Austrians say: either Croatia is in or we block Turkey

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Monk
You know, this can actually be an advantage for applicants, or at least it hasn't been an obstacle thus far.

Despite being in the South, I'm not from the 3rd world.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by axi
Also note that Greece is prepared to block EU talks with FYROM until the name dispute is solved.

This is just stupid. If you're both part of the same country, the EU, who cares what other parts call thesmelves or what borders are. Heck, once inside the EU, there's no real reason to stop each little national group from having their own state, is there?

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


All I have is negative money. My debts are all yours. Thanks

Then you cannot be in the EU, Germany alone has debts enough

[Kontiki]

Hmmm... Austria in dispute over Balkan state, Turkey also involved....

Perhaps Austria should send some politician to Sarajevo for some talks.....

Edit: get the city right, idiot.

[VetLegion]

At least that's what the government says. The people in the street would tell you otherwise if asked.

If people in the street got asked, half of new EU members wouldn't have made it in, not only Turkey.

Face it, EU is being crafted by a tiny political and bureaucratic elite. People all over Europe never really had a say in the process.

[Imran Siddiqui]

People all over Europe never really had a say in the process.

Considering how you are a bunch of Eurocoms, that may be the wisest decision .

[BeBMan]

Hm, in the early 90ies after the fall of the eastern bloc the people were for an eastern EU expansion in very high numbers (around 90 %) at least in here Germany, but meanwhile it has declined drastically......

[VetLegion]

Btw., Croatia would never even threaten to block Serbia's membership. Really. We have a few outstanding issues, but nothing of that magnitude.

[axi]

This is just stupid. If you're both part of the same country, the EU, who cares what other parts call thesmelves or what borders are. Heck, once inside the EU, there's no real reason to stop each little national group from having their own state, is there?

That's why they're still shooting at eachother in Belfast, is it? Or do you expect the UK to grant NI statehood anytime soon?

My main point though is that it is not Cratia that will block Turkey's bid. VetLegion's article is seeing a single tree and is overlooking the friggin forest. Austria can say whatever they please if they know it's not their veto that will keep Turkey out.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by BeBro
Hm, in the early 90ies after the fall of the eastern bloc the people were for an eastern EU expansion in very high numbers (around 90 %) at least in here Germany, but meanwhile it has declined drastically......

How much was it? 1000 billion DM in 10 years poured into DDR, and all for naught?


On the other hand, I'd be very surprised if a poll on the German street was ever in favour of Turkey's membership.

People won't decide that one, like they didn't the previous ones.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by axi
Also note that Greece is prepared to block EU talks with FYROM until the name dispute is solved.

It's been resolved. The US has decided to call them Macedonia.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by axi


That's why they're still shooting at eachother in Belfast, is it? Or do you expect the UK to grant NI statehood anytime soon?

My main point though is that it is not Cratia that will block Turkey's bid. VetLegion's article is seeing a single tree and is overlooking the friggin forest. Austria can say whatever they please if they know it's not their veto that will keep Turkey out.

Of course. This is all small scale political maneuvering that is not that significant. I posted it since there hasn't been much discussion on the general subject lately.

I find Greece's position on Macedonia and Turkey undefensible. Greece was admitted into EU because of geopolitical reasons at a time that it didn't meet all the criteria for membership. If someone had gotten uppity at that time and insisted, say, on human rights situation, Greece wouldn't have entered when it did.

Since then Greece has benefitted immensly from EU membership, and now it fancies it has a right to prevent some other countries from getting the same, claiming totaly dumb reasons as "name stealing"

Grow up.

[VetLegion]

Axi, you're right though that EU membership itself won't magically resolve existing issues and tensions between countries and nations by itself.

Especially problematic in that regard is, in my opinion, the Albanian question in Kosovo, but Bosnia is also a significant problem that can't be solved simply by admitting the whole mess into EU.

[axi]

Greece's position on FYROM is undefensible, yes. But Cyprus's position (it is a position of the Cyprus Republic primarily, Greece will just support it) is very fundamental: Turkey does not recognise the existance of a EU member state and declines to establish an embassy. The two countries do not have ANY diplomatic relations and one can't travel from one to another. They are currently in a friggin CEASEFIRE. That's why Cyprus cannot help but veto Turkey's bid, as long as this situation stands. And this if we disregard the whole occupation issue.

[Barinthus]

Originally posted by VetLegion
Btw., Croatia would never even threaten to block Serbia's membership. Really. We have a few outstanding issues, but nothing of that magnitude.

Ah I didn't realize that a recent war and couple of ethnic cleansing incidents qualify for something so minor as 'an outstanding issue.'