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talkpoliticsGreetings, all you Americentric navel-gazers curious folks who like hearing stuff about Other Countries That Don't Matter! I'ma talk about the problems of a remote corner of the planet that almost everyone has learned to ignore ever since the last NATO bomb was dropped into the backyard of some Serbian farmer, instantly grilling one of his sheep into crispy fillet, and crippling his rooster named Koko. A place widely known as Teh Balkunz. A place of wars and genocide, and crazy-ass blood-thirsty dictators, but also of great heroes with visions of Holy and Pure Republics, and ancient cultures spanning millennia and preceding Rome by many centuries. A place where nothing is so simple, and where people's memory easily goes hundreds, if not thousands of years back (but always somehow fails to teach them the lessons of history), and where nothing you consider "normal" ever works. Now that we've had more than a decade without massive mega-ultra-super-duper bloodsheds around here, you might be thinking: Problem solved, then?
Well, there's always a new problem to substitute the old one. And what's the biggest problem on the Balkan agenda right now? Corruption.
The deep roots of corruption in the Western Balkans in particular traces its origins in the deadly symbiosis between power and organized crime, which found fruitful soil in the years after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. The creation of new nation-states in the 90s inevitably led to wide access of the power elites to the vast criminal resource, and they didn't miss the opportunity for self-enrichment.
The combination of a disintegration process in statehood and the turning of the whole region into "embargo territory" created a real laboratory environment for deeply rooted corruption. All of this was already seeded in these societies, and it would definitely require much more than just a few years, if not decades and generations, to tackle it. In this sense, looking at the issue of organized crime and corruption at the very tops of the power structure, is the number one argument in the ongoing negotiations for EU membership of the Western Balkan countries. That's a normal consequence of years of development in the wrong direction, and it won't go away even after the EU entry of some of these countries, no matter if it happens sooner or later.
Let's take the EU negotiations with Montenegro for example. They've started working on the most important negotiation chapters like justice reform, interior affairs reform and all that jazz, but something's telling me that won't happen until the very last minute before the EU entry is eventually granted, and it'll definitely remain the focus of attention even after that. The lesson from Bulgaria and Romania's case is useful, in that everyone must've realized by now that, unless deep and sustainable change in the surrounding countries in the region has happened, there simply is no way to deal with the problem as a whole. We'll only be confined to dealing with its symptoms, and it'll keep coming back to bite us on the ass.
On the other hand, the expectation for European integration is among those very few positive stimulae that give some structure and dynamics to these reform processes. It's the number one driving factor. So, by using the carrot-and-stick method and frequently threatening to deny these countries the opportunity for free movement (of labor, goods and capitals), would be a hard blow on the whole process. It would remove the main stimulus for reform. Not to mention that it'd send the wrong signal: "See? Europe likes to claim that free movement within its borders is a central tenet of its values and principles, and yet they're imposing a double standard, treating the new members and applicants as second-class". Not the best example one might expect, is it? Let's face it, we Balkanites know pretty well how much it costs to achieve a sense of freedom and belonging to the "greater family". We've been watching this movie for many years, and we've even played some part in it. After all, for nearly half a century we were forced to live in the wrong family. Giving hope for joining the club of shared values and shared space has been the single most stimulating mechanism for change and, as it's called, "Europeization" of these societies - and this obviously includes dropping the visa regime.
But no, some countries like Holland (and to some extent, Finland), are still stuck in their internal bickering games between their far-right parties and the mainstream political forces, their entire exterior policies becoming hostage to domestic issues and arguments with some pretty nasty xenophobic overtones. And in Britain, whenever elections approach, the Tories always come up with some hysterical apocalyptic scenario where hordes of Easterners are knocking at the gates of the foggy Albion, threatening to overwhelm the UKnian labor market "and steal our jerbs". Political points are being scored, exploiting people's fears (remember that monster, the mythical Polish plumber?). We know that game too. We're Balkanites, we know all the nasty intricacies of Realpolitik, be it of domestic or international nature. After all, we've often been at the receiving end thereof.
Well, now my particular country happens to be among the very few in Europe who've kept the utmost fiscal discipline, long before anyone in the West would come up with that genius idea that is austerity and "tightening the belts". We keep stockpiling financial resources in our treasury and our credit rating keeps climbing gradually - while most of "Old Europe" is plunging further down the slope. Does it mean we'll stop hearing all those preachy lectures from London, Paris and Berlin for a while? You guessed wrong - we won't.
