Day 4.1

Today is a research and preparation day. At long last I feel up to really tackling my overall purpose for being here. I have four interviews lined up:

1. Florian Bieber (pol sci prof) on Friday
2. Ljiljana Smajlovic (journalist) on Saturday
3. Nebojsa Vladisavljevic (poli sci prof) on Tuesday
   
4. Dusan Pavlovic (poli sci prof) exact date pending
   

Now the issue becomes figuring out how to put together concise questions out of the nebula cluster that is my brain. My main goal (as the research proposal I've posted here states) is to understand the way in which the international community impacts Serbian politics and in turn democratization. I'm happy that my first meeting is with Florian. Much of my work has been strongly influenced by his perspective on Serbian elites so that should be a great jumping off place.

My thought, which finds resonance with the article I linked, is that the dominance of nationalism within the political space of Serbia is a product of the circumstances in which Serbian finds itself politically, socially, and economically as well as the circumstances of nationalist political elites. The European Union makes it clear that it desires more than anything to have nothing to do with Serbian nationalist elites. They would like to shut them out as much as possible from the process. This means that if these elites wish to remain in power (which of course they do) they will have to change the political setting within which they operate-- i.e. they must derail Serbia's path to the European Union and get the public to support them. The EU and the rest of the international community has played right into their hands with the ways that they have dealt with ICTY conditionality and Kosovo independence. Consquently, in my opinion, EU pushes towards demoncratization and away from nationalism has had the opposite effect of strengthening nationalism (obviously I'm speaking of the harmful radical sort) and slowing democratization.

Types of questions I intend to ask:

1. What, in your opinion, must Serbia do to gain entry into the European Union?
2. How important is the recognition of Kosovo to the democratization of Serbia? (not important-- "why not?" if important then "why?")
3. How, in your opinion, do Serbian politicians make their decisions? i.e. What influences them? (private gain, desire to represent constituents, pressure by international community), etc.
   
4. How important, in your opinion, is the capture of Mladic to the democratization of Serbia?
5. Why, in your opinion, does Serbia wish to join the European Union

etc.....

B92 news blip: Talks on possible cooperation have begun between the leaders of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS)

Not unexpected of course but nonetheless significant. The SNS is led by Tomislav Nikolic formerly front man for the Serbian Radical Party. The DSS is of course led by Vojislav Kostunica. Their cooperation cements the schism between the DS and DSS which occured last year following the independence of Kosovo.

Cao.