resolved: Kosovo, Mladic, economic peril, and corruption/ lack of transparency.

The EU regrets letting Bulgaria and Romania in. Cyprus is a constant headache and Greece has given everyone indigestion. Ireland and Portugal are still quite fragile, economically. They will not start another country with so many problems. Not this year. Croatia seemed like a shoe-in, but they even have problems now.

The EU liaison also made it quite clear they will work with any legally elected official that supports EU candidacy. It doesn't have to be the DS party. That isn't important to them...but very important to BT.

God bless Serbia. I love the motherland.

Count - Like so many others here, you know nothing at all about international politics and yet presume to spout nonsense! Neither Cyprus nor Malta were members of NATO when they joined in 2004 (and still aren't). There is absolutely no indication whatsoever that the EU is moving to make membership of NATO a condition for accession. Indeed, it is a fundamental principle of the EU that new conditions of membership cannot be applied to new members that are not applicable to standing members. As long as Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Malta and Cyprus remain outside of NATO, then there is absolutely no reason to suggest that Serbia must join in order to accede to the EU.