That might be true, but it does not stand for a normal working economy. In fact Serbia is doing extremely bad. The Serbian GDP is as low as $26.27 billion with a population of 10.8 million people (in comparison: Croatia has a GDP of $50.33 billion with a population of 4.5 million people). Even the Albanians are a much richer nation than Serbia in the meantime! As long as Mladic and Karadzic are not killed or imprisioned in the Hague, the EU will not give Seriba the privelege to join into the free trade area inside the EU. Furthermore Serbia has to meet the fact, that all European countries see the Hague as the only court that is qualified to give Serbia's war-criminals a suitable lawsuit. It is not a decision of the Serbian people or the Serbian gouvernment. My own country, Germany, had to stand the Nuernberg trials too. It was not comfortable, but a nessecary step to enter the community of civilized nations again. Serbia has also the chance of doing so. They will be welcome and they will get help if they work up their dark history.
Give it some time. Two years ago, it was only $13 billion. Inflation is under 7%, which is amazing for an emerging economy. Foreign trade is up 26% from a year ago. And this is a country that had half of its industry carpet-bombed 6 years ago, and a country that spent 10 years in economic isolation. I think Serbia's doing quite well, given the circumstances. A 6.4% growth per annum is good enough.
with a population of 10.8 million people (in comparison: Croatia has a GDP of $50.33 billion with a population of 4.5 million people).
Serbia's unimpressive economic numbers are due to Kosovo being a lawless black hole (unemployment is at about 70%!). Kosovo cannot be considered part of Serbia's economy as it is under international occupation, but the numbers you got from the CIA Factbook website don't mention that.
Even the Albanians are a much richer nation than Serbia in the meantime!
Maybe you should go to Albania and walk the streets before you draw your conclusions. Greece and Italy send Albania half a BILLION annually, to compensate for the staggering foreign trade deficit (currently at about 50% of Albania's GDP).
As long as Mladic and Karadzic are not killed or imprisioned in the Hague, the EU will not give Seriba the privelege to join into the free trade area inside the EU.
Couldn't care less for the EU membership. After all, it's the EU members who are interested in Serbian products and labour market, not vice versa. They are flocking to Serbia because Serbia has a free-trade deal with Russia (no duty). The longer Serbia stays out of the EU, the better. Again, Mladich and Karadzich are innocent until proven guilty (or have you guys in the EU ditched that principle?) in a court of law - and that ain't the one in the Hague.
Furthermore Serbia has to meet the fact, that all European countries see the Hague as the only court that is qualified to give Serbia's war-criminals a suitable lawsuit.
Again, there are no "war criminals", only suspects. The Hague Tribunal, legally, has no leg to stand on. Who and according to what law set it up? The way I see it, the Hague Tribunal is a puppet in the hands of certain powers that had bloodied their hands during the 90s. Serbian War Crimes Court is more than capable of trying any and all Serbian war crimes suspects.
It is not a decision of the Serbian people or the Serbian gouvernment.
That's why it's good to always keep an AK47 handy. You never know who's gonna be dropping by to make your own decisions for you.
My own country, Germany, had to stand the Nuernberg trials too. It was not comfortable, but a nessecary step to enter the community of civilized nations again. Serbia has also the chance of doing so. They will be welcome and they will get help if they work up their dark history.
Your country murdered 6 million Jews without so much as a blink of an eye. Add some 7-8 million others throughout Europe and Russia. Please do not compare it to Serbia, who lost 4 million men fighting -- and defeating -- Germany and your ass monkey allies on two occassions. It is an insult of the highest order to have your country compared to WWI-, pre- and WWII-era Germany. Having said that, Serbia has no "dark history". We don't build empires, we bury them.
Have a good one...