January 2007: Bulgaria and Romania in EU

[Heresson]

That's the view of Comission, it has to be approved by leaders of EU.
Next states, even Croatia, will have to wait till EU is reformed

Strange that there's no thread about it

[Victor Galis]

Nothing terribly new about it. It was expected.

[Gangerolf]

I think croatia might still join in 2009

[Victor Galis]

On a side note... my plans to truly and literally be a citizen of the (western) world are proceeding nicely.

[VetLegion]

As a citizen of Croatia I'm glad that these two are in

It's going to help them immensly. But there are still big problems with corruption in them, I'm curious how EU is going to handle it.

As for Croatia, we'll probably end the negotiations and sign our souls to the devil soon enough, but further expansion is really a big political problem in the EU, so we could be waiting for quite some time and be admited in 2012 or later, together with Serbia, Moldova, Albania, Ukraine and all that jazz

[Nubclear]

nevermind

[Heresson]

Originally posted by VetLegion
As a citizen of Croatia I'm glad that these two are in

It's going to help them immensly. But there are still big problems with corruption in them, I'm curious how EU is going to handle it.

As for Croatia, we'll probably end the negotiations and sign our souls to the devil soon enough, but further expansion is really a big political problem in the EU, so we could be waiting for quite some time and be admited in 2012 or later, together with Serbia, Moldova, Albania, Ukraine and all that jazz

You forgot Turkey

[thesilentone]

I used to be really pro-euro, even wanted uk to join the single currency. But even here in a small medium sized city in the uk, poles and czechs are everywhere, I don't meet that many new people really, but I've met about 10 already, I dread to think how many bulgarians and rumanians would come over too.

[Dinner]

The eastern Europeans are mostly doing jobs which Brits don't want to do. This is good for the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/5129224.stm

[Victor Galis]

Romanians are more likely to end up in Italy and Spain and other places where the language is more similar to Romanian.

[Flip McWho]

See I really dislike that covert form of racism that's expressed in the post of thesilentone.

Those damn pesky foreigners taking over our countries, competing us rightful people outta jobs.

[Heresson]

I think Britain is much better off with immigrants from central and eastern EUrope, who will have no problem merging with society and after a generation or two not by appearance, not by religion, not by customs You'll be able to recognise that they are not original British, perhaps only by surname,
than with immigrants from Pakistan or Somalia.

I think countries should support immigration only from countries that are close mentally, culturally or at least religiously to them. I don't mind immigrants from Angola or Slovenia in Poland - they will merge with society.
Chineese or Vietnameese (Vietnameese are the ones that immigrate to Poland in general) are OK as well, they do not flood other countries, are peaceful and pleasant.
But when it comes to muslim countries, immigration from them (perhaps and to some extent except for Albanians, Bosnians, Tatars, and many of the ex-USSR "muslims", as well as the more modern Turks, Lebaneese or Syrians) is bound to cause trouble.
In fact, I believe that islam hase generic problem with fundamentalism that will not be solved soon, or ever, so even kids of moderate muslims can turn into something bad... But, on the other hand, I doubt islam will disappear anytime soon... so perhaps change in behaviour will eventually lead to change in persona.
Still, I think immigrants from eastern Europe, latino countries, far east Asia and subsaharean Africa are the best for western Europe.

[VetLegion]

You shouldn't be worried about job loss unless you're an unskilled worker with whom immigrants usually compete.

But you should be worried about integration and admiting only immigrants who can integrate if they stay. In this regard I don't think east European immigrants are a problem for the west European host countries

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Heresson
I think countries should support immigration only from countries that are close mentally, culturally or at least religiously to them.

The closer, the better

Countries like Sweden seem to have been taking immigrants without any discrimination and I don't think it's a good thing. No need to be politically correct at the customs - there is no human right to enter a country. Turn back everyone you don't like, on whatever grounds, including religion, race, political attitudes or whatever.

[Fake Boris]

racism