European Pulse 43.Qxd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
European pulse E l e c t r o n i c m o n t h l y m a g a z i n e f o r E u r o p e a n i n t e g r a t i o n - N o . 4 3 , A p r i l 2 0 0 9 IINNTTEERRVVIIEEWW Ambassador of Montenegro in Brussels, Slavica Mila~i} AANNAALLYYSSEESS The hidden message of Brussels' decision to consider application EEUU CCHHAALLLLEENNGGEESS The timber of contention between European Parliament and FFOOCCUUSS OOFF TTHHIISS IISSSSUUEE member states How will the economic crisis influence European integration of Montenegro F o r e w o r d / C a l e n d a r A p r i l , 2 0 0 9 Twinning project for the police (2 April) - the European Commission will finance a twinning project "Fight against organised crime and corruption" worth 1.2 mil- lion euros. "the goal of the project, which is to last 15 months, is to strengthen the operative, technical and professional capacities of Montenegrin institutions involved in the fight against organised crime and corruption and to strengthen inter-agency cooperation" said the director of the Police Directorate Veselin Veljovi}. The beneficiaries of the project will be the Police Directory as the main partner, as well as the agencies for the prevention of money laundering and for anti-corruption initiative. Negotiations on the joint translation of acquis (6 April) - Deputy prime minister Gordana \urovi} announced that the Government is negotiating with the neigh- FFIISSHHEERRIIEESS bouring countries on "several joint projects to translate EU regulations". ccording to the Financial Times jour- Green light to application (7 April) - Committee of permanent representatives of Analist Tony Barber, it was pure polit- ical cowardice that led the governments EU member states (COREPRE II) gave a green light to Montenegro's application. of European Union member states to approve Montenegrin application at the Revision of NPI (9 April) - National programme for European Integrations of the Council of EU ministers for fisheries, in Government of Montenegro (NPI) will be revised by the end of the year, order to avoid publicity. announced the head of the Secretariat for European Integrations Ana Vukadinovi}. In my opinion, at the moment She said that since the EU regularly updates its I when a majority of European citizens is T legislation it also increases the number of regu- S E J I opposing further enlargement, the deci- V lations to be considered by Montenegro on its o t sion was rather an expression of politi- o road to membership, which is why this strategic h cal wisdom. p document also needs periodical revision. Had there not been similar, appar- ently cowardly moves on the part of the EU in the past, which were often con- Abolish visas (10 April) - Heads of diplomacies sidered "rotten" compromises, it is of eight EU member states asked the EU to uncertain whether and in what shape adopt, without further delays, a decision to the EU would exist today. Would its cit- abolish visa requirements for West Balkan izens still be enjoying the fruits of a countries. These were the contents of a letter common, free market, regardless of all signed by the Foreign Affairs ministers of the shortcomings and weaknesses of Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, such Union? Slovakia and Slovenia and addressed to the All that matters to Montenegro is vice-president of the European Commission that the formal decision of the Council Jacques Barrot, Enlargement Commissioner Olli for Fisheries means moving forward along Rehn and the head of Czech diplomacy Karel the road to full membership in the EU. Right now the winning coalition Schwarzenberg. should form the government as soon as possible. Little interest in the elections (15 April) - According to the Eurobarometer, a The famous Questionnaire will record 66% of Europeans could ignore the elections for the new assembly of the probably be sent by the European European parliament. Only 17% of Poles plan to vote, which is the lowest per- Commission in July, and it will be a great centage in the EU, followed by Austrians (21%), Brits (22%), while 43% of the test for the contested Montenegrin Germans and 47% of French and Dutch citizens are planning to go to the polls. administration. A majority of voters will turn out for this election only in Malta ( 56%), Denmark Instead of sharpening their pens to and Luxemburg (62%) and Belgium (70%). In Belgium and Luxemburg voting is answer the Questionnaire, public offi- mandatory. cials are still putting together the Government over a coffee break while Looking ahead (23 April) - The Council of EU for agriculture and fisheries, in line the ministers and directors of numerous agencies and directorates nibble on the with the procedure defined by the Article 49 of the Treaty on EU urged European fish and their own nails wondering Commission to submit an opinion on Montenegro's application. whether they will be directors and min- isters again. The opinion takes 12 to 16 months (24 April) - European Enlargement There should be wisdom also in the Commissioner Olli Rehn said that EC's Opinion on Montenegro's application to decisions of the ruling coalition - this is acquire membership candidate status will be ready in 12 to 16 months. He said no time to spin nepotistic combinations, that the Council's decision to consider Montenegro's application was a "result of reward the loyal party members or hag- great effort on the part of its people and leaders". gle over every seat. V.