Serbia step closer to EU - finally

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Shaman: Probably, but I'm not sure what it is. Politics was never my strong side.

The past five years we seem to be having some kind of elections every two months, and I've lost track of it all.

A candidate must have over 50% of votes from people who did vote to be the winner of the elections, though.

For example, if one candidate had 48% of votes, and the second 13%, with others less than that, the first one still isn't the winner. There would be a second round of the elections, with the first and the second candidate as only participants. We get those a lot.

 

I don't think Serbia'a voting system is unique, it certainly sounds very similar to the Irish one. You have to vote in the polling station nearest to your residence. This can't be changed to one nearer your work or college unless you register as living in a different residence. I think there is a mechanism for a postal vote but this is incredibly restrictive and must be applied for well in advance. You certainly can't apply for one just because you've chosen to go on vacation. The numbers who would actually use it are negligible. The end result is that it's almost impossible for those not at their stated residence to vote, especially the likes of students. I don't think the youth's cynicism towards politics was entirely helped by the government's decision to hold the last election midweek in the middle of the college exams.

Loreseeker, congratulations on the good news and it is good to see. I know actual membership is still a long, long way off but I hope ye do get there. The EU has made a colossal difference to Ireland's development since we joined. The infrastructure grants sure helped to make sure that our streets became paved, even if not with gold. It helped to modernise a lot of cultures and attitudes as well.

I'm reminded of an article in the economist. It described how aspirant countries make great strides to modernise and clean up their politics etc. when they're trying to get in but then tend to ignore any further calls for reform once they attain membership, as they no longer need to satisfy Europe (Bulgaria for example?). At the other extreme, however, countries which want to join but don't think they'll be admitted, like Turkey, tend not to reform in the first place as they don't think it'll make a difference to their chances of joining. Would it be fair to say this is where a lot of the nationalist population would be at? They don't see the point of trying to appease the EU if they're not going to be allowed to join anyway? At best, accession would be at least a decade away realistically and Serbia has an awful lot to reform before it would meet the normal criteria even aside from all the baggage about Kosovo etc. Even if the reforms were enacted the goalposts could have changed by the time entry would be discussed.

I suppose I should point out that the EU is hardly a model of democracy in its own right, mainly being run by unaccountable bureaucrats. The Nice treaty was a case in point. When the government lost the referendum to pass it here their response was merely to run the exact same referendum a few months later until they got the result they wanted.

 

Thanks, Deise.

Just a quick update.
My exam got postponed because the faculty got criticised on TV for scheduling exams on election day.
So, I'm voting normally on Sunday.

Things worked out great, in the end. One more week for studying, and a normal voting weekend. All that's left is a favourable result.
I'll let you know how it goes.

 

You seem much more optimistic than me. Loreseeker. I'm afraid that the Kosovo card will prove very powerful with the poeple and Satan will win, and it's back to Milosevic's time for us.

Good thing that your exams are postponed, we need more students to vote, and less cattle.

 

Just a quick update. The elections were yesterday and here are the results:

38,75% (102 mandates) - DS (pro Europe)
29,22% (77 mandates) - SRS (nationalist)
11,34% ( 30 mandates) - DSS, NS coalition (likely to side with the nationalists)
7,57% (20 mandates) - coalition including SPS (fossils)
5,30% (14 mandates) - LDP (very pro Europe, my vote went there too)
5 more mandates to minority parties

To sum it up, the good guys won, but we are not out of the woods yet.
The DS hasn't won the 50% needed to form the government on its own, so there's still a possibility of the SRS and DSS joining up and forming a government.
Nothing is clear yet, but at least SRS didn't win.

 

The SRS hold a worrying percentage of support for a nationalist party!

 

Being In the EU myself (Germany) I kinda feel the whole EU to be overrated!

And I don't think that dragging other nations in this -wanna be union- of overpriced everything, is the sulution!

Europa as it was intended was a sound, but rather an "idea utopia"!

I wish those people the best though. If it will improve their lives...well then cheers!

 

Tell me about it.

To tell you the truth, Barmy, I expected the things to be even worse. At the previous elections the margin was far less than 10%. SRS even won one elections, but the other parties had formed a minority (not sure if this is the correct term?) government, keeping it from getting into power.
Now such a plan might backfire on DS, but hopefully it won't.

I'll let you know what happens.

 

It has been getting quite a lot of coverage up here. People in general seem to want Serbia to stop being an international paria and join the rest of hte world for good and bad. There really is no other way for the country to go, it is not possible for the nationalists to fulfill their promises neither about Kosovo or about anykind of policy.

 

By the way, can you elaborate how the DS, DSS and SPS (socialists, I presume?) stand on various issues? It's possible our definitions of nationalist and pro-europe aren't quite the same, and there may be interesting other positions of these parties we as outsiders don't know much about.

 

Hmm... I'll try.

SPS are the socialists. I don't know very much about them, but they are Milosevic's party and I had expected them to die out with their leader.

DSS - Kostunica is head of it. Kosovo is Serbia is his party's slogan. A moderate position on most issues, but on some he is prone to agreeing with radicals, a decision unthinkable for other democratic parties in the country.

DS - "for European Serbia" was their slogan. They are against forming the government with radicals, softer on the Kosovo issue, interested in the European integrations primarily.

SRS - radicals. They still put Sheshelj (who is on trial in Hague) on their posters as the party leader. They tend to scare me. (Kosovo card is most fiercely played by them.)

None of them are golden, but imo, Kostunica's party are the greatest thieves amongst the politicians. Their political behavior has been... sleazy at times.

SRS and a part of DSS lack political manners. They keep shouting, insulting people and are pretty rude and bully like in debates. Especially the SRS. Such behavior is not normal, imo.
You cannot be a head of a country if you are not civilised enough to hold a normal conversation.

I used nationalist and pro-Europe as general descriptors, probably as these parties would be viewed from the outside.
Nationalist, as a border-line negative term. They claim all is being done in Serbia's name, but are blind to reality.
Pro-Europe - let's join EU, it's about time...

These are my opinions on this subject. I avoid getting into politics, and rarely watch the news, so take this post with a grain of salt.