Far right wing nationalists gain power in Croatia

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Tripledoc
I would keep an open eye on the financial pages of Croatia's newspapers. Especially business contracts with foreign nations or corporations. It should not be too hard to discover a pattern then.

Some multi billion dollar deals will be concluded in the next couple of years. Some big and profitable state companies still remain to be sold. But what kind of pattern should I be looking for?

[VetLegion]

That is a deep philosophical question that is hard to answer. We would need some pictures to decide.

[Ned]

VetLegion, selling off state businesses and cutting taxes has got to help your economy. So if the new government actually does that, bravo.

I find it hard to believe that such a sensible policy could be labelled by anyone as "far right wing."

[Bereta_Eder]

I'm glad this has evolved into a lively debate despite Vettys funny outbursts

I'm saddened though that Vetty would not condemn outright his far right wing nationalistic government.
You understand that EU is a dream for you now, untill you vote them out.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Which only goes to show how intollerant the EU really is. Croatia is probably better without it then .

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by paiktis22
I'm glad this has evolved into a lively debate despite Vettys funny outbursts

I'm saddened though that Vetty would not condemn outright his far right wing nationalistic government.
You understand that EU is a dream for you now, untill you vote them out.

5/10

[Namaste]

Any fear about a new far-right nationalist government taking root in Croatia is a bit funny. The HDZ isn't the same party that it was under Tudjman. Sanader has put continually put emphasis on separating and redefining the current nature of the HDZ from what it used to be into a center-right European political party. Besides, the HDZ is going to need to build a coalition.

If anything, this is probably the first "normal" election Croatia has had. EU membership, cooperation with The Hague, the rights of returning Serbs and other such things are not disagreed with between the SDP and HDZ. It was all about economic promises. I certainly would have preferred that the SDP win, but that's how democracy works.

So I'm not exactly pleased that the HDZ won, but I don't think there is going to be really major change in the basic direction Croatia is going.

I also look forward to visiting my family back in Croatia again, hopefully next year (but really when I can find the cash again)

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by lord of the mark

5/10

I strongly disagree. 3/10 max

Gets points for getting me to write a couple of pages about a non-issue, but looses for not pissing me off (lacks the provocative touch). Loses some more for the short, elegant and very accurate expose of Greece I performed. Gets some for not throwing himself into a frenzy over it.

I've seen better
(I'm too modest to say I've done better, but we had some great threads about Greece, didn't we paiktis )

[Dinner]

Can someone please tell me what makes HDZ "far right"? Is it simply privitizing nationalized industries, like virtually every centrist government in the Americas & Asia has done (and their economies are proforming better because of it), or is there some other reason?

[VetLegion]

Well, during the 1989-1999 they were in power in Croatia, Tudjman was an autocrat and a nationalist, it was his party so it reflected his ways.

When he died there was a split, two factions formed; an extremely nationalist one and a moderate one. Moderates were victorious in the internal party elections and have since purged most of the extremists, while adopting a milder rhetoric and a modern program.

[Tripledoc]

Re: American support for the new regime.

Would that have anything to do with how the HDZ in coalition with the American military advisors planned the counterstrike on the Serbian held position towards the end of the War of Yugoslav Succesion (known as the Yugoslavian Civil War amongst westerners)?

My understanding is that that the American 'advisors' gave aircover, and military advice on strategy, tactics, and so on, while the regime sent young conscripts in columns doped on various drugs into the Serbian positions.

Questions:
What were the casualties?
Has there been an investigation by military historians into this offensive?

Ethnic cleansing Inc. aka as MPRI is still active.

http://www.mpri.com/channels/home.html

[Bereta_Eder]

If you notice, I barely stated what other newspapers write.
Americans such as Oerdin really have nothing to contribute don't you think?
Oerdin would propably say that Hitler was an OK guy and attack the EU "mandarins" for their intolerance.

I remain sad over the developments in Croatia as have been assessed by the european press. And more saddened that instead of condemning them you simply try, unsuccesuvely to "hide" them.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Oh look, Godwin's Law!

There goes paiktis again... anyone to the right of Tony Blair is a Hitlerite. At least we know how far his intolerance goes.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Oh look, Godwin's Law!

Does that mean the thread needs to be locked?

[Bereta_Eder]

Well don't take my word for it, just read the european press, provided in the first post. You will see that they and I do not consider anyone right of bliar as a hitlerite, only those who deserve that "distinction".