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Post by ray51 on Jun 5, 2011 18:42:01 GMT 1
That maybe so , but : who cares what he says ? And : the EU would in fact be better as a common market ( not that it worries the likes of him ) ! And , also : in my long experience , Croats are not particularly European ; they may be ( are ) very pro-Austria and pro-Germany , maybe even pro- Italy ( similar corruption ) ? that's where it all ends , how they percieve EUrope ; I dare anyone to travel to Bruxelles - Paris - London - Amsterdam - Stockholm or thereabouts and show me a HR-registered car anywhere thereabouts . If ever they travel anywhere , in my experience , it is to scavenge about the shops , not surprisingly so , when a female can get get lovely high-heel shoes on sale at Harvey Nicks for 20 quid . Besides that , not much about EUrope interests them , unless we're talking serious cash handouts .
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Post by Madgolfer on Jun 6, 2011 17:06:45 GMT 1
That maybe so , but : who cares what he says ? I think quite a few Croatian will listen to what he says Ray. ;D
It did rather surprise me last week when a well known member of this forum explained to me about a course he was running, helping Croats with their general English language skills.
All of his group were pro EU membership for one reason, it meant they would be able to leave and go find work abroad easily. They ranged in age from 20 to 30 apparently and are mostly graduates.
I agree that not many Croats are well enough informed about the EU, both its advantages and disadvantages. Let the Govt agree accession first and then they can start an "education & information" program.
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Post by crojoe on Jun 6, 2011 18:19:32 GMT 1
I would 100% back this thought that many Croatians are not well informed about EU benefits or lack thereof. I mean, even I don't understand it all, but what I do know and enjoy the freedom of movement and ability to get work in another country if so desired or required.
Like I've said before, Croatia is a bit like a big kid kicking and screaming his way to adulthood. Human nature hats change, and when shrouded in mystery, it's even worse, more like understandable.
Here we have a government riddled with problems, corruption and so forth (the ruling class), and they are about the only ones pushing for EU acceptance. No wonder people sit and wonder, and have no clear picture of the benefits. All they hear about are the possible billions that they will never see or benefit from.
The people only hear and see all the changes the country must make. All they hear from the government is the goal is June (just a second, that’s this month), and we “Croatia” can talk our way into acceptance by the EU. Quite comical how it’s only the government that keeps talking about June. Everyone else (including the EU) seems to be saying it’s going to take longer, oh and some minor changes in major laws and reforms need to be made, some re-writing of the books, the laws and business practised. All just minor stuff we are told.
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Post by ray51 on Jun 6, 2011 19:32:09 GMT 1
Sadly , the EU is not the holy panacea it was promised to be ( expect for certain unelected political elites , with their bums in butter and biiig Buxxxx guaranteed for their lifetimes ! ) ; IMHO , when you are in the sort-of an O.K. run country , the EU is neither here nor there , ask the Swedes , the Dutch and the like , to be fair I should include the Austrians and Germans and some little countries e.g. Luxembourg , Denmark , Cyprus ; ( or ask the non-members , who chose not to join : the Swiss , the Norwegians ...) when you are in a badly run country , the EU can give you grief , and a lot of it , being a member of EUro-currency zone also doesn't help either , ask the Greeks and the Portuguese and the Irish ( all of whom can't even do the sensible thing i.e. devalue ) ; true , Spain was a really big beneficiary , especially in infrastructure , for a while , in the good years - but , those are now long gone ( and so is the money ) . Most of the "new" members , admitted in the recent years , are not the big beneficiaries , ask the Magyars , the Slovaks , the Slovenians , the Bulgarians ...nothing much to show for being in the EU !
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Post by Madgolfer on Jun 7, 2011 8:01:36 GMT 1
Surely the highest aspirations and eventual goal of the EU is to bring countries in the region closer together, thereby avoiding conflict and making one big happy family?
It is indeed a "great dream" and there will be some infighting and jostling for position just as there is in any family, but it is an ideal I tend to agree with.
