Source: http://www.thecomingdepression.net/medi ... z1XClcoxx6

Croatia being forced to join European Union: Bill Still

“Croatians will be voting on a union with the European Union before year’s end. They must reject this and the Euro and maintain their sovereign control over their national money. Iceland is still under pressure to be rushed into the EU along with Croatia. Both nations need to remain sovereign.”

Why would Croatia, who just got rid of communism, be ready to accept another form of central planning, being the European Union? Greece and other countries are already thinking of leaving the common currency.

Croatians will be voting on a union with the European Union before year’s end. They must reject this and the Euro and maintain their sovereign control over their national money. Iceland is still under pressure to be rushed into the EU along with Croatia. Both nations need to remain sovereign.

The Euro is a great example of how monetary unions only benefit the elite bankers, and not the individuals. The rich get super rich while 90% of individuals get the shaft

The only monetary union that has served the individual was one that couldn’t be manipulated by governments, bankers and central planners. Yes, you guessed it, it was gold.

In their haste to enforce the monetary union, the Fathers of the Euro overlooked the possibility that one or more of the 16 (now 17) countries that use this common currency could actually go bankrupt. Members of the Euro region cannot inflate themselves out of bankruptcy, however, because they were forced to give up their monetary independence. Hence a transfer union remained the only alternative by which other members (i.e. Germany) must bail them out.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/BSVxAAeh4Mw[/youtube]

It seems that this fellow might not understand that joining the EU doesn't necessarily mean adopting the EURO and dumping the Kuna. Nor would Croatia be able to adopt the EURO immediately upon joining the EU even if it wished to do so. There is a process with benchmarks and goals for new member states to undergo in order to qualify for the common currency.

Slovenia joined the EU on May 1, 2004 and adopted the Euro on January 1, 2007. Other countries have taken longer. Estonia joined the EU the same day but only just started using the Euro on January 1, 2011.

Given that Croatia will only join the EU on July 1, 2013, it would likely only begin to use the Euro on January 1, 2016 or January 1, 2017.

it is also not imperative to change your national currency to Euro, Croatia if it chooses so can keep Kuna , Czech Republic for instance keeps Kruna as national currency and UK does so with Pound .

Max and Zadar you are correct. The Hungarians are keeping the Forint too.

But I read stuff like this and it makes me wonder if people want to keep the debt crisis going to achieve other aims.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/ ... IE20110904

Former German leader calls for "United States of Europe"

(Reuters) - Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Sunday called for the creation of a "United States of Europe," saying the bloc needed a common government to avoid future economic crises.

Schroeder, a Social Democrat who ran the country from 1998 to 2005, said in an interview with Der Spiegel that European Union leaders were wrong to expect the euro to drive the bloc on its own.

"The current crisis makes it relentlessly clear that we cannot have a common currency zone without a common fiscal, economic and social policy," Schroeder said.

He added: "We will have to give up national sovereignty."

"From the European Commission, we should make a government which would be supervised by the European Parliament. And that means the United States of Europe."

Schroeder, who nurtured a close relationship with France during his leadership, welcomed an initiative launched by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to move toward a fiscal union in 2012.

Their proposal, which would mean giving up sovereignty over budgetary policies with the aim to shore up the 17-nation currency union, has received a lukewarm response from other euro zone countries.

"Germany and France have sent a strong signal with the plan for a European economic government, if it is meant seriously and receives suitable authority such as a European finance minister," Schroeder said.

"That is the correct way forward and the precondition for the correct funding -- euro bonds," he said.

Germany, which enjoys lower costs for issuing debt than its single currency partners, has led resistance to joint euro-denominated bonds.

"It is a huge bond market -- speculators would no longer harbor hopes of splitting it up," Schroeder said.

In order to initiate these changes, Schroeder said EU member states would have to return to the negotiating table and hammer out a new treaty to replace the one agreed in Lisbon that currently serves as the bloc's institutional framework.

"In the crisis lies a real opportunity to achieve a political union in Europe," he said.

Schroeder, who says the EU can only respond to growing competition with the United States and Asia by being fully united, has long pointed to Britain as a hurdle to further EU integration.

