Slovak President Calls for Russia's EU Entry

Dub13

President of Slovakia has called in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass for Russia’ s entry into the European Union, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported on Friday.

“The European Union will fulfil its task and confirm its purpose only when all European states join it, certainly including Russia,” Ivan Gasparovic stressed.

Russia is a component and one of the most important parts of the European continent and “old countries of Europe will need it more and more,” the Slovakian leader pointed out.

“The inclusion of all European countries in the organization will create for it’s a healthy competition with other regional organizations and the United States. The EU will acquire a new political and economic quality,” Gasparovic said.

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Dub13

I don’t think Russia would join the EU, simply out of pride.I mean obviously apart from the fact it would have to fulfil required human rights, law, corruption, political and other reforms ect like all new member states do. I just don’t think Russia would be prepared to essentially sit on equal footing with some of the other member states. As well as being subject to some European rulings.

Motley Crue

Dub13 wrote:

I don’t think Russia would join the EU, simply out of pride.

I would agree with that, within 15 years of Communism falling it would be an extremely sad position for Russia to have to go from being a World Superpower to depending on the decisions and handouts of the EU as its latest member

Russia isn't is really a democracy at the minute, so it's not getting into EU. I could see it perhaps getting a similar sort of status to iceland/norway/switzerland.

mike65

Do we only have to let in the European part or the whole thing?

Russia is going backwards at a rate of knots as Putin starts to resemble an old style Tsar.

Mike.

ps just a thought - as Russia extends to within 100 kms of Alaska will the Yanks get jumpy?!

constitutionus

i cant see it joining myself but then again you couldve said the same thing about the UK in the seventies. i reckon the desire for some kind of partnership is there though. almost analagous to the original treaty with france and germany, both proud nations in their own right. so you never know.

certainly were gonna be more and more dependant on russias resources, they practically fuel all of europes gas needs at the moment anyway so it'd be natural to try and stregthen ties with it. i think the real question is what would russia want out of europe?

mike65

Eh? The UK was a member by Jan 1 1973 having agreed terms in 1971 I think having sought entry through the 1960s (which was blocked by Charles De Gaulle).

Mike.

flogen

Plenty of reasons why Russia won't join the EU any time soon.
Firstly it would not be able to swallow it's pride and go from a superpower to a simple state within a superstate.
Secondly it would have to utterly transform its political and judicial systems to meet EU criteria.
Thirdly it would be too damn expensive for the rest of the EU to get Russia on a par with the rest of Europe economically; if it's ever going to happen it'll be when Russia is more economically sound (which is probably the point when Russia would decide it doesn't need to be part of the EU).

Victor

There are lots of organisations where the EU and Russia overlap and other models for partnership, e.g. Turkey already has a customs union with the EU. There are also parallels like the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC or EAEC) and overlaps like the European Energy Community.

fly_agaric

mike65 wrote:

Russia is going backwards at a rate of knots as Putin starts to resemble an old style Tsar.

It's hardly all Putin's fault. Russia's been going backwards at a rate of knots since a bunch of free market fundie Thatcherite/Reaganite types foisted alot of their crazy privitisation/liberalisation ideas on it after the fall of communism thus providing a great opportunity for ex-commie kleptocrats and thugs to rape the country of it's wealth.
Putin's probably been an improvement.

Anyway, Russia in the EU. No chance for the reasons already given.