Compared to the other smaller and weaker countries that have joined before, the delays and conditions imposed on Croatia's accession may well avoid some of the problems that these other countries now find themselves in.
Small countries can benefit from being part of the "big-boys" EU club and if they want to play with the adults then they have to grow up first. IMO that is what has been happening to Croatia, its been made to "prove" its an adult country, or adolescent at least and out of puberty.
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Post by ray51 on Jun 7, 2011 9:28:12 GMT 1
Dream on , baby ! In the meantime the Franco-German axis rules most of everything ( not particularly well ) , assisted by a few smaller quislings like Belgium , Luxemburg , Denmark ... at least half a dozen countries are in such a parlous state ( caused at least partially by the grossly-overvalued EU-currency , into which they now appear to be imprisoned forever , courtesy of the likes of Merkel , Trichet , Sarko , Barroso , Rehn and their lot ) that they dare not even speak ; and to another half-dozen "members" , no-one even pays any attention to , instead : they get told , from time to time what and how... The EU is an extension of a totalitarian state by peaceful and bureaucratic means ; the Germans and Bruxellois are now by far the biggest profiters therefrom . If I had my youth and my health back , I'd be on the first flight , of at least 6-10 hours , away as far as poss. , from the EU .
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Post by crojoe on Jun 7, 2011 10:22:47 GMT 1
Dream on , baby ! In the meantime the Franco-German axis rules most of everything ( not particularly well ) , assisted by a few smaller quislings like Belgium , Luxemburg , Denmark ... at least half a dozen countries are in such a parlous state ( caused at least partially by the grossly-overvalued EU-currency , into which they now appear to be imprisoned forever , courtesy of the likes of Merkel , Trichet , Sarko , Barroso , Rehn and their lot ) that they dare not even speak ; and to another half-dozen "members" , no-one even pays any attention to , instead : they get told , from time to time what and how... The EU is an extension of a totalitarian state by peaceful and bureaucratic means ; the Germans and Bruxellois are now by far the biggest profiters therefrom . If I had my youth and my health back , I'd be on the first flight , of at least 6-10 hours , away as far as poss. , from the EU . If I had my youth and my health back, no wife and kids and no bills to pay I'd be sitting on some tropical Island with a nice local native lass, but then again would I be happy and in peace? I'm sure someone will be pestering me about local council tax on my bamboo hut, health insurance from eating coconuts and local fruit, a tourist tax for swimming in the sea or sitting on the sand and not to mention a visa to be in that country. I doubt I could find a local lass who wouldn't want to go shopping. So, EU, Asian Pacific, North Atlantic or whatever zone it's in, It's a lost dream. Ok, time to pull away from the computer and go buy some of those perfectly shaped Spanish cucumbers.
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Post by ray51 on Jun 7, 2011 12:04:35 GMT 1
As of latest , apparently the Spanish cucumbers are O.K. and fine again and it's the Germans who have been misrepresenting , Big Way , covering up their own nonsense , yet again .
As for the tropical island ? Naah , too boring - there's busy , interesting , nice places where to do lotsa things : Toronto , Melbourne , Cape Town , Montreal spring to mind immediately , then some others ...but , wishing won't make it so and so I better get out now , for some lunch .
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Post by BrankoL on Jun 7, 2011 17:25:10 GMT 1
CRO TV latest: European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso expected to recommend Friday to EU member states that Croatia has completed entry negotiations.
Great!
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Post by crojoe on Jun 7, 2011 18:36:53 GMT 1
CRO TV latest: European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso expected to recommend Friday to EU member states that Croatia has completed entry negotiations. Great! How can he say that when they haven't even finished some of the major issues or requirments? Or, has everyone concerned had enough and decided to let school out early this year, and let them slide by with the grade they currently hold?
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Post by Madgolfer on Jun 8, 2011 8:23:38 GMT 1
From todays press.......sounds like a done deal to me. ;D
Croatia can expect good news on Friday regarding the completion of its EU entry talks, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in Strasbourg on Tuesday.
