Croatia becomes 28th EU member

[Helen of Annoy]

I was looking at serbisn newspapers and they have not mentioned the anniversary, yet again.

But, we do have a lot support from serbs from belgrade, novi sad, from ordinary serbs who are now aware of the genocide their politicians and army have done.

The women in black, a womens organisation from belgrade is staging a vigil every year for the victims of bosnia. We all can live again like neighbours, friends. They are the prove. But serbia has to change their behaviour towards the neighboruring countries. If the dont, then, instead bosnia giving up lands to them, they will keep on loosing theirs, inch by inch.

I know still many serbs, educated, civilized, who want better for their family, country, but, if you still live in 1389, you will not succeed.

I still wish all the best upon croatia, bosnia and serbia. But one of them has to stop believing in their own lies. Hint, it is not croatia, it is not bosnia.

I'm signing this post.

It takes time for the air in the room to clear, but the windows are opened and there’s quite nice draught (draft in case there’s an American lost in this thread).

I’m quite sure I saw Tuđman’s napkin flying out the window (The proverbial napkin with map of divided B&H sketched on it, again in case a foreigner is lost in this thread.)

The future will keep being interesting for all of us, even surprising, the recent seemingly little events made me certain of that. It was about time.

[Big Bad Voodoo]

http://www.croatia.eu/

Here is good site. Short on time. Will respond later on some posts.

[Stardrive]

It takes time for the air in the room to clear, but the windows are opened and there’s quite nice draught (draft in case there’s an American lost in this thread).

Hey, I resemble that remark.... LOL

I remember the 90's all to well. It was quite painfull to sit back and watch it all unfold and not be able to do squat about it. In the end though, Clinton supported operation Storm, and it was a good day when all of Croatia's land that was lost was recovered. My heart was glad that justice had been served. America is like any other country I guess, we have our good qualities and our bad. But even in your darkest hour, let it be known you were in our thoughts and prayers and we were with you all the time even though the UN had our hands tied. It was very frustrating. Good news is it's over now and time to move forward. Congradulations Croatia!!!

[Helen of Annoy]

Hey, I resemble that remark.... LOL

I see what you did there

I remember the 90's all to well. It was quite painfull to sit back and watch it all unfold and not be able to do squat about it. In the end though, Clinton supported operation Storm, and it was a good day when all of Croatia's land that was lost was recovered. My heart was glad that justice had been served. America is like any other country I guess, we have our good qualities and our bad. But even in your darkest hour, let it be known you were in our thoughts and prayers and we were with you all the time even though the UN had our hands tied. It was very frustrating. Good news is it's over now and time to move forward. Congradulations Croatia!!!

I believe you’re right, any country has good and bad qualities. US role in ending the war in Croatia was crucial and positive. That’s why I’m frustrated today when any US involvement is automatically demonised. Without US, wars in Croatia and Bosnia would still drag on and certainly another would (fully) break out in Kosovo.

Thank you for your kindness and prayers. They worked!

(I can't believe we're officially Europe again... it seemed impossible for so long time.)

[odas]

Hello Stardrive. Glad to see a post from you again. Hope you are well.

As I said before, without the US who knows what could be today. Maybe a greater serbia with croats and bosnians as slaves, at least the one still alive.

I always stand with USA even though I critisize them sometimes. Having traveled much of east US down to the south I know it is the greatest country. In retrospect I should have immigrated there instead of Canada.

Unlike the media reports, I know that americans are accros the board very wellcoming people.

[MyInnerShadow]

If joining the EU is what the Croatian people want, then I wish them all the best in that, so congratulations to Croatia! Personally I think there is a lot of reforming that needs doing with the EU, but I am not in favour of us in the UK just leaving it; I'd rather we saw more co-operation with the other European leaders to try to improve the EU, and try to make it less bureaucratic, more efficient and more accountable.

[Stardrive]

Hello Odas! Good to see you again. Hope all is well with you and your family.

To put things in perspective, America is very large with alot of natural resources and manpower (and womanpower). But because of this the goods and the bads are more pronounced. I know that's a simplified answer, but it's the best my brain can do at the moment. I could go into full-bore rant about the bad things myself. But that's another thread. Next time you come through Virginia let me know. We'll get together and I'll give you the grand tour, share some suds, and talk about everyone on here LOL.

Trust me, when all of that was going down in the Balkans back in the 90's we were all mad as a wet hornet. It took awhile to figure out how circumvent the UN arms embargo, and it was good day when we did figure out how.

It was a complex situation because the former Yugoslavia was a member of the Warsaw Pact. The Russians had good historical reasons to create the Warsaw Pact. They wanted create a buffer zone between them and the west because of all the wars western Eurpoean nations had waged against them in the past. In light of the brutality of the last attack on them by Hitler, and suffering more human casualties than any other country involved in the conflict, industry in ruins, I can't much blame them for creating the Warsaw Pact buffer zone, also known as the Iron Curtain. In Russia's defense, they probaby didn't directly involve themselves in the Balkans conflict because, at the time, they had problems at home to tend to. And "you know who" took full advantage of that. No, I don't even want to speak that country's name because as far as I'm concerned it's not worthy of any kind of recognition.

Anyway, do you think BH will ever join the EU? Is that a possibility?

[Big Bad Voodoo]

To put things in perspective, America is very large with alot of natural resources and manpower (and womanpower). But because of this the goods and the bads are more pronounced.

Economiclly speaking USA is in decline.

[odas]

Hello Odas! Good to see you again. Hope all is well with you and your family.

To put things in perspective, America is very large with alot of natural resources and manpower (and womanpower). But because of this the goods and the bads are more pronounced. I know that's a simplified answer, but it's the best my brain can do at the moment. I could go into full-bore rant about the bad things myself. But that's another thread. Next time you come through Virginia let me know. We'll get together and I'll give you the grand tour, share some suds, and talk about everyone on here LOL.

Trust me, when all of that was going down in the Balkans back in the 90's we were all mad as a wet hornet. It took awhile to figure out how circumvent the UN arms embargo, and it was good day when we did figure out how.

It was a complex situation because the former Yugoslavia was a member of the Warsaw Pact. The Russians had good historical reasons to create the Warsaw Pact. They wanted create a buffer zone between them and the west because of all the wars western Eurpoean nations had waged against them in the past. In light of the brutality of the last attack on them by Hitler, and suffering more human casualties than any other country involved in the conflict, industry in ruins, I can't much blame them for creating the Warsaw Pact buffer zone, also known as the Iron Curtain. In Russia's defense, they probaby didn't directly involve themselves in the Balkans conflict because, at the time, they had problems at home to tend to. And "you know who" took full advantage of that. No, I don't even want to speak that country's name because as far as I'm concerned it's not worthy of any kind of recognition.

Anyway, do you think BH will ever join the EU? Is that a possibility?

Not in the near future. There has to be a new dayton of some sort the clear some things up. The BH administration is huge and not sustainable. Three presidents, each if them three assistence, each of them three cleaning ladies and so on. Then you have the presidents of each the entities. It is a mess. The serbian entity is doing everything posible to prevent BH to function as a country. They have some help from some croats but I do not worry about it since it is only on part of croats and having now croatia in the eu is a plus for BH.

When serbia joins then it will be an easier way for us to get the country in order.

But, like with everything on the balkans, things can change overnight, one never knows.