The fact of the matter is, there's an increasing sense of insecurity in many of the Western societies, and rising scepticism about immigration (the furrinnerz are always the first ones to blame for all domestic problems, mind you), and what's worse, the integration models that used to enjoy such popularity until recently, are suddenly being questioned by no one but the very leaders of those same countries that initiated them (Merkel said it outright: "The integration model has failed"). Such good news, Europe!
The economic crisis is adding a financial dimension to this insecurity, and making the ordinary Westerner even more sensitive and susceptible to various types of fearmongering. And this leads to the obvious temptation to seek for spectacular public manifestations of that fear, through acts of limiting this freedom of movement that the EU so much prides itself in.
There's something else though, which we Balkanites have to understand: the possibility of lifting and dropping the visa gates upon us multiple times (depending on the situation in this Western country or the other) will remain a heavily (mis)used tool, and not just for domestic consumption in the West, but also for genuine pressure on the new applicant countries, aiming to urge them to keep up with the efforts for real reform. And that's fine. No surprise that efforts are currently being made to formulate this tool in a more elaborate way, and dress it in a legal form. The rules will be changing, and we'll have to adapt to that. We'll have to get used to being tossed around like chess pieces, while the big players intensify their struggle as their interests collide in this unhealthy situation. So, we better store some huge amounts of patience on our part - and patience is a thing we've learned well over the years. So, no worries then?
There's also this thing called neighborly competition. It's not necessarily a bad thing, even when it just boils down to making silly comparisons of the "Look how much better/worse our neighbor is having it" type. For example, we Bulgarians often like to compare ourselves to Greece. For a long time Greece was like paradise to us, and in our self-deprecation we often liked telling ourselves how fucked up we are, compared to them. Now, this is being substituted with a certain sense of Schadenfreude, as we're watching Greece implode under the weight of its own stupidity. But let's not forget that there's one thing we have very much in common with them, and it's not nice: this omnipresent culture of corruption, and tolerance to injustice, and the dysfunctional institutions. Sure, we might have voluntarily tightened the belts without anyone asking us to, which has allowed us to temporarily assume the moral high ground and laugh at those who used to preach to us about being "fiscally responsible". So far, so good. But that still doesn't remove all the dysfunctionalities that we've ourselves created within our own society. We've come to a point where corruption activity is deemed a normal, ordinary, even rational thing, an acceptable part of life ("It is what it is"). Because in fact it does solve issues, remove problems, it gives the opportunity to stab your rival in a real way - in exchange for a very tiny chance of retribution. Who wouldn't resort to that, if they knew there'd be almost no consequences?
For a very long time, Greece used to enjoy Europe's geopolitical and financial support - the directive was "Support Greece, no matter what". Because Greece was Europe's important outpost, its external boundary with the "dark outer world". Now, as the circumstances have changed, the comic, grotesque lengths to which Greece had brought its abuse of Europe's trust, have been revealed in their entire ugliness.
We see the furious reaction of the Greek people when they've suddenly realized that this cannot go on forever, and their hysterical backlash to even the remotest suggestion for some basic changes and reforms - like the necessity for issuing payment receipts upon any purchase of goods and services. Yes, you heard me! This practice, which is so normal for any modern country, is something alien to the Greeks. And now they have to do it. And they're not happy, to put it mildly. Because it means they'll have to crawl out of the grey economy, and put all their incomes in the bright daylight.
And that's nothing new to any of us Balkanites, because what's surfacing in Greece now, under the pressure of these unpleasant circumstances, has always been the case here, too - just north of the Rhodope mountains. Standing at the precipice, Greece may have no other choice but to comply with "normalness", for a change. It has to change its mentality, the way it does things. Exactly how long that change would last (if it ever happens), no one can say at this point. But what about us? In our self-delusion, we've allowed ourselves to believe that, by simply "tightening the belts" and "not going bankrupt the way Greece did" somehow removes all our flaws and solves all our problems. Well, guess what? We'll end up even worse than Greece, only it won't happen right now.
Until we do a real effort to uproot the corruption that's become part of the very fabric of our societies, we Balkanites are doomed to remain Europe's backwater, and quite rightly so. Until then, we'll continue to struggle to attract foreign investment, and the international interest in this region will continue to dwindle. Despite all the efforts and gestures we've been doing. Like potentially granting BG citizenship to anyone who invests 2+ million euros here. That's just an invitation for more corruption, more money-laundering and all that. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've been selling holiday properties to foreigners for 7 years now. The Russians are flooding our real estate market, and they're not buying all those properties just to spend a holiday at the Black Sea coast in summer - no! They want EU passports. That's what they're after.