"Great Britain causes the greatest problems. (It is) not in the euro but the British nevertheless always want to participate when it comes to designing a European economic area," he said. "That doesn't work."

I always found Schroeder to be a bit weird. Anyways the more important fact than creating this "United States of Europe" (which is futuristic and in a way , insane, because you can't create united state from so much nations in Europe, USA were created from 1 nation and the situation is different in many other parameters, besides there is also a strong nationalist force in Europe which hates even first thought about this idea), is to make UK stop interfering in Euro market, or force them to join Euro zone.

Fortunately UK isn't one of the most important states of European Union , otherwise we would have much greater problems with our market .

Until the mandate of Angela Merkel in Germany and Nicholas Sarkozy in France the EU was much more plural community, now you have axis Paris-Berlin which de facto runs EU(as I wrote before they even managed to keep UK from being one of the most important political nations in EU , which is perfect) .

This is in one way good especially in these times of economic recession , but afterward EU will have to regain its plurality of thought. That plurality of thought is what will stop this plans for United State of Europe .

Croatia simply has no any choice because, practically, all "eastern-european" countries are blackmailed. If refuse to go in EU Croatia will be faced with high walls on its borders, high tariffs, and the inability to export with the real possibility that will soon be sealed on all sides and from all neighboring countries.
We would not be allowed to be neutral country (they do not need a new Swiss). As a small country, we would not have anyone in the world to support our independent path.
In such a situation and such an environment, Croatia in a long term, would become a country without a future, a country that is stagnating, black hole in the map of Europe - what was once Albania.

True, Bobovac, besides when we enter the European Union, Schengen borders expand on our eastern borders, which are far more longer than border between Sloveni and Croatia and Hungary and Croatia. This is important for EU because 75% of money earned on border crossings goes to Bruxelles that means Croatian entry to EU ---> more money from Schengen.

Well, Croatia won't join Schengen right away either. Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 and still are not in Schengen.

Romania and Bulgaria are ...... let's say special cases , proof of stupidity of some European leaders.....

I don't like the SPD, but Gerhard Schroeder is one of Europe's most intelligent statesman who is far-sighted in his strategy for Europe. The EU's natural partner is Russia in which the latter would provide natural resources/energy for Europe while the EU would provide the market and the money.

Anglo-America loathes this idea and is of course hesitant of any closer European Union which is why they champion a Turkish entry since it would be their trojan horse. The UK's inclusion has long produced a spoiler effect.

Schroeder has been pushing for closer EU-Russian ties for some time now, which is why he, Chirac, and Putin all rejected the war on Iraq (and thus the Anglo-American Axis) and why he later joined the board for the Nordstream pipeline.

Even the Poles are seeing the writing on the wall after allowing themselves to be America's puppet in the first half of the last decade.

Continued Anglo-American meddling in European affairs means more support for Bosnian unitarism by way of Turkey....this is reason enough for us to support Schroeder's vision.

Here is an excellent article about EU-Russian energy relations, the closer relations between Russia, Italy, and Germany, and how the USA is upset and is trying to use Poland and the Baltic States to stop such future cooperation.

"The EU's natural partner is Russia in which the latter would provide natural resources/energy for Europe while the EU would provide the market and the money."

Yes, and Russia has been a great friend to the Croats over the years of course....

We are talking about EU not sole Croatia, but look at one second which country is more reliable as a strategic resource generator : Russia(which is stable ,thou almost authoritharian country) or Turkey(which is not the generator , but rather a mediator between EU and unstable Middle East).

I do not like Russians , nor their politicians, nor their historic role in Balkan, but they are much safer and stable then Middle East and Turkey.

Besides we do not speak here about friendship only about strategic resource source

Any notion of of pro-Serb policy by Russia is offset by the Germans in this strategic calculation. It's zero sum.

For Croatians in BiH, the danger is posed not by Russian Serbophilia but rather by the American-Turkish Axis in the Balkans.

Given how I now see the 21st century unfolding this Russia-EU scenario makes sense. The EU wants to secure resources and Russia wants to secure money. So if Croatia were in the EU then Croatia would benefit.