At today's meeting of the commissioners we discussed Croatia and I believe that we are now close to completing the talks with that country, at least as far as the EC is concerned. We are facing a crucial moment on Croatia's long membership road and I believe that there will be good news in that regard on Friday, Barroso said after the EC session in Strasbourg.
On Friday, the EC is expected to submit to the Council of the EU draft negotiating positions for the policy areas in Croatia's EU entry talks that remain to be closed - Competition Policy, Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, Finance and Budgetary Provisions, and Other Issues.
According to diplomatic sources, in those documents, which are expected to be adopted by the member countries, the EC will propose that Croatia become an EU member on 1 July 2013.
Croatian authorities, notably the current government, have worked very hard to meet the set conditions and I am confident that they will be rewarded for their hard work very soon. As for the EC, it has conducted the talks with Croatia on the basis of strict conditions, but always in good faith and in a fair manner. I also believe that Croatia's admission, once it happens, will be good news for the people of Croatia, for the EU as well as for all other peoples in the region, Barroso said.
Some news agencies said that Barroso could visit Zagreb on Friday to bring the good news himself, but EC officials ruled out such a possibility due to his previously scheduled duties.
Diplomatic sources have said that Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele told his fellow commissioners today that Croatia had met all conditions for the closing of the remaining four policy areas and that they could be closed.
Officials of the Hungarian EU Presidency have said that they will do their best to make it possible for Croatia to complete its EU talks before Hungary's EU chairmanship ends on June 30.
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Post by Madgolfer on Jun 8, 2011 8:27:41 GMT 1
And this article......hats off to the lady IMO. Shes managed to get more done in the last 18 months than Sanander and his cronies did in all the years before. If you want something sorted get a woman on the job! Well done Mrs PM.
Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has said that the provisional closing of the Fisheries policy area in Croatia's EU entry talks is a great success and that she has never ceased believing in and working on the completion of Croatia's EU accession negotiations in mid-2011.
Kosor said on Tuesday that the conclusion of the negotiations, which she described as a historic goal, was now a matter of days.
Kosor said that the Fisheries negotiating area, which was closed on Monday, was one of the particularly tough and complicated policy areas in Croatia's membership talks with the European Union.
With the closing of the policy area No. 13, Fisheries, Croatia has four policy chapters left to close: Chapter 23 - Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, Chapter 8 - Competition Policy, Chapter 33 - Finance and Budgetary Provisions, and Chapter 35 - Other Issues.
The premier said that another two difficult areas, Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Competition Policy, were also about to be closed.
She told reporters that Croatia should continue working hard and with commitment also after the conclusion of the entry talks until the signing of the accession treaty.
Kosor expressed satisfaction with the report which the Hague tribunal's chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz delivered to the UN Security Council on Monday about Croatia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). She said that Brammertz's report confirmed Croatia's full cooperation with that UN court.
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Post by upthevilla on Jun 8, 2011 8:31:30 GMT 1
( According to diplomatic sources, in those documents, which are expected to be adopted by the member countries, the EC will propose that Croatia become an EU member on 1 July 2013. )
So, in 2 years time then. Funny, i have been hearing in 2 years for 11 years.
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Post by crojoe on Jun 8, 2011 9:39:02 GMT 1
( According to diplomatic sources, in those documents, which are expected to be adopted by the member countries, the EC will propose that Croatia become an EU member on 1 July 2013. ) So, in 2 years time then. Funny, i have been hearing in 2 years for 11 years. If the 2 year stance goes on any longer we'll be "up the hill", "over the hill" and retired in a our "villa" by the time Croatia joins the EU. Sorry "upthevilla", I couldn't help it.
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Post by upthevilla on Jun 8, 2011 11:01:50 GMT 1
Ha ha, no problem . i will just think of a quick and witty retort. This may take some time and i will reply within 2 years, maybe
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