Poll: 61 percent support EU entry

According to an opinion poll entitled “Serbian Citizens’ European Orientation—Trends”, support for the EU is at 61 percent.

Izvor: FoNet

Wednesday, 21.01.2009.

16:20

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According to an opinion poll entitled “Serbian Citizens’ European Orientation—Trends”, support for the EU is at 61 percent. However, Milica Delevic, director of the Government European Integration Office, points out that this figure is down by six percent on that of May last year. Poll: 61 percent support EU entry “In May 2008, citizens supported EU integration in greater numbers, but, back then, expectations were higher as major investments had come to our country,” she said. During a presentation of the poll conducted by the European Integration Office, she said that the majority of citizens in all countries in the region, bar Croatia, supported European integration. “Croatia has progressed furthest in the European integration process, but its citizens now realize that the process is not just a one-way street, and requires a lot of sacrifices and changes of habit,” said Delevic. Serbian citizens are unhappy with the speed at which the country is moving towards the EU, giving it a mark of 2.5 out of 7 in the poll. The director of the European Integration Office explained that the results of the poll showed that citizens realized that integration was a long-running process, 51 percent of whom see the path “to a better future for young people” as the main benefit of EU membership. 49 percent of respondents said that the “constant political conditioning and blackmail that the EU is applying to Serbia” was the greatest impediment to Serbian EU entry, while 20 percent blamed the “incompetence of the domestic government.” 86 percent of people identified cooperation with the Hague Tribunal as the key condition for further integration, a condition viewed as acceptable by 47 percent of respondents. Nevertheless, 62 percent believe that the EU is constantly imposing new conditions on Serbia. “The goal best articulated by our citizens is getting Serbia on to the Schengen white list, even though 83 percent of respondents did not travel to a country with a visa regime last year,” stressed Delevic. She said that for Serbian citizens the Schengen white list represented a “proof of acceptance and enhancing self-esteem.” According to Delevic, young people in Serbia had a much more positive perception of the EU, while those who expect to draw the greatest benefits from European integration are people aged 18-29.

Poll: 61 percent support EU entry

“In May 2008, citizens supported EU integration in greater numbers, but, back then, expectations were higher as major investments had come to our country,” she said.

During a presentation of the poll conducted by the European Integration Office, she said that the majority of citizens in all countries in the region, bar Croatia, supported European integration.

“Croatia has progressed furthest in the European integration process, but its citizens now realize that the process is not just a one-way street, and requires a lot of sacrifices and changes of habit,” said Delević.

Serbian citizens are unhappy with the speed at which the country is moving towards the EU, giving it a mark of 2.5 out of 7 in the poll.

The director of the European Integration Office explained that the results of the poll showed that citizens realized that integration was a long-running process, 51 percent of whom see the path “to a better future for young people” as the main benefit of EU membership.

49 percent of respondents said that the “constant political conditioning and blackmail that the EU is applying to Serbia” was the greatest impediment to Serbian EU entry, while 20 percent blamed the “incompetence of the domestic government.”

86 percent of people identified cooperation with the Hague Tribunal as the key condition for further integration, a condition viewed as acceptable by 47 percent of respondents.

Nevertheless, 62 percent believe that the EU is constantly imposing new conditions on Serbia.

“The goal best articulated by our citizens is getting Serbia on to the Schengen white list, even though 83 percent of respondents did not travel to a country with a visa regime last year,” stressed Delević.

She said that for Serbian citizens the Schengen white list represented a “proof of acceptance and enhancing self-esteem.”

According to Delević, young people in Serbia had a much more positive perception of the EU, while those who expect to draw the greatest benefits from European integration are people aged 18-29.

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