Slovenia will hold its first Presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2008. On January 1st, the country celebrated the New Year with brand-new EURO. It’s really impressive considering the status of other former Yugoslavia Republics.

 

 

Croatia is inching closer to gaining an EU membership. Predictions of when vary from sources to sources. Some say it can be as early as 2008. Some predict 2008 or 2009. And some firmly believe it won’t be before 2010. However, a seat in the EU is a sure bet as the country has overwhelming supports from other EU members, Czech, Ireland, Poland, Greece to name a few. So far, everything has progressed well for Croatia. The arrest of Gotovina , a war-criminal wanted by the Hague Tribunal, was a relief for Croatia. Also, the Croatian government is inviting back Croatian Serbs who left during the war, a big score for the EU “judges.”

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - A candidate for membership of the European Union. Its status is one-step below Croatia. The EU future is glimpsed but a hopeful future indeed. Slovenia promised to help Macedonia for EU membership. Now with the presidency power, they can really push it.

Montenegro - I know next to nothing about this country.

What about Bosnia and Serbia?

One of my former roommates in Bosnia predicted EU would let Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia all in at the same time because otherwise “We will be even more isolated because we need Visa to enter even Croatia.” What she said made sense at the time because I knew and cared little about EU. I thought. “Okay, that’s good.”

Not a chance!

Bosnia’s and Serbia’s joining EU is very far from reality, for two reasons:

  • Economical - They share the same economical plight like other Central and Eastern European countries. To make the matter worse, they are recuperating from a recent war. However, the new EU members weren’t much better off than Bosnia and Serbia when they first joined. Rather, these countries didn’t have the same political madness as the two Yugo countries.
  • Political - If you’ve followed my blog closely, I rambled on and on about this issue many times. Bosnia has the strangest governmental system found in any other civilized nations. They still have ethnic division. And here comes the biggest downfall for both Bosnia and Serbia, they fail to deliver the region’s most wanted war-criminals.
  • And probably a lot more, which have I known I would be a professional Balkan analyst by now. (Chuckle)

CNN announced the winner of Serbia’s latest election , the ultra-nationalist Radicals.

Irony!

With a radical, extreme right-wing government, the chance for Serbia to make progress with the West looks too bleak. The domino effect can spread it way to Republika Sprska, an entity in Bosnia, not that the radical, right-wing spirit is not there already. Without the cooperation between RS and the Federation, let’s forget about EU.

Speaking about EU, who needs them? “You know, they probably won’t need EU (referring to Serbians and Bosnian Serbs.” A Bosnian friend of mine said. “EU is weakening.” “You think?” I asked. “Yeah. Every power comes to its end some time.”

Okay, it’s true. But in the mean time when the EU still holds a lot of power, an EU membership is vital. I’ll write about it in a future posts.

It’s Saturday evening, and I do believe I deserve a big break from being too nosy.

 

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