@. E u r o p e a n p u l s e N o 4 3 2 A t t i t u d e A p r i l , 2 0 0 9 A V I E W F R O M E U Uif!qspcmfn!jt!opu!uif!Cbmlbot- cvu!uif!FV!efdjtjpo.nbljoh!tztufn //////// their weight is not so big - it is half defined its role now that it has of Poland by population. The reunited. It was easier before, when problem is, however, that although we had the East-West division. ome of the these countries are smaller than Now we have to redefine our role, SEuropean Poland alone judged by their pop- and it very much depends on our- Union member ulation, in terms of the number of selves. We need to define our rela- states are indi- votes in the Council or the number tions with the United States, with cating that this of MEPs, their weight will be much Russia, in a greater context with is not the right greater. China, and so on. Personally I'm convinced that One of the mistakes of the by dr Erhard Busek the current voting weight reparti- Lisbon Treaty is that it will hardly tion, as well as the lack of qualified change anything in the work of the moment to proceed with enlarge- majority vote in most of the situa- Council of EU. ment commitments. This is linked tions, is the real background of The crucial question is: is to the fact that the Lisbon Treaty these hesitations. Europe able to act as Europe? Or has not yet been enforced, and also The efforts and aspirations of are we still to be divided, with The real background of hesitations surrounding EU enlargement is Great Britain aligning with the the current voting weight repartition, as well as the lack of qual- United States, with a German- ified majority vote in most of the situations French coalition and so on? This, at the moment, is our biggest problem. the mindset for future enlargement these countries are creating the My personal opinion is that in some member countries is not pressure for changing the systems in besides Croatia, there could be a yet quite clear. the European Union. bloc of entering countries. Because So for the EU countries that are It has nothing to do with the real danger - and we have to reluctant, before they can solve region, because it's completely learn from the experience of their internal problems, they are clear for all member states that all Slovenia and Croatia - is that one telling the countries you men- the Western Balkan countries country blocks the neighbouring tioned: please, don't do it now! Besides Croatia, the West Balkan countries should join EU as one There's the fact that in block. Because the real danger - and we have to learn from the Germany at the moment the elec- experience of Slovenia and Croatia - is that one country blocks the tion campaign is blocking every- neighbouring country because of bilateral problems thing and the Germans are reluc- tant to discuss the issue. Populists should become members of the country because of bilateral prob- are campaigning out of enlarge- EU. lems. It's a real nonsense, and I ment, but the real background is Decision-making in the EU has think it's better to do it all together. not the enlargement, it is problems in some sense become more diffi- stemming from illegal migration, the cult since the accession of the for- Excerpts from an interview for financial crisis and so on. mer socialist countries. It obviously EurActiv (The author is the special I'm happy that these countries makes a difference if there are 12 advisor on enlargement to the are pushing for their accession, or 27 or more discussants in a Czech EU Presidency and the for- because it's creating a healthy pres- room. mer special coordinator of the sure. These countries are in the But I think it's even more com- Stability Pact for South-EEastern courtyard of the EU anyway and plicated, because Europe has not Europe) E u r o p e a n p u l s e N o 4 3 3 F o c u s o f t h i s i s s u e A p r i l , 2 0 0 9 W H A T W I L L B E T H E I M P A C T O F E C O N O M I C C R I S I S O N E U R O P E A N I N T E G R A - T I O N O F M O N T E N E G R O Uif!spbe!up!FV!jt!qsjdfmftt//////// tion by 18% because of EU European Union haven't changed.