Being out of EU is unsafe for Belarus
Ten more countries joined the European Union on May 1, 2004: Czechia, Estonia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. What changes did it bring for inhabitants of the new European countries? Let’s start with Lithuania, a worker Arif is speaking.
Arif: We feel changes. Europe is financing many projects, for example the enlargement of Vilnius. People have started earning more, there are more jobs and we can travel abroad without any problems.
Representatives of the younger generation are also feeling those changes. A schoolgirl Karina says:
Karina: Of course, we feel it in school. There is more money allocated for us, excursions abroad are organized. Everything is changing for the better!
Let’s look at Poland. What do they think about joining the European community? A student Olga says:
Olga: It depends on the age. Young people are happy about the chance to go abroad. But it is not good for Poland because educated people are leaving. I think, ordinary people have not noticed any changes except for the fact that the prices are close to the European ones and the wages have remained Polish.
It is harder to keep your job now, there is more competition. I think it is good because Poland talks about the EU in a positive way. I hope all the promises will be kept.
What do Czechs say? A student Milan says:
Milan: I recall the referendum about joining the EU. The majority of young people were against it. I was afraid that Czechia might lose its sovereignty and would have to do what Brussels wanted and that we would not be able to influence European decisions.
The older generation supported the idea. My mother said she was doing it for me. I said that young people did not want it join the EU. And she said – it will be better, you will see. And it turned out to be better.
New Europeans are satisfied. But what about Belarus? Is there a place for it in Europe? I asked the editor of a Belarusian Internet daily “New Europe” Alyaksandr Adamyants about it.
Adamyants: History, culture, geography – all this testifies to the fact that Belarus is a European country. It is normal for it to remain part of Europe and to aim at integration into the European society.
Is there any threat that the opinion of our small Belarus may not be taken into account in Europe?
Adamyants: I think this danger will remain only if Belarus stays out of the European Union because there is big Russia near Belarus and it is trying to gain control of our country.
That is why I think that Belarus will have a vote in the European family because the rules and principles laying in the base of the European community allow taking into account even the opinion of smaller countries.
Don’t you think that young people may simply leave the country if Belarus joins the EU?
Adamyants: I don’t think there is such danger. Young people are leaving the country now. And I wonder what could make them do it: the current situation or integration into the EU.
Mara Nalshanskaya, ERB
Arif: We feel changes. Europe is financing many projects, for example the enlargement of Vilnius. People have started earning more, there are more jobs and we can travel abroad without any problems.
Representatives of the younger generation are also feeling those changes. A schoolgirl Karina says:
Karina: Of course, we feel it in school. There is more money allocated for us, excursions abroad are organized. Everything is changing for the better!
Let’s look at Poland. What do they think about joining the European community? A student Olga says:
Olga: It depends on the age. Young people are happy about the chance to go abroad. But it is not good for Poland because educated people are leaving. I think, ordinary people have not noticed any changes except for the fact that the prices are close to the European ones and the wages have remained Polish.
It is harder to keep your job now, there is more competition. I think it is good because Poland talks about the EU in a positive way. I hope all the promises will be kept.
What do Czechs say? A student Milan says:
Milan: I recall the referendum about joining the EU. The majority of young people were against it. I was afraid that Czechia might lose its sovereignty and would have to do what Brussels wanted and that we would not be able to influence European decisions.
The older generation supported the idea. My mother said she was doing it for me. I said that young people did not want it join the EU. And she said – it will be better, you will see. And it turned out to be better.
New Europeans are satisfied. But what about Belarus? Is there a place for it in Europe? I asked the editor of a Belarusian Internet daily “New Europe” Alyaksandr Adamyants about it.
Adamyants: History, culture, geography – all this testifies to the fact that Belarus is a European country. It is normal for it to remain part of Europe and to aim at integration into the European society.
Is there any threat that the opinion of our small Belarus may not be taken into account in Europe?
Adamyants: I think this danger will remain only if Belarus stays out of the European Union because there is big Russia near Belarus and it is trying to gain control of our country.
That is why I think that Belarus will have a vote in the European family because the rules and principles laying in the base of the European community allow taking into account even the opinion of smaller countries.
Don’t you think that young people may simply leave the country if Belarus joins the EU?
Adamyants: I don’t think there is such danger. Young people are leaving the country now. And I wonder what could make them do it: the current situation or integration into the EU.
Mara Nalshanskaya, ERB
