Pavkovic and Serbia pile pressure on Croatia?

[CroatianSerbAbroad]

Well it would appear that General Pavkovic has surrendered himself to the Serbian government for voluntary handover to the Hague.

This will further progress their status in the EU, reading the BBC News Internet site, Pavkovic claims he is doing it for the good of his people and country despite his belief he is innocent. He even refused to fire on demonstrators during the Milosevic coup.

Surely this can only be damaging for Croatia and her efforts to get into the EU, it would appear that Serbia is now co-operating with the Hague tribunal more than Croatia and at a crucial time with the delay in talks and General Gotovina still being at large.

Surely, it is now time for Gotovina to hand himself over, the more Serbia complies with the Hague and gets closer to the EU the worse it is for Croatia's position. Can you really imagine Serbia fast tracking to the EU before Croatia.

Come on general, if you are a hero hand yourself over like Pavkovic, for the "good" of the people and country.

Please feel free to read the article:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4473729.stm

I myself would love to see Croatia in asap, but this is looking more and more ominous, please no posts about conspiracies and traditional alliances.

Thoughts please?

[star]

I'd be more impressed if Mladic or Karadzic had handed themselves over. I have to admit, I have never even heard of this Pavkovic character before. Is he a big fish or stir fry?

Anyways, Croatia and Serbia will get in at the same time. I think thats pretty much been agreed upon by the EU for awhile now. That's if the EU is still around.....

[croam]

i predict the EU doesn't survive after one of the members refuses to adopt the EU constitution. Then you will have less foriegn investment...and the alliances in Europe will reform. Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia,Croatia, and Germany, at the very least, will strengthen economic ties. I think either way Croatia comes out well. I think it would be funny if the EU constitution wasn't adopted and the EU weakened...along with that strong Euro. Its sooo expensive for me to travel right now with the weak dollar.

[CroatianSerbAbroad]

Star, Pavkovic is considered one of the bigger fish from the Kosovo conflict, he was General of the armed forces at the time of the alleged ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians from Kosovo.

Croam, i think you are over emphasising the importance of the EU constitution, the EU will not disintegrate, there is absolutely no chance in my mind. Europe has come to realise that by having the US as the only real power on the planet is an incredibly dangerous thing, especially with Bush at the throne.

The EU will become a federation over time, already the EU is flexing its muscles over the US with the Boeing - Airbus conflict. The French and Germans will lead the EU federation with the UK trying to act as a mediator between the EU and US, eventually they will choose sides.

Croatia will become small fry in this objective, with stability being the key aspect, already the US has presence in the balkans due to the conflict, the EU will want them out eventually to ensure they cannot destabilise the region and effect the EU.

I would guess this maybe why they are holding out on Croatia's entry, the whole region needs to be completely stable before anyone can enter the EU. The last thing the EU will want is American presence in a part of the EU, just like i am sure George Bush would not be happy if their was EU presence desabilising California or any other US state.

Sorry to divulge off the issue, but lets stop being silly and believing the EU will collapse, it wont, at its base is strong multi-lateral trade agreements and for this reasons regardless of constitution and weak new EU countries it will strengthen and compete. Eventually becoming part of three superpowers - the US, China and the EU.

[irac]

croam, I mentioned before on another thread how governments "ensure" passing of laws and motions. In Ireland we "adopted" the Nice Treaty at the second time of telling, after downing it first time out in an embarassing turn for the leaders. Just think of it like this, did your Pressie ask the nation's advice when he attacked former allies in Afghanistan? Or chased non-existent WMD's in Iraq? Governments (look at how Berlusconi has destroyed media in Italy) pull the strings and we all dance. The EU won't fall, there's too much money at stake!

But it is good to see Pavkovic up, it shows a certain amount of courage, and if he's guilty he's done for, if the others in the region were so "noble" then the governments would have to admit to the mess they'v emade in the region!