Last minute jitters in Croatia over EU accession

[Interista]

Because ultimately they'll be poorer.

How so?

[chriskavo]

I've known for some time that opinion in Croatia is by no means overwhelmingly pro-EU, but sometimes I wonder why?

It's understandable that the citizens of rich nations like Norway or Switzerland would not want to join the EU, but why would a relatively poor, newly established nation like Croatia want to remain outside?

Perhaps it is because they do not want to become just another economic province of the ECB.

[Interista]

Perhaps it is because they do not want to become just another economic province of the ECB.

Perhaps so. But surely their citizens would like freedom of movement and the ability to work in the EU?

[Peoples Front of Judea]

If I was in their place right now I'd vote no.

[Ulster-Lad]

Perhaps they would like the ability to write their own laws without the review of the EU, determine their own fishing rights, set their own budgets, determine their own monetary policy, you know the things that normal governments do.

[Sulla]

The Croats like their Slovenian neighbours were better off in Yugoslavia. There, they were big boys and had economic and political clout. Now they are both small, weak and insignificant countries in a huge bloc dominated by Germany, a case of history repeating itself, Austro Hungarian Empire and 1941-44. They will rue the day they waived goodbye to Belgrade.

Nonsense, the difference between Slovenes and Serbs is immense. Ljubljana and Belgrade are more different that Dublin and London. Slovenia was right to go its own way and would be doing fine were it not for profligate left wing governments.

I was in the Balkans a few years ago and there was a debate on Croatia's equivalent of Prime Time on their national broadcaster and the question was put to telephone poll: Would you rather EU Membership or to not give up Ante Gotovina, the result was 80% for the not give up Gotovina option.

[root for solidarity]

The Croats like their Slovenian neighbours were better off in Yugoslavia. There, they were big boys and had economic and political clout. Now they are both small, weak and insignificant countries in a huge bloc dominated by Germany, a case of history repeating itself, Austro Hungarian Empire and 1941-44. They will rue the day they waived goodbye to Belgrade.

Actually, I think we should have had a Balkan union, before we partnered with the rest of Europe. Just like the Scandinavians did.

But international politics (see: the iron curtain) as well as nationalism, did not allow it.


We utilised nationalism to get rid of the despotism of both the Ottoman and the Austro-Hungarian empires. But then we very stupidly (and with a "little bit" of help of our friends, the great powers, who just love playing the divide and rule game) turned this weapon against the better interests of our people.

[blokesbloke]

I've known for some time that opinion in Croatia is by no means overwhelmingly pro-EU, but sometimes I wonder why?

It's understandable that the citizens of rich nations like Norway or Switzerland would not want to join the EU, but why would a relatively poor, newly established nation like Croatia want to remain outside?

Precisely because they are a newly-established nation. I found it quite sad seeing the East European states, so recently proudly becoming fully independent of the Soviet Union, rushing to give up their hard-won sovereignty to join the EU, especially when President Chirac arrogantly told them to "shut up" and all EU states with the honourable exceptions of Ireland, the UK and Sweden immediately denying them their full rights as EU citizens by restricting their freedom to work anywhere in the EU for a decade.

Not everything is about money - and even if you only look at it in economic terms, the EU doesn't look quite the attractive prospect for a poor country than it did even a decade ago - the Croatian people can clearly see that there is shag all money left in the EU when the EU is having to bail out countries far, far richer than they are - the days of milk and honey for a newly-joined poor EU member are long, long ago.

It's of course up to the Croatian people and I'm happy to welcome them into the EU if they do decide to join, but I'd have a great deal of respect for them if they decided not to - and I think it would send a powerful message to the EU.

[sondagefaux]

More reports on polls:

According to a poll published yesterday by Ipsos Puls for Nova TV, 60 per cent of Croatians favour EU membership – with 31 per cent against and 9 per cent undecided. Another recent survey put the yes vote slightly lower, at 56 per cent. If the country joined, it would be handed seven votes in the European Council and send 12 MEPs to Brussels. Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, whose centre-left government won power in last month's elections, has said that Croatia belongs in Europe "geographically, historically and culturally". However, opponents led by the Movement for Croatia have told rallies of up to 1,000 people not to cede sovereignty to the EU just two decades after the country won independence from Yugoslavia.

http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/a...-eu-membership

Sixty per cent of Croatians would cast their ballots for the EU membership at the upcoming Sunday’s referendum, Ipsos Puls survey shows. That is four per cent more than the same agency's results that the Croatian media carried yesterday (Thu).
...

The number of those opposing the membership has decreased from 36 to 31 per cent, the poll shows.

http://www.croatiantimes.com/news/Ge...to_60_per_cent

Guess we'll see which poll has been most accurate on Sunday.

[Barnsleyfc]

Previously we would have been held up as the example of what the EU can do for a small nation.We all know how that turned out.As people have said already what is the big draw in joining this dictatorship? OK I know Croatia hasn't the highest standard of living in the world atm but how could anybody say that joining the EU is going to make that any better?