BUT I still am not convinced that it would be to Croatia's long term political or economic benefit because Croatia would partially depend on someone else for energy resources. What if that somebody wants to tighten the screws in exchange for energy? Then not just Croatia but all of the EU could possibly be held at the mercy of Russia, who might want to renegotiate the deal. Now imagine the threat of having gas pipelines shut down in the dead of winter and what scenario might unfold then...

Germany is actively pursuing a future in renewable energy which means short-term commitment to the Russian sources such as Nordstream as German nuclear plants are taken offline while renewables become cheaper, more efficient, and in greater use.

As for Croatia, I'm pushing for renewable energy there myself and am looking to set up shop since energy dependence isn't good when it comes to national security.

Source: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/ ... -elections

Croatia to sign EU accession treaty in December, after elections

Brussels - European Union governments have agreed that Croatia should sign its accession treaty in December, paving the way for the Western Balkan country to become the bloc's 28th member, the bloc's presidency said Wednesday.

No fixed date was set, but a diplomat from the Polish EU presidency indicated that the earliest possible date for the signature was December 5.

That means the Croatian government's hopes to seal the treaty before it faces elections on December 4 are set to be dashed, EU sources said.

Ambassadors from EU countries agreed Wednesday on an English text of the accession treaty, which states that Croatia will join the EU on July 1, 2013.

A series of formalities stand before the signature: The document needs to be translated in the EU's 23 official languages, win approval from the EU's executive - the European Commission, and be backed by the European Parliament, in a vote scheduled for December 1.

The treaty will then have to be ratified by national parliaments in the EU's existing 27 member states and in Croatia, where a referendum on EU accession is also planned.

Nah, not true, Croatia basically sold his own ass to get in EU, together with our greatest Generals ..
With capital G ...

Source: http://www.croatiantimes.com/news/Gener ... s_are_over

Third of Croatians has no idea EU negotiations are over

Croatian Times
A third of Croatians has no idea the country has ended its membership negotiations with the European Union, as shocking Transparency International Croatia (TIH) research shows.

The head of TIH Nikola Kristic believes Croatian public authorities have not invested enough effort in making the most basic information about the negotiations process available to the public.

Only 44 per cent of Croatians are aware of the right of access to information law in effect since 2003 and one of the key tools to combating corruption. One fifth know that they can seek information from all public authorities, daily Vecernji List writes.

To increase awareness, TIH will start its fifth "We have the right to know!" campaign (Imamo pravo znati) with a goal to familiarise the citizens with this law and pressurise public authorities to inform the public better. The campaign will also focus on promoting transparency in the financing of the upcoming election campaign.

Source: http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/x ... feature-02

Croatia: another step closer to the EU

By Natasa Radic for Southeast European Times in Zagreb -- 20/09/2011

Even though the country now has a draft of its EU accession treaty, reforms must continue.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in Zagreb on Saturday (September 17th) to bring the draft of the EU accession treaty to Croatia. The document will be signed in December, opening the way for Croatia to become a full EU member in 2013.

"When Croatia joins the EU, it is going to be an important influx of optimism and confidence for the future of the EU," Tusk said at a press conference after the meeting.

Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said that by getting this draft of the EU accession treaty, Croatia has finally achieved its strategic and historic goal. But there are a lot of things left to be done, not only because EU requires them, but also because Croatia should achieve them for the country's own good.

"Looking back, Croatia went through many difficulties not experienced by other member countries. Croatia's delay … was of political nature, and it took quite an amount of luck, wit and courage to sustain it," political expert Vedran Obucina told SETimes.

"Croatia needs to stick to the reforms even more than before. It is the only way to avoid unnecessary sanctions, like happened in Bulgaria."

SDP MP Tonino Picula told SETimes that he was appalled by the fact that Tusk's visit was sparsely covered by local news outlets.

"I think this is the indicator of the situation we are in; but I am also quite sure and I hope that this public arrogance and the indifference is pointed at the current government, not at the EU itself," Picula said.

Although support for the country's accession has waned slightly, many in Croatia support the move.

