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BELGRADE: Serbia’s path towards the European Union divides its
political scene and society to such an extent that weekend polls are
bound to have a huge impact on the country’s future, analysts said
Friday.
In the general elections on Sunday, voters face
a stark choice between pro-European forces gathered around President
Boris Tadic and eurosceptic nationalists led by the Serbian Radical
Party.
The early polls were called after a coalition of
Tadic’s party and a nationalist alliance of Prime Minister
Vojislav Kostunica collapsed in a rift over EU integration after
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia.
“The average voter is totally confused with
big words and political slogans and lack of explanations of the
possible impact on their lives,” said psychologist Bojana
Damjanovic.
Damjanovic, who counsels young professionals who
have trouble finding jobs due to Serbia’s painful economic
transition, said the “black and white messages that politicians
send to the electorate do not answer their main questions.”
“People are worried about their living
standards, unemployment, inflation, possibility to travel, things
that matter to every single human being, and the answers they are
getting are vague and full of empty promises,” she added.
These bread-and-butter issues were exactly the
topics which Nina Aralica, a 38-year-old shoe designer, wants to be
settled in Serbia.
Since pro-Western forces ousted late autocratic
president Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, “things have changed and,
after 10 years of life without the possibility to plan anything, I
was able to turn a page and start contemplating my future,” she
said.
“I got a bank loan to launch my business, I
was in debt, but at least I started making a future for myself,”
Aralica said.
But she was afraid her little shop in central
Belgrade would lose customers if an incoming nationalist government
isolates Serbia by halting ties with the European Union or
neighbouring countries.
“I have no more time to waste,” said Aralica.
“I don’t want the black market to be again a source of income, I
don’t want to fear anymore whether I will have enough money to
survive till the end of the month.
“I want to develop my business, to travel, to
have my family enjoy in everything other families in the Western
world enjoy.”
In a move to bolster pro-Western forces, the
European Union signed last week a pre-membership accord with Serbia,
considered a first step towards candidacy in the 27-nation bloc.
For Aralica, this was the “only good sign for
our future,” but for Marko Vojinovic, a postal clerk, the accord
“could only mean that we will become slaves to more developed
countries.”
“It’s clear why Europe wants us to join: a
cheap working force, big market for their products and full control
of our politics, life and country,” Vojinovic said.
“EU countries did not prevent Kosovo breaking
away from Serbia, they even supported it, so what can we expect in
future?” he asked.
Anti-European voters like Vojinovic, who account
for almost one third of the electorate according to the polling
agency CeSID, were unaware of the benefits and disadvantages of
stronger European ties, said sociologist Dubravka Popadic.
“They hear only what politicians want them to
hear—instead of explaining what their moves mean for the lives of
citizens, they use mottos,” Popadic said.
A recent CeSID opinion poll of 1,500 people
showed 41 percent of those polled supported stronger ties with
Europe, while 28 percent were “neutral” about the topic.
“The choice for or against Europe is
unfortunately based on questions like Kosovo and thus linked with
politics, and not the economy, which is the most important issue for
most of the Serbs,” said Popadic.
Another survey, published in the newspaper
Politika showed the economy was the most important issue for 67
percent of voters in the country with almost one million unemployed
and an average wage of around 350 euros ($540).
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