And mind you, Britain doesn't seem as concerned about them knocking at the gates, as much as the Polish plumbers. Because Russians bring cash, right? Never mind that they're going there to launder their money. Much of the post-Yeltsin oligarchy that was kicked out by Putin (to give way to his own circle of friends), have now found a safe haven in UK, and all of Britain's passive-aggressiveness regarding Putin's treatment of them, stems from the fact that they've brought billions of pounds to the British shores.
But back to the Balkans, shall we? Of course, it takes bold politicians taking the right decisions, even if these steps might turn out to be very unpopular, and may even cost their political careers. It requires taking some risk, and the bad news is that no politician would ever risk their nice lifestyle and political career for the sake of "doing the right thing".
Now, it's not like we lack the proper laws to tackle corruption. We have very nice laws in fact. But in reality, they're never applied the way they were intended to be. We don't need better legal framework - we already have it. What we need is better, real enforcement and control. And looking for alternative ways to diversify our economy, and attracting foreign investments, and changing the status quo that's suffocating our political life.
We've spent too much time navel-gazing and looking for excuses elsewhere. Now that we're standing face to face with one of the biggest crises in European post-war history, and all those shifts of power balance on a global scale, we don't have much of a choice, but to roll up the sleeves and start doing real shit.
Well, there's always a new problem to substitute the old one. And what's the biggest problem on the Balkan agenda right now? Corruption.
The deep roots of corruption in the Western Balkans in particular traces its origins in the deadly symbiosis between power and organized crime, which found fruitful soil in the years after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. The creation of new nation-states in the 90s inevitably led to wide access of the power elites to the vast criminal resource, and they didn't miss the opportunity for self-enrichment.
The combination of a disintegration process in statehood and the turning of the whole region into "embargo territory" created a real laboratory environment for deeply rooted corruption. All of this was already seeded in these societies, and it would definitely require much more than just a few years, if not decades and generations, to tackle it. In this sense, looking at the issue of organized crime and corruption at the very tops of the power structure, is the number one argument in the ongoing negotiations for EU membership of the Western Balkan countries. That's a normal consequence of years of development in the wrong direction, and it won't go away even after the EU entry of some of these countries, no matter if it happens sooner or later.
Let's take the EU negotiations with Montenegro for example. They've started working on the most important negotiation chapters like justice reform, interior affairs reform and all that jazz, but something's telling me that won't happen until the very last minute before the EU entry is eventually granted, and it'll definitely remain the focus of attention even after that. The lesson from Bulgaria and Romania's case is useful, in that everyone must've realized by now that, unless deep and sustainable change in the surrounding countries in the region has happened, there simply is no way to deal with the problem as a whole. We'll only be confined to dealing with its symptoms, and it'll keep coming back to bite us on the ass.
On the other hand, the expectation for European integration is among those very few positive stimulae that give some structure and dynamics to these reform processes. It's the number one driving factor. So, by using the carrot-and-stick method and frequently threatening to deny these countries the opportunity for free movement (of labor, goods and capitals), would be a hard blow on the whole process. It would remove the main stimulus for reform. Not to mention that it'd send the wrong signal: "See? Europe likes to claim that free movement within its borders is a central tenet of its values and principles, and yet they're imposing a double standard, treating the new members and applicants as second-class". Not the best example one might expect, is it? Let's face it, we Balkanites know pretty well how much it costs to achieve a sense of freedom and belonging to the "greater family". We've been watching this movie for many years, and we've even played some part in it. After all, for nearly half a century we were forced to live in the wrong family. Giving hope for joining the club of shared values and shared space has been the single most stimulating mechanism for change and, as it's called, "Europeization" of these societies - and this obviously includes dropping the visa regime.
But no, some countries like Holland (and to some extent, Finland), are still stuck in their internal bickering games between their far-right parties and the mainstream political forces, their entire exterior policies becoming hostage to domestic issues and arguments with some pretty nasty xenophobic overtones. And in Britain, whenever elections approach, the Tories always come up with some hysterical apocalyptic scenario where hordes of Easterners are knocking at the gates of the foggy Albion, threatening to overwhelm the UKnian labor market "and steal our jerbs". Political points are being scored, exploiting people's fears (remember that monster, the mythical Polish plumber?). We know that game too. We're Balkanites, we know all the nasty intricacies of Realpolitik, be it of domestic or international nature. After all, we've often been at the receiving end thereof.