"I am looking forward to the fact that Croatia is finally ending the EU negotiation story. I … want my children to have the opportunity to study abroad, have foreign experiences and learn about life in the EU. That is what EU should be all about," Zagreb resident Anamarija Tokic told SETimes.

However, Picula pointed out no candidate country has been in a situation like the one Croatia is currently facing. During the past year -- in the final phases of EU accession -- the ruling party has been the subject of many controversies.

Beginning in 2009, authorities uncovered one of the biggest embezzlement scandals in the country. Eight people were arrested, suspected of misusing 54m euros from local food producer Podravka. Among those accused is former Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polancec, who resigned amid the scandal.

"In a way, Kosor has the same political destiny in this moment as [former Prime Minister Ivica Racan]: they both did very important tasks on the EU front in the last months of their mandates, and then lost the parliamentary elections," Picula said, alluding to the upcoming December vote

This just in form Croatia's immediate neighbors to the north, Slovenia... You have got to love the comment at the bottom.. CROATIA WAKE UP!

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/2 ... 72111.html

Slovenia Confidence Vote: Prime Minister Borut Pahor's Government Falls

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Slovenia's left-leaning government was ousted in a parliament confidence vote Tuesday, further complicating Europe's debt crisis as the small eurozone nation becomes more politically unstable.

Prime Minister Borut Pahor's government faced the motion after months of disagreements between ruling coalition partners and several Cabinet resignations. The opposition has accused the government of corruption and mishandling the economy.

The vote in the 90-seat assembly was 51 against the government and 36 for, with other lawmakers abstaining or being absent.

Slovenian President Danilo Turk now can pick a new prime minister within seven days, who then has 30 days to form a new government. If this fails, early elections are called, probably in December.

The political deadlock may trigger a delay in the Slovenian parliamentary approval of the EU rescue fund for debt-strapped eurozone nations, known as the European Financial Stability Facility. The fund has to be ratified by all EU member states to be implemented.

The tiny Alpine nation has already demanded cash from Greece as collateral for its contributions to the fund, and is among the smaller eurozone nations, along with Slovakia, which are showing little empathy for countries that lack fiscal discipline.

Pahor told parliament after the vote that he had done his best to serve the country.

"I do not feel any bitterness," he said. "I have full faith in our people and the future of Slovenia."

Earlier he had urged the assembly to back his minority cabinet rather than go for an early ballot in the midst of European economic turmoil. Slovenia is one of 17 nations sharing the common euro currency

Due to the immense international financial crisis, Slovenia is more at risk if it plunges into a political crisis and the paralysis of the state over the elections," Pahor said.

Pahor's government has failed to push through two key reform bills – a pension reform and labor market overhaul – that were in line with EU standards.

Slovenian media are predicting that the new prime minister could be Janez Jansa, Pahor's center-right predecessor and a current opposition leader.

"The no-confidence vote is a significant step toward finding solutions for future development of the state," Jansa said after the vote.

This is bad, if Jansa becomes new prime minister he could halt our joining to EU , same thing he did couple of years ago.

Its funny you mention that....

Source: http://www.croatiantimes.com/news/Gener ... nsa_claims

Croatia wants to exclude Slovenia from Adriatic politics, Janez Jansa claims

Croatian Times

Former Slovene Prime Minister Janez Jansa claims Croatia tries to exclude Slovenia from Adriatic politics and economy.
The president of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) said in an interview to Croatian daily Vjesnik: "SDS was always respecting international agreements even when they were not as we expected. Croatia wants to exclude Slovenia from Adriatic politics and economy. We oppose that kind of future."

It is believed if Janez Jansa's party wins the upcoming elections before the end of the year, the government in Slovenia could have additional objections to Croatian accession to the EU.

source: http://daily.tportal.hr/150074/What-Cro ... tains.html

What Croatia's EU accession treaty contains

The Treaty of Accession, which Croatia and the European Union will sign in December, is a result of six-year-long negotiations and the document covers Croatia's rights and obligations as the future EU member, arrangements and transitional periods for the country's adjustment to the acquis communautaire.

The exact date and the place of the signing ceremony have not yet been determined and according to the latest unofficial information, the treaty is likely to be signed in Warsaw, the capital of Poland which is the current chair of the EU, in the mid-December.

