Balkans Blog Roundup · Global Voices
Ljubisa Bojic

On September 11, Viktor of Belgrade Blog writes:
[…] [Serbia] just won the water polo European championship, and here's a short video with the atmosphere from the streets of Belgrade (Kolarceva street, more precisely). It's like this, after all major successes in sports, but this is the first time we did it under the name of Serbia, so cheers for that :)
John1975 from the States vows:
[…] I wish America and her people would care as much as the Serbs do about things like this! I mean, our culture is one where no one would have been cheering in the streets or going crazy over our basketball team winning this latest world challenge. What I loved and miss about the Serbs are the fact that each and every Serb seem to be linked by this national pride – where every Serb is a friend to every Serb! Of course there are exceptions to the rule but, from my experiences this was the case 99.9 percent of the time. […]
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This sport event overshadowed Montenegro elections, which received minimal media coverage in Serbia. Montenegrin Prime Minister’s Milo Djukanovic party received the majority of votes in the first parliamentary elections after the official declaration of independence of this new state. At B92 blog (SRP), Slayayu states:
Montenegro mafia has a state… They had it long before referendum [when they decided to declare independence from Serbia]. They got 80% of illegal vehicles on streets, and that is only a fraction of the story. [For years Milo Djukanovic has been accused of personal and political ties to widespread tobacco smuggling in Montenegro throughout the 1990s]. [Milo Djukanovic] does not seem to care, often skillfully intruding with his personal monolog about European integration. […]
Bganon:
[…] I know how things operate down there. Its also a privatized state – I wonder how long it will be before Europeans become intolerant of all those Russian businessmen who own hotels and casino's on the coast. EU membership doesn’t come for free. A European [Montenegro] or Don [Milo] Djukanovic? Well that’s a lesser concern. What worries me more is inter ethnic tension. I have a nasty feeling that [Montenegro] will go the way of the Macedonian political system where incapable and corrupt politicians are elected simply on account of their being a leading member of an ethnic party. And of course nothing can be done without these ethnic parties, and the minute something happens not to the liking of ethnic parties they scream ‘discrimination’ to the Europeans/human rights groups.[…]
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Some questions raised by the Croatian Index.hr forum dwellers (HRV) deserve attention as negative aspects of joining the European Union get constantly neglected by the mainstream media. Piko2 says:
I don’t want Croatia becoming member of the European Union. How come there is no public opinion research concerning this question. Why nobody points out negative aspects of joining the EU? Do we really need that kind of merge or [because of our geopolitical position] Europe needs us?
Posjetilac responds:
[…] Croatia is a small country and it would be a mistake to think the EU needs us. As a market, it is not interesting (it has 1% of EU population), they have got GNP only 0,5% of EU citizens. […] EU needs big countries for consumption [market] (for example Poland) as well as small rich ones to boost EU budget. As far as I know Croatia is neither of those. […] Thus our states request admittance to the EU, not the other way around. Logically the EU dictates conditions of entrance […].
Visoki:
[…] If you think you would be able to sell any product based solely on its quality, you would be wrong [in case the country is not a EU member], its essential to have much more apart quality! Why wouldn’t [EU] ban import of your goods? Why wouldn’t [EU] pressure other countries to implement the same ban? […]
Posjetilac:
[…] [Croatia will become member of the EU in few years.] which is enough time for government to swiftly adjust laws, fiscal policy, and if you will, current way of life of its citizens. […] Traders would sell their goods as before, but only in a distinctive frame under certain rules and regulations enabling them with a stable life and designed to prevent them from illegally reselling their stocks. Man from Dalmacia would continue to produce independently for his restaurant but would have to keep his products subjected to constant quality control to make sure all hygienic standards are met to protect consumers. […]
Inejlapan:
Can somebody explain to me, why EU dictate us how many fruit trees, olive trees and hectares of vine yards [and kind of crops] we can plant? it is really democratic…
Gorki61_istra:
Well all our major companies are already in the EU.
Maybe we won’t be mused [hassled around] so much if we join too.
Walpurga:
Are you trying to say that all successful firms and banks worth something have been already sold [in the process of privatization] to Italians and Germans, so to say to European states. Only our nation has not been sold yet, but they may do that in the future to fill in the state budget.
Diskutant #17731:
[…] Those who may be laid off feel threatened by EU membership, old labor not worth of investing [for them to gain additional skills and education]… It is more difficult to reorganize people used to old way of work than to kick off with young, fresh and well educated employees. […] Normally, it would be tough for average citizen in the beginning, but ultimately new conditions would lead towards enhanced living standard, strengthening of economy and boosting exports. […]
It is Bobrock’s eighth year living abroad. He works as a managing director of a company in England. He writes:
[…] First of all, I noticed EU is very corrupted. It looks great on paper. Regretfully, on-field situation significantly differs. […] I would advise everybody to listen to a wise saying of Grunf. First, try soup and later decide if it is hot or non-salty enough. How many times you changed opinion about something after trying it out? […] We don’t have to be in EU to be productive or do well. […] Gold is not everything that shines, pure water and health are more valuable than EU benefits. […]
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At Modrica, a discussion board frequented by fellows from Bosnia and Herzegovina (in further text B&H), a question has been raised about the country’s future (BIH). B&H’s expatriate Daren states:
[B&H] in ten years…??? […] I was there last summer and I could see how people live. Law abiding citizens don’t have enough money to buy a slice of bread and the other ones who steal (or those who have committed illegal deeds during the [civil] war) rule. Whatever party gets in power we will fail to change [B&H] society if the system stays the same. One example that crosses my thoughts is associated with my recent visit to emergency hospital unit. My son got sick during our vacation in [B&H]. They asked me to purchase a medicine as they wouldn’t have enough even for children in case of emergency [they would wait for necessary medication to be brought so the nurse could act]. […]
Rizo:
[…] one thing is sure; [B&H] will not change by itself, it awaits us to act! It is pity that latest election vote show people don’t want to change anything, they don’t perceive responsibility for deeds committed throughout the last decade. [Thus we are all to be blamed] or at least majority of citizens. Until we wouldn’t confront our burden […] we couldn’t go forward. […] There are just few of citizen initiative organizations, and that is important factor for creation and development of democracy. It is true Alliance [west oriented political block] got what it deserved – defeat, but should we have left Alliance to be defeated by nationalistic parties fully responsible for what happened to us in the region. It is sad to watch Euro-News with reports as they include Serbian flag and nothing to give nice impression of [B&H]. Reporter summons up his short comment by saying: “today’s election resulted with undisputed victory of politicians who managed to keep this country apart from European integration for whole decade”. […]