By Sandra Pekic

There`s no doubt that centralised Serbia cannot find a place within the European Union, but it also seems that political elite has difficulties in reaching an agreement on how our country should be territorially organised. Considering bitter experiences of all partitions on Balkans, the antagonism toward regionalisation comes from a fear that any decentralisation might launch a new wave of separation.

By Dragana Peric

When media magnate Zeljko Mitrovic openly warned parliamentarians on grimness of the new media law proposal which proclaims the prohibition of the power concentration in media sphere, lobbying suddenly became one of the top issues in Serbia. The debate regarding amendments of the excise tax law, which granted profit to a well-known Serbian tobacco industrialist, was mainly linked to corruption instead of lobbying. These amendments, unlike those proposed by the national government, gave the advantage to the businessman Predrag Rankovic also known as Peconi, and the uncommon coalition which was put together on this occasion and on the very day, as it was interpreted by some, was pronounced as corrupted. It is possible because during decision-making procedure influences on parliamentarians and interest groups` activities are not neither public nor institutionalised.

By Nenad Radicevic

Has in Serbia in December 2008 referendum on Serbia joining the European Union been scheduled, 61 percent of citizens would have voted YES. However, this "Strategic Marketing Agency" research shows the lowest ever support of the Serbian citizens for joining the EU that has been recorded in nine such public opinion surveys done for the Serbian Government since September 2002.

By Darko Duridanski

As jubilant Kosovars danced in front of the Newborn statue unveiled in the capital, Pristina, to commemorate their long-awaited independence on February 17, 2008, many political leaders around the world watched the events with different emotions. Their core concern was that granting independence to a former province could boost secessionist movements the world over, and not turn out to be a sui generis case, as Kosovo`s European backers have insisted.

By Nenad Radicevic

Serbs always make sure they miss their opportunities. This was described by a European diplomat, who happens to be one of the best experts on Balkan issues, and it seems that it unmistakably depicts Serbia`s foreign policy in the past two decades. Although some attempts have been made in eight years since Milosevic`s overthrow that could possibly deny these words, Serbia`s modern history unfortunately shows that this statement is still close to the truth. Serbia has managed to miss several brilliant chances in achieving progress regarding European integration and to become a part of complex EU mechanism, though some European officials demonstrated an unhidden sympathy for our country.

By Dragana Peric

Not even under the strong public pressure did the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) management decide to obey the law and request of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance to deliver data on earnings in this public company. This paradoxical situation of public officials violating law is possible in Serbia before all thanks to the authorities disabling functioning of independent regulatory bodies founded in order to control exactly the authorities` officials in certain areas. During recent years, several important regulatory bodies have been formed in Serbia and in the meantime, their work has been made impossible even legally and in most cases by the simplest means - financial and personnel.

By Nenad Radicevic

European Commission will not control the process of visa liberalisation for Western Balkans countries independently, but will be obligated to consult and coordinate decisions with all EU member states in terms of this complex procedure. This new circumstance has changed not only the jurisdiction in supervising the course of the procedure but the process of visa regime liberalisation has been slowed down and most probably postponed until 2010. Always hopeful Vice-President of the Serbia`s Government Bozidar Djelic has thus lowered his expectations considering the very near EU visa abolition for Serbian citizens.

By Dragana Peric

About 1.600.000 citizens, who live in 72 Serbian municipals and cities, don`t have their delegates in the National Assembly. Although this concerns small municipalities, a lot of centres of districts among communes remain without their representatives in Parliament: Pirot, Gornji Milanovac, Indjija, Sjenica, Cuprija, Arandjelovac... An unequal representation, an obvious dependence of delegates on political parties, difficulties in forming the ruling coalition - these are the problems that current government tries to resolve by establishing mixed election system. But considering German example, this system is not a guarantee of immediate government forming.

By Gordana Basovic

Upon the Berlin Wall fall and break up of the Soviet Union, the whole Europe accepted the rule of law as a central value. The European family of nations strives, accepts and improves the implementation of values, such as respecting of human rights, law, order, property protection, environment preservation, animals protection, cherishing tolerance... Although these values have long ago undoubtedly been accepted in most European Union (EU) member countries, a part of the Serbian average population still has dilemma whether to join the EU or not. In addition, great number of both Serbia and the West Balkans region citizens has no explicit attitude towards European values not knowing exactly, at the same time, what the values are.

EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

By Misa Brkic

Corruption in Serbia has finally become the European concern.

For Serbian citizens this is good news. Since, if Serbia wants to further make progress towards the European integration, its political elite should deal with uprooting of corruption out of society, politics and economy more seriously than before.

By Gordana Basovic

Although with no historical foundation in Serbia, different forms of right extremism, neo-fascism, national chauvinism, and clerical fascism are often manifested publicly as a behaviour model of individuals and even organisations and political parties. Although Neo-Nazi organisations have been trying, almost undisturbed, for nearly three years to become an important public factor, it was only a couple of days ago that the State has undertaken a concrete action against these extreme movements.

By CEV magazine team

Serbia is the only European country without the State Audit Institution (SAI), which practically means that there is no institutional body that controls expenditure of taxpayers` money. State Audit Institution law came into the force in 2005 and members of the SAI Council were appointed several months ago. Auditors, however, were not elected and their offices do not exist. On the contrary, their colleagues in EU countries are influential officials, whose task is to discover irregular spending of taxpayer`s money, and whose involvement can easily endanger politicians` careers.