Well, now my particular country happens to be among the very few in Europe who've kept the utmost fiscal discipline, long before anyone in the West would come up with that genius idea that is austerity and "tightening the belts". We keep stockpiling financial resources in our treasury and our credit rating keeps climbing gradually - while most of "Old Europe" is plunging further down the slope. Does it mean we'll stop hearing all those preachy lectures from London, Paris and Berlin for a while? You guessed wrong - we won't.
The fact of the matter is, there's an increasing sense of insecurity in many of the Western societies, and rising scepticism about immigration (the furrinnerz are always the first ones to blame for all domestic problems, mind you), and what's worse, the integration models that used to enjoy such popularity until recently, are suddenly being questioned by no one but the very leaders of those same countries that initiated them (Merkel said it outright: "The integration model has failed"). Such good news, Europe!
The economic crisis is adding a financial dimension to this insecurity, and making the ordinary Westerner even more sensitive and susceptible to various types of fearmongering. And this leads to the obvious temptation to seek for spectacular public manifestations of that fear, through acts of limiting this freedom of movement that the EU so much prides itself in.
There's something else though, which we Balkanites have to understand: the possibility of lifting and dropping the visa gates upon us multiple times (depending on the situation in this Western country or the other) will remain a heavily (mis)used tool, and not just for domestic consumption in the West, but also for genuine pressure on the new applicant countries, aiming to urge them to keep up with the efforts for real reform. And that's fine. No surprise that efforts are currently being made to formulate this tool in a more elaborate way, and dress it in a legal form. The rules will be changing, and we'll have to adapt to that. We'll have to get used to being tossed around like chess pieces, while the big players intensify their struggle as their interests collide in this unhealthy situation. So, we better store some huge amounts of patience on our part - and patience is a thing we've learned well over the years. So, no worries then?
There's also this thing called neighborly competition. It's not necessarily a bad thing, even when it just boils down to making silly comparisons of the "Look how much better/worse our neighbor is having it" type. For example, we Bulgarians often like to compare ourselves to Greece. For a long time Greece was like paradise to us, and in our self-deprecation we often liked telling ourselves how fucked up we are, compared to them. Now, this is being substituted with a certain sense of Schadenfreude, as we're watching Greece implode under the weight of its own stupidity. But let's not forget that there's one thing we have very much in common with them, and it's not nice: this omnipresent culture of corruption, and tolerance to injustice, and the dysfunctional institutions. Sure, we might have voluntarily tightened the belts without anyone asking us to, which has allowed us to temporarily assume the moral high ground and laugh at those who used to preach to us about being "fiscally responsible". So far, so good. But that still doesn't remove all the dysfunctionalities that we've ourselves created within our own society. We've come to a point where corruption activity is deemed a normal, ordinary, even rational thing, an acceptable part of life ("It is what it is"). Because in fact it does solve issues, remove problems, it gives the opportunity to stab your rival in a real way - in exchange for a very tiny chance of retribution. Who wouldn't resort to that, if they knew there'd be almost no consequences?
For a very long time, Greece used to enjoy Europe's geopolitical and financial support - the directive was "Support Greece, no matter what". Because Greece was Europe's important outpost, its external boundary with the "dark outer world". Now, as the circumstances have changed, the comic, grotesque lengths to which Greece had brought its abuse of Europe's trust, have been revealed in their entire ugliness.
We see the furious reaction of the Greek people when they've suddenly realized that this cannot go on forever, and their hysterical backlash to even the remotest suggestion for some basic changes and reforms - like the necessity for issuing payment receipts upon any purchase of goods and services. Yes, you heard me! This practice, which is so normal for any modern country, is something alien to the Greeks. And now they have to do it. And they're not happy, to put it mildly. Because it means they'll have to crawl out of the grey economy, and put all their incomes in the bright daylight.
And that's nothing new to any of us Balkanites, because what's surfacing in Greece now, under the pressure of these unpleasant circumstances, has always been the case here, too - just north of the Rhodope mountains. Standing at the precipice, Greece may have no other choice but to comply with "normalness", for a change. It has to change its mentality, the way it does things. Exactly how long that change would last (if it ever happens), no one can say at this point. But what about us? In our self-delusion, we've allowed ourselves to believe that, by simply "tightening the belts" and "not going bankrupt the way Greece did" somehow removes all our flaws and solves all our problems. Well, guess what? We'll end up even worse than Greece, only it won't happen right now.
