Serbien und die Europäische Union: Gründe für die Ambivalenz
Serbia and the European Union: Reasons for the Ambivalence

Summary/Abstract: Abstract. Compared to most East and Southeast European countries, which since 1989 have adopted a rather determined orientation towards the European Union (EU), Serbia has vacillated in its approach to the EU. On a scale ranging from direct confrontation and rejection to strong cooperation and enthusiasm, the relationship between Belgrade and Brussels has gone through almost all imaginable stages. This ambivalence has also been reflected in the Serbian population, which at first glance has shown contradictory attitudes that could even be described as a love-hate relationship. This article analyses the reasons behind the Serbian ambivalence towards the EU. Starting from the parliamentary elections in May 2008, which as many others before were seen as a referendum for or against Europe, the study sets forth the causes for that particular cleavage concerning pro and contra European attitudes within Serbian society. It presents the long-term internal political causes for Serbia’s search for identity as part of this persistent dichotomy vis à vis the EU, and analyzes the role of the EU in shaping these developments.

• Details
• Contents