EU Expansion

[Your Funny Uncle]

What do the forum members (Ray, Lacibacsi etc) living in the states about to become part of the EU feel about this? Is it a time to celebrate? Do you care?
I'm interested to know how you percieve this event.

[mindboy]

Yeah, my country's entering as well.... I'm not that celebrative person, and I'm very glad that I'm working tonite while there's a big celebration in country... I just don't like the euphoria... I heard old EU members are very sceptical about the expansion....Well, that's sad if it's true...I guess we'll see proper results of joining in 50 years time...

[mindboy]

I just hope to be a lucky retired or pensioneer, just like germans - to travel all around the world and stuff

[PigletWildebeest]

I don't really understand much about European politics (I don't think anyone really does ) or about economy and trading and things like that. I do think we'll all benefit from it, but as Mindboy said, only in a couple of years.

[Avalon]

I just hope to be a lucky retired or pensioneer, just like germans

I wouldn't call Germans lucky...

[Ray]

I'm quite unhappy about missing the alterglobalist protest yesterday, to be honest There will be some celebrations here on May 1st and more on May 8th (moved, because media made such a fuss of the protest everyone thought Warsaw would still be in flames tomorrow ) but I'm not planning to join them; I hope to have a quiet, Harry Pothead, err, Potter enriched weekend -- am halfway through tome 5. Isn't it a shame how Harry doesn't seem to be gay after all? Sigh.

Regarding EU -- I'm happy that Poland is entering the Union, would be even more happy if Dutch parliament didn't decide to close their job market from me, I mean the members of the 10 new countries for two more years, but hell, UK is a nice destination, too -- and monster.co.uk have loads of offers for web designers

[PigletWildebeest]

I'm quite unhappy about missing the alterglobalist protest yesterday, to be honest There will be some celebrations here on May 1st and more on May 8th (moved, because media made such a fuss of the protest everyone thought Warsaw would still be in flames tomorrow ) but I'm not planning to join them; I hope to have a quiet, Harry Pothead, err, Potter enriched weekend -- am halfway through tome 5. Isn't it a shame how Harry doesn't seem to be gay after all? Sigh.

Regarding EU -- I'm happy that Poland is entering the Union, would be even more happy if Dutch parliament didn't decide to close their job market from me, I mean the members of the 10 new countries for two more years, but hell, UK is a nice destination, too -- and monster.co.uk have loads of offers for web designers

harry IS gay sweetie, he's still in denial.

[Lethe]

what is the point of countries anyway?

there is only one race and people are conditioned to accept land borders and the notion of state when they do not exist


FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

[jyllinge]

what is the point of countries anyway?

there is only one race and people are conditioned to accept land borders and the notion of state when they do not exist


FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

With that equation you put slavery = freedom as well?

[jyllinge]

Well to me the EU enlargement is a reason to celebrate. But let’s not forget that this is not an EU process finishing, It’s the beginning of a probably 5-7 year long process to build up the new EU. We are still waiting for Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and perhaps a few more in 2007. After the new EU has been build and the first stages of problems overcome, then it will take between 20 or in the worst case 50 years before the new EU countries are fully developed in to modern European countries. But looking back on the past, I say that it is defiantly worth it and I look forward to travelling around the east-central European countries to see the changes, while visiting some acquaintances I have around in those countries.

[Luna Noctis]

I have mixed feelings towards all this ...

On one side , I'm glad to see Estonia joining in . Estonia is a very important country for me , almost like home . I glad to see it getting the respect it deserves . I guess I can say the same about all the Baltic countries , but I can't really talk about L&L , as I've never been to any of those

On other side ... the treatment to Russia is appalling , as usual . The organisation showed , for I-don't-remember-how-many-times , its' racism and arrogancy .

Russia is probably never going to join EU . OK , today it has plenty of problems ( bad economics , high crime level , corruption , death penalty ) , but hey - don't countries like Rumania and Bulgaria suffer from the same "sicknesses" , and yet , they're going to join EU in the future ?

I'm sick and tired to see the whole world treating Russia with such misrespect . The EU thing is just another knife in Russia's back !

[amhilde]

Romania and Bulgaria and the rest of them arent joining now because they still have serious corruption, finance, infrastructure, and human rights issues that need to be addressed. Undoubtedly they are working on them, but its not as strong as what happened in the Baltics. As for Russia- Russia has always been a special case. When was Russia EVER part of Europe? The only time its ever been close has been in the major wars of the last 200 years where most of the time the mass of people and the bad weather saved them from being invaded. Russia is a special case, and I cant see them EVER joining up with the EU. Im not so sure if its a case of the EU stabbing Russia in the back but a case of Russia doing what Russia has always done- being different. Russia isnt the size of France, its a huge piece of land that stretches across many time zones and customs and religions, and spans east to west- touching upon Asia. Its a unique position that can possibly only be compared to Turkey. But regardless of its "progression" in the past few years its still a long long long LONG way from the reform needed to meet the benchmarks of EU membership. And if you look at the case of the Ukraine- they arent moving towards the EU, but towards Russia.

[mindboy]

Well to me the EU enlargement is a reason to celebrate. But let’s not forget that this is not an EU process finishing, It’s the beginning of a probably 5-7 year long process to build up the new EU. We are still waiting for Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and perhaps a few more in 2007. After the new EU has been build and the first stages of problems overcome, then it will take between 20 or in the worst case 50 years before the new EU countries are fully developed in to modern European countries. But looking back on the past, I say that it is defiantly worth it and I look forward to travelling around the east-central European countries to see the changes, while visiting some acquaintances I have around in those countries.

You're so welcome! It's very nice in my country particularly in May and June. Besides I'm so pethead-lonely here...

[Scandal]

what is the point of countries anyway?

there is only one race and people are conditioned to accept land borders and the notion of state when they do not exist


FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

Ignorance is Strength.

[jyllinge]

On other side ... the treatment to Russia is appalling , as usual . The organisation showed , for I-don't-remember-how-many-times , its' racism and arrogancy .

&

I'm sick and tired to see the whole world treating Russia with such misrespect . The EU thing is just another knife in Russia's back !

I just do not agree with statements like that. In the case no one know this, then please read here and/or follow the link for in depth information.

Concerning Russia:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_rela ... ssia/intro

The Partnership & Cooperation Agreement (PCA) came into force in December 1997 for an initial period of ten years. It establishes the institutional framework for bilateral relations, sets the principal common objectives, and calls for activities and dialogue in a number of policy areas. It covers:

Trade and economic cooperation: liberalisation of trade based on MFN treatment and the elimination of quantitative restrictions; legislative harmonisation; and provision on the establishment and operation of companies, services, current payments and the movement of capital, competition and intellectual property.

Co-operation in science & technology, energy, environment, transport, space and a range of other civil sectors.

Political dialogue: on international issues of mutual concern and on cooperation relating to observance of the principles of democracy and human rights.

Justice and Home Affairs: Co-operation to prevent illegal activities, trafficking in drugs, money laundering and organised crime. The Action Plan on combating organised crime of June 2000 has further strengthened the cooperation between Russia and the EU in this area.

And this is just the beginning of the beginning!