Almost unexpectedly, Turkey`s long journey towards the European Union has become a subject of international diplomatic waving. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates expressed concern at Turkey`s damaged relations with Israel and blamed the European Union for pushing Ankara away from the West, by refusing to promptly accept Ankara as a member. Despite the EU rejected a US charge, analysts emphasise that it is a fact that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s government has shifted Turkey`s foreign policy and has sought a stronger Turkish role in the Middle East, improving ties with Muslim countries, notably former foes Syria and Iran.

The loan package of 750 billion euro offered by EU countries and the International Monetary Fund is not a simple life vest meant for economically stumbled Greece, but more likely a rescue measure for the future of the eurozone and the European Union. Unfortunately, a certain critical period is inevitable in order to test an alliance`s stability, and the latest crisis is probably the best temptation.

By Nenad Radicevic

The centre right group of the European People`s Party and the European Democrats (EPP-ED) will maintain its place as first biggest group in the European Parliament for the next five years, shows first projections after finishing of EU elections. Besides, the 2009 European elections were marked by the lowest ever turnout since direct elections for the EU Parliament started thirty years ago and by the entry of many small parties which would set the 736-seat assembly more fragmented.

By CEV Magazine team

Almost everything is allowed in struggle to attract attention of voters across Europe, shows election campaign for elections for the European Parliament. Expenses scandals, wigging and offending between competitors, selling rock and roll CDs in violation of copyright, support of jailed Venezuelan terrorist, promotion of light drugs` legalisation, testing the limits of free speech, using sex in promotion videos, vote-selling, shaming of laziest EU parliamentarians and priests` advices to voters are just some of "colourful details" which has characterised EU election campaign in all 27 member states.

By Nenad Radicevic

The European Socialists see the financial crisis as a product of the centre-right parties, which has governed a majority of EU countries as well as the EU institutions over the last five years. However, all prognoses show that Europe`s left has deeply failed to capitalise on economic crisis during EU elections campaign. Despite Europe`s right should be an easy target having in mind that economic crisis has exposed the excesses of unbridled capitalism and raised the mass unemployment, the European Socialists remain divided and even a little bit inactive.

By CEV Magazine team

An expensive promotional campaign with the increasing use of multimedia technology to raise consciousness on importance of the European Parliament still would not achieve to stimulate a significant percent of EU citizens to participate in EU elections. While some analysts have predicted a slight increase in turnout compared to the last election in 2004, others see it declining even further which would decrease the legitimacy of the European Parliament.

By Nenad Radicevic

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has very good chance to win a second term, despite he faces a huge amount of criticism for his handling of the current economic crisis. It seems that former Portuguese prime minister enjoys the support of a solid majority of Europe`s powerful group of centre-right leaders as well as some centre-left leaders for his reappointment, in spite of the fact that other names such as Dutch leader Jan-Peter Balkenende and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt have also been mentioned as potential candidates for the job. Except appointment of a president of the Commission, EU member states and their leaders will have to accomplish another very important task - formation of a new college of commissioners.

By CEV Magazine team

Reducing global warming, establishing the same working conditions for all citizens and common healthcare and education system should be the main activities for the European Union ant its officials in future, according to opinion of so-called ordinary EU citizens gathered at the European Citizens` Summit , held in Brussels on 10-11 May. The Summit was the result of the European Citizens` Consultations involved over 1,500 randomly selected European citizens who took part in national debates in the 27 member states to provide a contribution into future European policymaking.

By Nenad Radicevic

The European Union launched its Eastern partnership with six former Soviet republics in Prague on May 7th despite Russia partly considers this kind of moves as the EU trying to muscle in on Russian sphere of influence. The EU made the concrete plan to build closer political and economic ties with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, which includes financial support of 600 million euros up to 2013 aiming to promote democratic reform, economic integration and energy security in the six states. However, it seems that the EU has a strategic interest to have economically, politically and socially stable partners in the six countries due to its aim to limit its heavy dependence on Russian gas by supplying natural gas directly from Caspian region.

By CEV Magazine team

Czech Chief of Diplomacy Karel Schwarzenberg has tried to convince his European counterparts to support the European integration of Western Balkans, organising an informal meeting in the Hluboka Castle by the Vltava river that once belonged to his aristocratic ancestors. Although Schwarzenberg`s guests were offered Moravian slivovitz and warm sweaters while spending time in impressive, but rather cold interior of the castle, negative attitude of some ministers regarding EU enlargement were not defrosted.

By CEV Magazine team

German Chancellor Angela Merkel`s statement on how she backs the consolidation phase of the European Union rather than the new member-states association has provoked certain displeasures in Brussels and Prague, while Western Balkans` political elite has ignored the German Christian Democratic Party`s (CDU) election platform. Although some influential politicians in Germany and several old EU members have been opting for this idea for quite some time, the identification of such platform on the eve of the European Parliament elections implies that the unsolved issues regarding the Lisbon Treaty as well as the current economic crisis have made a significant impact on enthusiasm concerning further EU enlargement.

By Nenad Radicevic

Intangibility of the bank secrecy in some parts of Europe is threatened to be seriously invaded under the influence of the world financial crisis. Members of the G20 group consisting of the most developed world countries are exerting great pressure on the tax havens where the rich are not asked for the origin of their money or whether they have paid tax in their homelands. Lichtenstein, Andorra, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Belgium have agreed to soften their strict regulations on bank operations secrecy in order to enable other countries to prosecute tax dodgers and groups dealing with illegal origin money laundering.

