Romania and Bulgaria join the EU

[Bono]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6220591.stm

Romania and Bulgaria join the EU

Huge celebrations have been held in Romania and Bulgaria to mark their accession to the European Union, 17 years after the fall of Communism.

Tens of thousands attended concerts in the two capitals, Bucharest and Sofia.

The Romanian president said EU entry was an "enormous chance for future generations", while Bulgaria's leader said it was a "heavenly moment".

Their accession means the EU now has 27 members and half a billion people, and stretches as far east as the Black Sea.

 "It was hard, but we arrived at the end of the road. It is the road of our future. It is the road of our joy," Romanian President Traian Basescu said, as thousands of revellers cheered.

"We arrived in Europe. Welcome to Europe," Mr Basescu said on stage in University Square, where he was joined by EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn and government ministers.

Foreign ministers of Germany, Denmark, Austria and Hungary, who were also attending, wished Romanian citizens a happy new year.

Earlier, the EU flag was raised outside the government headquarters in Bucharest to the European anthem, Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

 In Sofia, a pyramid of light illuminated the sky, with rays emanating from the city's Orthodox cathedral, its Armenian church, a synagogue, a mosque and another church.

Thousands of people in Battenberg Square cheered as midnight struck. Fireworks lit the sky over the building where the Communist Party once held its headquarters.

In an emotional address to the nation, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov called the country's EU entry a "heavenly moment".

"The day we are welcoming - 1 January 2007 - will undoubtedly find its place among the most important dates in our national history," he said.

"But let's make it clear, our future success as a nation depends not on European funds and resources, but on our own work."

'Falling enthusiasm'

The accession of the two new countries comes amid falling enthusiasm in Europe for the bloc's continuing expansion.

A recent Eurobarometer poll suggested only 41% of people in the 15 states that were part of the EU before 2004 supported further enlargement.

The two new countries will now be subject to strict monitoring, to ensure they make more progress in the fight against corruption and organised crime.

They face export bans on certain foods, and Bulgaria has been warned that 55 of its aircraft could be grounded unless they reach EU safety standards.

Analysts say there is a risk that EU aid will be mis-spent, or just not taken up because the countries' institutions are too disorganised.

There are also fears that the countries' economies will fail to compete with the rest of the EU's once trade barriers come down.

Immigration fears

Both Bulgaria and Romania are much poorer than the rest of the EU, with GDP per capita of about 33% of the EU average, compared with 50% in Poland.

Some Western European member states fear a flood of new immigrants, but officials in both countries say most of those who wanted to work abroad have already left.

Most of the 15 older EU member states have put in place restrictions on the free movement of workers from the two new members - though Finland and Sweden are two exceptions.

Also on 1 January, Slovenia became the first of the 10 states which joined the EU in 2004 to adopt the European currency, the euro.

The existing Slovenian currency, the tolar will remain in dual use with the euro for 14 days.

Germany also takes over from Finland for six months as the country holding the presidency of the European Union.

[MasterJedi]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

[Bono]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Hopefully just that--a destruction of the EU due to becoming too large. Which is why I recently shifted my stance on the enlargement to allow as much countries as possible to join. And if that fails, it still reduces the power of France and Germany.

[afleitch]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Hopefully just that--a destruction of the EU due to becoming too large. Which is why I recently shifted my stance on the enlargement to allow as much countries as possible to join. And if that fails, it still reduces the power of France and Germany.

Hang on a minute, so called 'sh-tpoor' countries let in, a decade or so after the end of dictatorship, multi-billions in subsidies and investment in infrastructure. That rings a bell ....

[GMantis]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Wh do you hate the EU so much?

[MasterJedi]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Wh do you hate the EU so much?

Anything that keeps power away from Europe is a good thing. Also the dream of the giant European, super pacifist nanny state needs to be shreaded from people's minds.

[afleitch]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Wh do you hate the EU so much?

Anything that keeps power away from Europe is a good thing. Also the dream of the giant European, super pacifist nanny state needs to be shreaded from people's minds.

What Jedi really means is that he is a self confessed US expansionist who, feels threatened by the possibility of a European free-trade bloc independent of the US, conflicting with it or being more successful than it in the world economic and political stage

[Tender Branson]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Wh do you hate the EU so much?

Anything that keeps power away from Europe is a good thing. Also the dream of the giant European, super pacifist nanny state needs to be shreaded from people's minds.

