Moved East

[Rene]

Just out of curiousity, how do you guys think about the upcoming elections here in Serbia?

I hear a lot of people actually being scared of the outcome of next Sunday, especially if the nationalistic party wins. They are afraid of a rerun of things like in 90's. A few of my coworkers are actually seriously considering going away on Saturday and not coming back before things are calmed down again.

Personally i like to believe that most of the program is just nationalistic propaganda and that they can freely do what they say because the UN is watching every little step they take. Especially considering the anti independence of Kosovo. I can understand Serbians, that they refuse to give up Kosovo. For me as a dutch guy, it's the same as a large amount of people want to make Amsterdam independ of the rest of the Netherlands.

As i understood, some people at the ambassade here in BG are already preparing a emergency plan just in case. But my best guess it's just standard precaution procedure.

Strange times... very strange times, Serbia is on a good way of becoming an important player in the eastern European market and it would be a very big step backward if they actually would bite the hand that feeds the economy, since a lot of foreign investment is being done. Especially here in the BG area. I see more and more companies opening dependences here.

[markowe]

Yeah, Rene, I think a lot of this is actually more talk than anything else. I mean, NO Serbian politician could possibly "sign away" Kosovo, so they have to talk tough.

A lot of it's marketing though - on the one hand Tadic has started to put on this more agressive "radical" act, on the other hand Nikolic the Radical has started going around kissing babies and telling us how he can't sleep nights because of the Roma and their problems.

So I think we are a LONG way from the very real dangers that existed when Milosevic was around with his cultish ideology, with command over the military and surrounded by his yes-men who kept him shielded from reality.

Having said that, the Balkans is a "powder keg" and always will be probably. Peace is going to be a transitory thing at best. But let's make the most of it, I say...! Now when DO we meet up for that drink...!
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