By CEV Magazine team

Before the twentieth anniversary of the Iron Curtain fall, once again Europe is facing division in East and West, questioning solidarity and unity as some of the key values of the European Union. During an informal meeting, the EU leaders have agreed it was necessary to stick to the principles of common market, financial stability and economy openness. However, within the Union the current economic crisis has raised questions regarding several divisions - old and new members, Eastern and Western countries, as well as the Eurozone members and those who have still not accepted the common currency.

By Nenad Radicevic

Enlargement towards the Mediterranean, Central and East Europe has been economic and political success for the European Union, states the recent European Commission report, published shortly before the fifth anniversary of the biggest enlargement ever. However, the world economic crisis not only has provoked opposite attitudes among the Union members on protectionism and state help for national economies but it has also made the further EU enlargement issue less important priority for some member states.

By Nenad Radicevic

Two months since the Treaty of Lisbon was promised the second chance by European leaders` concessions to the Irish demands, this agreement has stumbled on another problem - and it occurred in a country that supported the Lisbon Treaty adoption from the very beginning. Despite the initial encouragement of Bundesrat and Bundestag (Germany`s upper and lower House of Parliament), more than 50 German delegates and politicians coming from different political parties have initiated legal process against this act regarding the EU reform before the Federal Constitutional Court located in Karlsruhe, because they believe that the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty would seriously violate the German constitution. Although Berlin authorities have decided not to express concernment, two-day hearing on this issue has increased fears that the Federal Constitutional Court could ask for amendment to the Lisbon Treaty or even demand referendum on this act.

By Nenad Radicevic

Not only once have the Eurosceptics in Serbia brought up Switzerland as an example and argument of the European country that can be rich and at the same time not the member of the European Union. However, at their recent referendum the Swiss have showed their multiple connections with the European Union and its functioning as well as that they did not mind making those connections even deeper. Moreover, world economic crisis has convinced the Swiss that, in spite of the Euroscepticism tradition, their country cannot be the "black hole" in the middle of Europe.

By Nenad Radicevic

Iceland, the small country on the far northwest of Europe, could become EU member within two years, if soon decides to apply to join the 27-nation block. According to Olli Rehn, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Iceland and Croatia could approach the European Union until 2011. If so, Iceland could easily become the first country to pass the path from applying to full EU membership in shortest period of time - shorter than Finland, a country that still holds a record, for it has applied for EU membership in 1992, and three years later it became a part of the Union. Although some in Serbia estimate that the "Iceland case" demonstrates that shortcuts to the EU exist, one has to bear in mind that this Arctic country is already a part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which will allow Iceland`s faster Eurointegration process.

By Nenad Radicevic

The Lisbon Treaty still has another chance. The results of the two-day summit of the European Union (EU) leaders are the historic ones according to not only the EU Council President, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy but also the numerous European analysts. Having in mind the impact on climate and financial stability of the whole planet, although extremely important is the consensus on the financial aid package worth 200 billion euros and on fighting climate changes, bringing in line standpoints on the Lisbon Treaty symbolises the most important agreement made by the EU leaders. Before all because this institutional reforms package will enable the EU to be more flexible in solving other long-term problems. By accepting Irish conditions for the new referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, fresh hope has been brought to both supporters of the European institutions reforms and candidates for the EU membership, before all Croatia.

By Nenad Radicevic

Economy, energy and foreign affairs will be three most important Czech Republic priorities during its upcoming European Union (EU) presidency starting on January 1st, 2009. Under the official motto "Europe Without Barriers," the Czech officials intend to use the six months EU presidency for founding really free European market without differences between workers, citizens of the old or new EU member states.

By CEV magazine team

Europe is finally determined in reducing the energy dependency on Russia, especially in the circumstances when eight EU members depend completely on Russian gas and oil. As the President of the European Committee Jose Manuel Baroso has said, "EC is determined in protecting its citizens from the potential risk of not fulfilled requirements by energy suppliers".

By Jelena Virovkic Ivanovic

International experts have concluded that American, Japanese and German economies are undoubtedly in recession and that Chinese economic expansion has been delayed. Brussels have announced that, for the first time, the Euro zone is in technical recession, because the economy has contracted for the second time in a row quarter-on-quarter in the July-September period in EU countries which use euro as their currency. Despite of the recession spreading all over the EU, Jose Manuel Baroso, President of the European Commission, believes that European supranational regulations and standards will be used as pattern for resolving global economic relations, and that Europe should be proud of that.

Western Balkan countries obstructed transition, as well as tiredness due to two EU enlargements, has strengthened Eurosceptics all over the Ancient continent. In Serbia, however, Euroscepticism is caused by incomprehension and prejudices, not by reservation toward something that is widely accepted. Somebody once said that we live in an era in which it is easier to provoke nuclear fission, than to shatter prejudices.

By CEV magazine team

Democratic Party`s honeymoon, which has won not only the White House, but majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate as well, won`t last for long. Barack Obama and his associates will not be able to avoid a large agenda of George Bush administration`s painful inheritance. New US President has to give a consideration to America`s role on a world stage in the future, including negotiations with Iran over this country`s nuclear ambitions, South Korean nuclear programme, NATO`s expansion on East and global warming issues.

By Nenad Radicevic

Adoption of Serbia`s draft resolution by the UN General Assembly, requesting an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) about the legality of unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, represents not only Serbia`s diplomatic success, but also confirms that diplomatic authority of the EU and the USA has extremely decreased in multilateral organisations. Moreover, this international organisation demonstrates impotence in solving global problems, and it seems that the world needs another Berlin Congress, Yalta Conference or Tehran Conference.

In the past few decades, Balkans has earned an image of unstable region, due to constant struggles between people living on that peninsula in reaching strategic aims. Yet, while Western Balkans countries wait impatiently to access EU, it seems that their European future is temporarily slowed, because the agreement on adopting the Treaty of Lisbon was not achieved.