What Jedi really means is that he is a self confessed US expansionist who, feels threatened by the possibility of a European free-trade bloc independent of the US, conflicting with it or being more successful than it in the world economic and political stage

Well, the European Union is now even with the US economically, maybe even more successful (the 12 new states are dragging it down a bit), considering that the annual GDP achieved in the EU would be about the same when working hours are compared. A US worker works about 1800 hours to achieve the US-GDP, while the EU-worker works about 1500 hours. Then lets have a look at the exports/imports. Who needs American products ? Noone. Everything produced in China, India etc. due to outsourcing. The EU is by far the biggest export/import zone. The Current Account deficit is ballooning in the US, due to the high oil imports. The new member states all enjoy economic prosperity and they will level with the current EU-status in the near future. For example Slovenia now fares better than Portugal or Greece. The Baltics are booming like mad. Unemployment is going down nearly everywhere. The accession of the 12 new members therefore will have little impact and doesnt lead to a "destruction" of the EU.

[Bono]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Wh do you hate the EU so much?

Anything that keeps power away from Europe is a good thing. Also the dream of the giant European, super pacifist nanny state needs to be shreaded from people's minds.

What Jedi really means is that he is a self confessed US expansionist who, feels threatened by the possibility of a European free-trade bloc independent of the US, conflicting with it or being more successful than it in the world economic and political stage

Well, the European Union is now even with the US economically, maybe even more successful (the 12 new states are dragging it down a bit), considering that the annual GDP achieved in the EU would be about the same when working hours are compared. A US worker works about 1800 hours to achieve the US-GDP, while the EU-worker works about 1500 hours. Then lets have a look at the exports/imports. Who needs American products ? Noone. Everything produced in China, India etc. due to outsourcing. The EU is by far the biggest export/import zone. The Current Account deficit is ballooning in the US, due to the high oil imports. The new member states all enjoy economic prosperity and they will level with the current EU-status in the near future. For example Slovenia now fares better than Portugal or Greece. The Baltics are booming like mad. Unemployment is going down nearly everywhere. The accession of the 12 new members therefore will have little impact and doesnt lead to a "destruction" of the EU.

That's dishonest. You're not factoring in population size.

[Tender Branson]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Wh do you hate the EU so much?

Anything that keeps power away from Europe is a good thing. Also the dream of the giant European, super pacifist nanny state needs to be shreaded from people's minds.

What Jedi really means is that he is a self confessed US expansionist who, feels threatened by the possibility of a European free-trade bloc independent of the US, conflicting with it or being more successful than it in the world economic and political stage

Well, the European Union is now even with the US economically, maybe even more successful (the 12 new states are dragging it down a bit), considering that the annual GDP achieved in the EU would be about the same when working hours are compared. A US worker works about 1800 hours to achieve the US-GDP, while the EU-worker works about 1500 hours. Then lets have a look at the exports/imports. Who needs American products ? Noone. Everything produced in China, India etc. due to outsourcing. The EU is by far the biggest export/import zone. The Current Account deficit is ballooning in the US, due to the high oil imports. The new member states all enjoy economic prosperity and they will level with the current EU-status in the near future. For example Slovenia now fares better than Portugal or Greece. The Baltics are booming like mad. Unemployment is going down nearly everywhere. The accession of the 12 new members therefore will have little impact and doesnt lead to a "destruction" of the EU.

That's dishonest. You're not factoring in population size.

Concerning what ? I´m taking into account per capita numbers

[ag]

And what will become the slow destruction of the EU from sh**tpoor countries continues!

Hopefully just that--a destruction of the EU due to becoming too large. Which is why I recently shifted my stance on the enlargement to allow as much countries as possible to join. And if that fails, it still reduces the power of France and Germany.

Considering how much Portugal owes to EU... And that exactly the same (actually, much, much stronger)argument could have been made in 1986 ... And that EU is still alive, well...

[Hash]

Yeah, now they'll chill out a bit with their enlargements spring, the next one, Croatia probably in 2010-2011

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Given that something close than a quarter of Romania's population don't even have running water iirc, this can only be a positive development to the country, and, as Bono said, it reduces the Franco-German Axis' influence a bit further. Good news then.

While I'm not the greatest cheerleader for the EU, it can not be denied the positive impact it had on Ireland and nations with similiar economic conditions upon membership. Now if only they could reform the commission, cut down on the quangos (and the Nepotism) and for god sake, make moves towards drastically cutting the CAP.

[afleitch]

Yeah, now they'll chill out a bit with their enlargements spring, the next one, Croatia probably in 2010-2011

Croatia would have made the 2004 wave if it wasn't for the whole Bosnian War hangover. Serious consideration should be given to the Ukraine (which with Romania a member, may see Moldova in consideration, rather than being left isolated by the asession of the Ukraine) Hopefully Montenegro will be successful too.

