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Yes, sorry but as another EU citizen, I have to say I'm not sure we should have accepted Romania into the EU before this problem is fixed. Do you think it's he

by fbailey 17y ago

Yes, sorry but as another EU citizen, I have to say I'm not sure we should have accepted Romania into the EU before this problem is fixed. Do you think it's helping against corruption or is any incentive now gone? Do you think it's getting better with rising income? (this was not meant against romanians it's just that EU institutions are pretty far away from EU projects and are usually terrible at detecting corruption)

bad_user 17y ago
> I'm not sure we should have accepted Romania into the EU before this problem is fixed. If I lived anywhere else, I'd have the same opinion :) > Do you think it's helping against corruption or is any incentive now gone? Actually, it's helping, since we are monitored and we get warnings and sanctions now and then ... one of the main concerns being corruption. I don't think that the end-result can be predicted though, we'll see ... although since we entered the EU, I can see things improving. Unfortunately with this economic crisis, we're back to square one. > it's just that EU institutions are pretty far away from EU projects and are usually terrible at detecting corruption My impression is that they are pretty good :-) ... I've heard of reports more accurate than what is published in our media.
- m_eiman 17y ago
  I just saw something related in the news, apparently corruption in Afghanistan is on the scale of 23% of GDP. I can imagine that changing an economic system with that much corruption to something better is hard, since everyone depends on how things are now. Imagine what would happen if everyone's salary was suddenly cut to three quarters... Actually, that's more or less what's happening in the Baltic countries now. The economic crisis has hit hard there, and the government is taking rather drastic measures to handle it. Sources: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/01/20/Corruption-biggest-concern-for-Afghans/UPI-61151263967760/ http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/01/20/Corruption-biggest... and http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4320882,00.html http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4320882,00.html
  - eru 17y ago
    Fortunately honesty seems more prevalent in the Baltic countries.
LucaDuval 17y ago
Sorry, but as another EU citizen, I have to say that applying your criteria lot of countries (beginning with mine - Italy) should not have been accepted either. I'm afraid that EU simply can't be that much selective without losing any change of counting for something on the world scene.
radu_floricica 17y ago
The stick of non-inclusion did as much good as it could at the time. Already the politicians were at a point where any more pressure would have made them balk. Last couple of years I haven't followed the political life, so I don't really know where they're headed. I don't think it's gotten any much better, or that it will soon. But things should be viewed in context. We're a functioning and fast developing economy. We _are_ a functioning democracy - we have little to choose from, but we do choose our politicians. A past of communism left us well educated and disciplined - you won't find terrorists of civil wars here any time soon. The only bit of public violence we had in the past 20 years (the mineriads) were actually very organized political movements, and their time has passed. Overall we're a good addition to EU. Not to mention that the only other choice we'd have had was Russia, which would have been worse for both of us.

by fbailey 17y ago

bad_user 17y ago

> I'm not sure we should have accepted Romania into the EU before this problem is fixed. If I lived anywhere else, I'd have the same opinion :) > Do you think it's helping against corruption or is any incentive now gone? Actually, it's helping, since we are monitored and we get warnings and sanctions now and then ... one of the main concerns being corruption. I don't think that the end-result can be predicted though, we'll see ... although since we entered the EU, I can see things improving. Unfortunately with this economic crisis, we're back to square one. > it's just that EU institutions are pretty far away from EU projects and are usually terrible at detecting corruption My impression is that they are pretty good :-) ... I've heard of reports more accurate than what is published in our media.

m_eiman 17y ago
I just saw something related in the news, apparently corruption in Afghanistan is on the scale of 23% of GDP. I can imagine that changing an economic system with that much corruption to something better is hard, since everyone depends on how things are now. Imagine what would happen if everyone's salary was suddenly cut to three quarters... Actually, that's more or less what's happening in the Baltic countries now. The economic crisis has hit hard there, and the government is taking rather drastic measures to handle it. Sources: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/01/20/Corruption-biggest-concern-for-Afghans/UPI-61151263967760/ http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/01/20/Corruption-biggest... and http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4320882,00.html http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4320882,00.html
- eru 17y ago
  Fortunately honesty seems more prevalent in the Baltic countries.

LucaDuval 17y ago

Sorry, but as another EU citizen, I have to say that applying your criteria lot of countries (beginning with mine - Italy) should not have been accepted either. I'm afraid that EU simply can't be that much selective without losing any change of counting for something on the world scene.

radu_floricica 17y ago

The stick of non-inclusion did as much good as it could at the time. Already the politicians were at a point where any more pressure would have made them balk. Last couple of years I haven't followed the political life, so I don't really know where they're headed. I don't think it's gotten any much better, or that it will soon. But things should be viewed in context. We're a functioning and fast developing economy. We _are_ a functioning democracy - we have little to choose from, but we do choose our politicians. A past of communism left us well educated and disciplined - you won't find terrorists of civil wars here any time soon. The only bit of public violence we had in the past 20 years (the mineriads) were actually very organized political movements, and their time has passed. Overall we're a good addition to EU. Not to mention that the only other choice we'd have had was Russia, which would have been worse for both of us.