[spectre] TOL: EU Enlargement in Focus

geert lovink geert at xs4all.nl
Wed Jun 11 09:29:05 CEST 2003 

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Transitions Online - Intelligent Eastern Europe

EU Enlargement in Focus                        Tuesday, 10 June 2003
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ANNOUNCEMENT
TOL Internet Discussion: The EU Referendums

The people of Slovenia, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, and--last
weekend--Poland
have all said yes to EU membership in the past few months. This weekend,
Czechs,
too, will go to the polls. Gunther Verheugen, the EU commissioner for
enlargement,
said as he toured the Czech Republic that if there were a Nobel prize for
skepticism,
the Czechs would win. Yet roughly three-quarters of Czechs say they will
turn out to
vote and about 80 percent say they will vote yes. The approval ratings may
be
overwhelming, but are attitudes as warm or just lukewarm?

TOL gives you the opportunity to get the inside story on accession from one
of
Brussels best: On Wednesday 11 June at 16:00 Central European time (10:00
a.m.
Eastern Daylight time), Karel Bartak, the long-time Czech Press Agency (CTK)
correspondent, will answer readers' questions on enlargement, the
referendums, what
lies in store for the new members, and any EU-related topic that you would
like to
explore.

Mr. Bartak has reported from Brussels since 1995 and was a finalist in the
2003 Eury
Prize for EU journalism. You can already submit questions now at:
http://www.tol.cz/q-a/index.php?IdD=11

This discussion is made possible through the generous support of the German
Marshall
Fund of the United States http://www.gmfus.org, sponsors of TOL's Knowledge
Network http://knowledgenet.tol.cz.

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TOL ARTICLES BY KAREL BARTAK

Enlargement Hurdles
As the EU enters the final stage of membership talks with the candidate
countries,
many stumbling blocks remain.
10 July 2002
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=36&NrSection=17&NrArticle=5755&search=search&SearchKeywords=Bartak&Search
Level=0

United We Accede
The countries that are trying to gain EU membership should present a united
front to
ensure the best possible deal for themselves.
28 May 2002
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=34&NrSection=17&NrArticle=4589

Stormy Waters Ahead
This year promises to bring many difficult challenges to the EU which could
threaten to
upset the enlargement process.
16 January 2002
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=30&NrSection=17&NrArticle=3055

The Problem With Milk and Honey
Agricultural negotiations are thorny at best, especially where candidate
countries are
concerned.
1 August 2001
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=25&NrSection=17&NrArticle=1783

Fighting for Common Ground
As compromise is reached over two controversial chapters in record time, the
focus
shifts to the battles ahead.
6 June 2001
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=23&NrSection=17&NrArticle=1081

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THE CASCADE OF REFERENDUMS

Slovenia (23 March):
Yes to the EU and to NATO
Slovenes show surprisingly strong support for both EU and NATO membership in
legally binding referendums.
By Ales Gaube
http://knowledgenet.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublicatio
n=4&NrIssue=44&NrSection=6&NrArticle=9135&ST1=body&ST_T1=wir&ST_PS1=1&ST_AS1
=0&ST_LS1=0&ST_max=1

Hungary (12 April):
An Overwhelming Yet Lukewarm Yes
In Hungarian ears, the loud yes to EU accession sounds more hollow than
resounding.
by Judit Szakacs
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=45&NrSection=6&NrArticle=9284&ST1=body&ST_T1=letter&ST_AS1=0&ST_LS1=-1&ST
_max=1

Lithuania (10-11 May):
EU Wins Big-Time
Fears of low turnout and rural opposition vanish as urbanites embrace EU
membership
in large numbers.
By Roman Burstein
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=46&NrSection=6&NrArticle=9474&ST1=body&ST_T1=wir&ST_PS1=1&ST_AS1=0&ST_LS1
=0&ST_max=1

Slovakia (19 May):
Jumping on the EU Bandwagon
In spite of low turnout, the EU referendum represents another big step in
the country's
swift progress toward regional and Europe-wide integration.
by Barbora Tancerova
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=46&NrSection=6&NrArticle=9529

Poland (7-8 June):
Votes Yes, Loudly
Voters in the largest candidate country repeat the pattern seen in other EU
referendums, saying a loud yes.
by Inessa Kim
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=46&NrSection=6&NrArticle=9754

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RECENT TOL ARTICLES ON THE EU

Polands Catholics: I Believe, Therefore No?
The Pope has clearly said he himself would vote yes to EU membership. But
the
divisions within the Polish Catholic Church remain.
by Wojciech Kosc
6 June 2003
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=46&NrSection=2&NrArticle=9714

Polands Farmers: 40 Acres and a Cow?
The real challenge for Polands leaders is not to convince farmers of the EUs
virtues,
but to help them take advantage of what it has to offer.
by Inessa Kim
6 June 2003
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=46&NrSection=2&NrArticle=9713

Lithuanias Farmers: Blowing in the Wind
Have Lithuanian farmers been well enough informed about the EU, and will
they
ensure this weekends EU referendum fails?
by Roman Burstein
8 May 2003
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=46&NrSection=2&NrArticle=9447

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OUR TAKE ON EU ENLARGEMENT

Poland: Europes New Power
Polands new prominence has aroused fear and caused disorientation. The fear
is
misplaced and the disorientation useful.
3 - 9 June 2003
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=46&NrSection=16&NrArticle=9752

Referendums: Now the People Decide
The leaders of Eastern Europe were all smiles as they closed EU membership
talks in
Copenhagen last week, but the deal isn't done yet.
10 - 16 December 2002
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=41&NrSection=16&NrArticle=8076

Looking Forward: Toward a Better Union
It is excellent--as well as historic--that the European Union is laying out
the welcome
mat for Central and Eastern Europe. The region's aim should now be to get a
better
deal for the rural poor and others left behind in the transition process.
8 - 14 October 2002
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=39&NrSection=16&NrArticle=7558

Agriculture: Biting the Bullet
The EU candidate countries will try to haggle, but in the end they will
probably have to
accept lower subsidies for their farmers.
4 February 2002
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIss
ue=31&NrSection=16&NrArticle=3213

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EU ARTICLES DUE THIS WEEK IN TOL

Poland: Relations with Germany
The clashes, complexes, and limitations in one of the key relationships in
the new EU.

Visegrad: Quo Vadis?
Is the Visegrad Group an irrelevance or cornerstone of a Central European
bloc in the
EU?

Czech Republic: Life on the Czech-Austrian Borders
How 13 years of (relatively) open borders has and hasnt changed life.

Czech Republic: Intellectuals against the EU
A typology of Czech Euro-skepticism.

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