Apart from the introductory part, the document contains the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Croatia and the adjustments to the Treaty on European Union as well as nine annexes with the outcome of the accession negotiations which were opened on 3 October 2005 and closed on 30 June 2011.

Upon the signing, the treaty should be ratified by all 27 European Union member states. In Croatia citizens will also go to the polls for the referendum on their country's EU membership.

According to the treaty, the deadline for depositing the ratified documents in the archives of the Government of the Italian Republic, which will remit a certified copy to each of the Governments of the other Signatory States, is 30 June 2013, and the treaty shall take effect on 1 July 2013 provided that all documents about the ratification are deposited on time.

With the entry into the EU, Croatia withdraws from all agreements on free trade with third countries, including the Central European Free Trade Agreement, and enters agreements signed by the current EU members state and the European Union with third countries or with international organisations.

From the signing of the agreement to the country's admission to the EU, the European Commission will monitor the fulfilment of all obligations which Croatia undertook in the accession negotiations and it will submit reports on the matter to the Council and the European Parliament in the autumns of 2011 and 2012.

"The Commission’s monitoring shall focus in particular on commitments undertaken by Croatia in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights (Annex VII), including the continued development of track records on judicial reform and efficiency, impartial handling of war crimes cases, and the fight against corruption," reads the English version of the treaty.

"In addition, the Commission's monitoring shall focus on the area of justice, freedom and security, including the implementation and enforcement of Union requirements with respect to external border management, police cooperation, the fight against organised crime, and judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, as well as on commitments in the area of competition policy including the restructuring of the shipbuilding industry (Annex VIII) and the restructuring of the steel sector (Annex IX)."

The Commission is expected to issue "six-monthly assessments up to the accession of Croatia on the commitments undertaken by Croatia in these areas as an integral part of its regular monitoring tables and reports."

The document does not specify any concrete measures in the event of Croatia's failure to carry out its commitments.

"The Council, acting by qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, may take all appropriate measures if issues of concern are identified during the monitoring process. The measures shall be maintained no longer than strictly necessary and, in any case, shall be lifted by the Council, acting in accordance with the same procedure, when the relevant issues of concern have been effectively addressed."

The accession negotiations and the adjusted national legislation with the EU standards regulate many areas with respect to the everyday life of the Croatians.

The negotiations have defined the simplified terms for crossing through the so-called Neum corridor on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Consignments of products coming from the territory of Croatia and transiting through the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum corridor before re-entering the territory of Croatia may be exempted from the veterinary checks if they are transported in closed vehicles with uniquely numbered seals. The date and time of leaving and re-entering the territory of Croatia of the vehicles transporting consignments shall be recorded, so that the total time of transit can be calculated.

Croatia shall ensure that consignment must not be allowed to re-enter its territory where a vehicle's seal has been broken or replaced during transiting the Neum corridor and/or the total time of transit considerably exceeds the acceptable total time of transit, given the total distance of transit unless the competent authority has carried out an assessment of the risks to animal and public health and has adopted effective, proportionate and targeted measures based on that assessment, according to the treaty.

With its entry into the EU, Croatia will have to abolish the zero rate of the Value Added Tax (VAT), but will be able to introduce minimum or lowered VAT rates.

During the negotiations, Croatia and the EU agreed on a seven-year transitional period with the ban of the foreigners' purchase of agricultural land.

The seven-year transitional period could be extended for additional three years, provided that there is sufficient evidence that, upon expiry of the seven-year transitional period, there will be serious disturbances or a threat of serious disturbances on the agricultural land market of the Republic of Croatia,

Member States can introduce restrictions for the employment of Croatian nationals to two, five and seven years at the maximum, and Croatia can apply reciprocal measures for workers from EU members that impose restrictions on the employment fro Croatians.

The negotiations were conducted on areas divided in 33 policy chapters that should be aligned with the EU acquis communautaire.

The policy chapters No. 34 and 35 on Institutions and Other Issues respectively were not subject to the negotiations. The chapter No. 34 defines the participation of Croatian representatives in EU agencies and the status of the Croatian language which will become an official language in the Union with Croatia's admission.