Posted on 06/25/2011 1:34:02 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
The European Union and Croatia on Friday concluded accession negotiations and thus, the Balkan country will become the 28th Member State of the organization in 2013.
"We concluded today that the accession negotiations with Croatia have reached their final stage," said Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council.
(Excerpt) Read more at channel6newsonline.com ...
Let the regrets begin !
Great country, but, IMHO, they are suckers for joining the EU at this point.
These guys are nuts!
And Germany too, for letting another weak country get in the club.
Joining the EU will help Croatia with bilateral trade, with doing business.
It has drawbacks, yes, but Croatia is a strongly Christian country and just as Poland is balancing the anti-religious folks from the West, Croatia will join Poland in that stance.
If it is still around or not split up into zones.... =.=
“And Germany too, for letting another weak country get in the club.”
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Croatia is not a weak country, neither is Slovakia, where I was living.
It was a disappointment when Slovakia went onto the Euro, the week before I left.
I have my reservations about the EU in general, but if it has to be, Croatia will be a fine member, as is Slovakia.
Wonderfully succinct and correct analysis.
Fools.
Culturally, morally, it's not weak
My Polish wife objects to the EU and voted against joining it, but I argue that it makes trade and economic purposes easier and also Poland bringing its religiousness has moderated the EU (not much, but somewhat) -- and I think Croatia will add to that voice.
I think some of those zones have made sense where there are cross-border nationalities like in South Tyrol.
Thanks Berlin_Freeper. They can dump the ashtrays and put away the tables, then sweep up, after everyone else goes home.
“I actually think economically Croatia is weak.”
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Well, that is somewhat subjective.
No country comes out of Communism as a roaring bull.
It has the makings of a great tourist nation, and as I recall, maybe rich in natural resources.
Of course, like any former communist country, it has to build and grow, but Croatia has all the raw materials for tourism, as well as other commercial activities.
While I did not get down there, I see it has the same or more potential as Slovakia, which is thriving on Automotive
and electronic factories, as well as tourism to the Tatras.
Croatia also has the advantage of being on the sea, unlike land locked Slovakia. I knew many Slovaks that went on holiday to Croatia to be near the sea.
I don't know anything about their 'socialistic policies or lack of those.
Slovakia is lucky as it had Skoda which was bought over by VW, and it's population at 5 million is a bit larger than Croatia's (4.4 million).
Let's hope the Croats have sensible government and economic policies
“Slovakia is lucky as it had Skoda which was bought over by VW”
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Skoda, the Czech car. It is/was a nice car.
VW has a large plant in Bratislava, and Puegeot has a new large and automated plant in Slovakia, east of Bratislava.
When I first moved there, one of my new best friends had moved to Slovakia to run the Puegeot dealership, long before they started a plant there.
He left the company before I arrived, and went into management consulting.
I acquired other French friends that arrived to set up the new Puegeot plant. The families stayed in Bratislava, while the men were out east at the new factory on week days.
The new plant is fully automated and turns out a car every few moments...As they described it, it seems unbelievable.
Seems to me there was another auto plant, but I may be mistaken, and confused it with the electronic plants.
Did you ever try to pick up Slovak? I’ve just completed 9 months of studying Polish and I can manage a basic conversation. It’ll take me a couple of years to get it right I think. The bad side-effect is that I’m forgetting my French....
jesli sprobujes, moze byc ze plecy bedzie bolic...:P
nice tagline, btw...
“Did you ever try to pick up Slovak?”
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Not conversational, only words, as one would use in outdoor markets.
My most used...Cervene vino, hahaha
Like all Slavic languages, it is quite difficult.
When on trips to the northern tourist areas, we would see Polish tourist from over the Tatras. Even they had trouble conversing with Slovaks.
My French friend did take courses and became fluent, but he had been there quite some time before I ever set foot in Europe.
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