[afleitch]

While I'm not the greatest cheerleader for the EU, it can not be denied the positive impact it had on Ireland and nations with similiar economic conditions upon membership.

That's why I took umption at Bono's agreement with Jedi; Portugal has benefited greatly from EU membership because people the then EC was willing to embrace Portugal and to invest in it regardless of the misplaced concerns expressed at the time (like France worrying about yet more Portuguese migration) Similar charges have been thrown at both Romania and Bugaria which I find to be unfair.

[GMantis]

While I'm not the greatest cheerleader for the EU, it can not be denied the positive impact it had on Ireland and nations with similiar economic conditions upon membership.

That's why I took umption at Bono's agreement with Jedi; Portugal has benefited greatly from EU membership because people the then EC was willing to embrace Portugal and to invest in it regardless of the misplaced concerns expressed at the time (like France worrying about yet more Portuguese migration) Similar charges have been thrown at both Romania and Bugaria which I find to be unfair.

Yes, the scaremongering against Bulgaria and Romania reached hysterical levels in the last months: when  the Sun claimed  that Bulgaria has the highest AIDS population rate in Europe (in reality the rate is several times less than that of the UK) or when a British MP of Pakistani descend implied that the two countries were as democratic as Pakistan. And let's not even start about the "dangerous" nuclear reactors in Bulgaria.

[afleitch]

While I'm not the greatest cheerleader for the EU, it can not be denied the positive impact it had on Ireland and nations with similiar economic conditions upon membership.

That's why I took umption at Bono's agreement with Jedi; Portugal has benefited greatly from EU membership because people the then EC was willing to embrace Portugal and to invest in it regardless of the misplaced concerns expressed at the time (like France worrying about yet more Portuguese migration) Similar charges have been thrown at both Romania and Bugaria which I find to be unfair.

Yes, the scaremongering against Bulgaria and Romania reached hysterical levels in the last months: when  the Sun claimed  that Bulgaria has the highest AIDS population rate in Europe (in reality the rate is several times less than that of the UK) or when a British MP of Pakistani descend implied that the two countries were as democratic as Pakistan. And let's not even start about the "dangerous" nuclear reactors in Bulgaria.

The horrible truth of the matter, and I'm going to have to agree with the Guardian on this one, is that they are seen as fair game by politicians of all sides (including the so called multiculturalists) because Poles, Czechs, Romanians and Bulgarians have 'white faces.' If the charges thrown against them were in a similar context used against non European nations and their people there would be cries of racism. It is also unfortunate to hear those cries from people who are from ethnic minorities themselves.

[GMantis]

While I'm not the greatest cheerleader for the EU, it can not be denied the positive impact it had on Ireland and nations with similiar economic conditions upon membership.

That's why I took umption at Bono's agreement with Jedi; Portugal has benefited greatly from EU membership because people the then EC was willing to embrace Portugal and to invest in it regardless of the misplaced concerns expressed at the time (like France worrying about yet more Portuguese migration) Similar charges have been thrown at both Romania and Bugaria which I find to be unfair.

Yes, the scaremongering against Bulgaria and Romania reached hysterical levels in the last months: when  the Sun claimed  that Bulgaria has the highest AIDS population rate in Europe (in reality the rate is several times less than that of the UK) or when a British MP of Pakistani descend implied that the two countries were as democratic as Pakistan. And let's not even start about the "dangerous" nuclear reactors in Bulgaria.

The horrible truth of the matter, and I'm going to have to agree with the Guardian on this one, is that they are seen as fair game by politicians of all sides (including the so called multiculturalists) because Poles, Czechs, Romanians and Bulgarians have 'white faces.' If the charges thrown against them were in a similar context used against non European nations and their people there would be cries of racism. It is also unfortunate to hear those cries from people who are from ethnic minorities themselves.

I think this has also something to do with the fact that all these countries were in the East bloc and so were demonized then as well. There is probably an inertia in the media in Britain which makes it easy to continue this attitude only with different accusations. There is also of course a great ignorance about Eastern Europe. When I lived in the UK, many people thought Bulgaria was something like Russia or Kosovo, or that is still communistic. Of course, this has probably changed since I left in 2001.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Of course, this has probably changed since I left in 2001.

Not really. Most people here know very, very little about Bulgaria.

[GMantis]

Of course, this has probably changed since I left in 2001.

Not really. Most people here know very, very little about Bulgaria.

Well, it's not as if most people in Bulgaria know too much about the UK. Many seem to think that the country consists primarily  of stiff and overpolite gentlemen and rowdy football hooligans.