Croatia moves towards finalising EU entry talks

06 Jun 2011 18:40

Source: Reuters // Reuters

BRUSSELS, June 6 (Reuters) - Croatia took a new step on Monday towards finalising its European Union entry negotiations, wrapping up talks on fisheries policy, as it races to finish accession preparations this month.

The Balkan state of 4 million people hopes to win EU approval to join the bloc later in June and become a member in 2013, but many EU governments say it may be not be possible to conclude talks this month.

Closing the fisheries chapter means Croatia has cleared 31 out of 35 policy areas needed to end accession negotiations.

However, the remaining chapters cover some of the most controversial discussion areas -- competition policy and anti-corruption reforms -- and some EU capitals may ask for more time to assess Zagreb's progress....more> http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/croatia-moves-towards-finalising-eu-entry-talks

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey - how EU makes Serbia blessed

http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/26-05-2011/118016-mladic_arrest-0/

"And congratulations, Serbia. Now you can join the European Union. Wonderful! Stand back and watch your industry destroyed as what you export is assimilated by German industries, watch your agriculture decimated as you are paid not to produce and your production goes to France before you are left with barren fields, stand back and watch the EU label Slivovica illegal because some idiot in Brussels doesn’t like it. Stand back and watch your unemployment rate skyrocket, watch a clique of elitists whisked off to cushy jobs in Brussels, watch your prices treble and your salaries stagnate and watch your customs destroyed as you become assimilated first by the EU and then by NATO. You will have to pay for it, you know. The people, not the leaders, of course… Nobody will ask you if you want to join NATO but you will be expected to buy its equipment and participate in its wars."