“82 to 18 – percentages of people against Croatian integration into the European Union opposed to those for the integration, in Denis Latin’s debate show “Latinica” on Croatian TV.”

On May 1, 2004, the International Labour Day, the citizens of ten European countries will surely come out to the streets in huge number to celebrate. For those countries, the long and tumultuous adventure called “the transition” will finally end. They will officially become members of the European Union, once the inaccessible city on the hill, craved for its plenty and freedoms. From former Yugoslavia (depending on the definition, you could also say from the Balkans), only the Slovenians will have reasons to celebrate, for Slovenia is among those ten countries.

Meanwhile, in the Balkans, things remain uncertain. Governments still think of the European Union integration as of a secondary cause. The primary goal for all of them remains NATO, or in some cases, NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme. The recent history of conflict seems to justify such a position, for indeed, many of the goals and ideas behind the European Union remain lofty.

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26.06.2008 Freedom House`s Nations in Transit 2008 report, released earlier this week, noted a growing divergence in democratic performance among the 29 countries and administrative areas from Central Europe to Eurasia it analyzes for their progress, and lack thereof, in areas of electoral processes, civil society, independent media, national democratic governance, local democratic governance, judicial framework and independence and corruption.

29.05.2008 On Tuesday, May 27, the Delegation of the European Commission in BiH (DEC) held the first consulting meeting with representatives of civil society on the preparation 2008 Progress Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina. A great number of CSO representatives participated in the meeting and demonstrated great interest in the preparation of the Report.

20.05.2008 The national Ministry of Finance and Treasury, in cooperation with the B&H Directorate of European Integrations (DEI), organized a meeting in Sarajevo, on May 15, 2008, with the representatives of the civil society organisations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. OWPSEE`s Sanjin Buzo comments on the proceedings at the meeting and the ignorant approach to civil society adopted by BiH Institutions and EC Delegation.

04.07.2007 Under the auspices of the Speak Up Europe campaign, the European Movement in Serbia, in cooperation with the International European Movement, launched the What has Europe Ever Done For Us web-site.