Until we do a real effort to uproot the corruption that's become part of the very fabric of our societies, we Balkanites are doomed to remain Europe's backwater, and quite rightly so. Until then, we'll continue to struggle to attract foreign investment, and the international interest in this region will continue to dwindle. Despite all the efforts and gestures we've been doing. Like potentially granting BG citizenship to anyone who invests 2+ million euros here. That's just an invitation for more corruption, more money-laundering and all that. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've been selling holiday properties to foreigners for 7 years now. The Russians are flooding our real estate market, and they're not buying all those properties just to spend a holiday at the Black Sea coast in summer - no! They want EU passports. That's what they're after.
And mind you, Britain doesn't seem as concerned about them knocking at the gates, as much as the Polish plumbers. Because Russians bring cash, right? Never mind that they're going there to launder their money. Much of the post-Yeltsin oligarchy that was kicked out by Putin (to give way to his own circle of friends), have now found a safe haven in UK, and all of Britain's passive-aggressiveness regarding Putin's treatment of them, stems from the fact that they've brought billions of pounds to the British shores.
But back to the Balkans, shall we? Of course, it takes bold politicians taking the right decisions, even if these steps might turn out to be very unpopular, and may even cost their political careers. It requires taking some risk, and the bad news is that no politician would ever risk their nice lifestyle and political career for the sake of "doing the right thing".
Now, it's not like we lack the proper laws to tackle corruption. We have very nice laws in fact. But in reality, they're never applied the way they were intended to be. We don't need better legal framework - we already have it. What we need is better, real enforcement and control. And looking for alternative ways to diversify our economy, and attracting foreign investments, and changing the status quo that's suffocating our political life.
We've spent too much time navel-gazing and looking for excuses elsewhere. Now that we're standing face to face with one of the biggest crises in European post-war history, and all those shifts of power balance on a global scale, we don't have much of a choice, but to roll up the sleeves and start doing real shit.
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 14:12 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 14:17 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 14:39 (UTC)Thing is, Vucic controls the secret services. And he has promised to use them for doing good this time, for a change. Guys like Miskovic can't feel safe any more. He made his wealth from the Milosevic times, and his Delta corporation is virtually a monopolist on many key industries.
Let me clarify that he's not being prosecuted, not yet. He was recently questioned in relation to some suspicious privatization deals (mostly real estate). Before that, Miskovic was forced by Vucic to admit his participation in the Belgrade tabloid Press, and shortly after that he left the board.
Many of the Serbian media which are still not controlled by Miskovic are calling these events "a major shake-down" with "potentially big economic consequences for Serbia". Miskovic has become so big that he considers himself untouchable. And there are suspicions that the government would strike a deal with him eventually, and things will settle down, for the sake of economic stability. Many people in Serbia believe that this is indeed a stunt, meant to distract the public attention from the fact that there's no real fight against corruption in the country, and the power elites are in bed with the oligarchs. We shall see.
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 15:59 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 15:29 (UTC)First, Russians are not eager to buy prosperty in UK to obtain the UK passport - there are other countries with lower prices for citizenship.
It's just a matter of fact that they, funny, speak English down there, while Hungarian, for example, is not so popular.
I admit thou, that ugly British ladies and terrible British beer, coupled with left-hand driving and stupid weather provide a soundable counter-balance, not to mention the pure living conveniences like separate hot and cold water tubs and saving on door handles.
I could never understand shopping in Harrods (or Petticoat Lane), either.
Maybe this is why I'm not living in the UK.
But back to the Balkans, oh yeah.
What I love about this part of Europe is that it's all mixed up.
A combination of Ottoman, Slavic, German and Italian influences create a wonderful mix (sometimes an explosive one) in almost everything - starting with a local cousine and ending up culture and politics.
And the tastes of corruption are all different, too.
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 15:47 (UTC)That's not what I said. I said Russians are eager to buy property in Bulgaria to obtain a Bulgarian passport. I've had hundreds of Russian clients who've come here to purchase property for this sole purpose. Those are mostly middle-class Russians, not oligarchs.
The UK story is different. It's where Russian billionaires go to exploit the tax haven and flee from persecution.
Yes, being a mixture of all sort of stuff can be a good thing really. If anything, it makes this place less boring than other places. ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 15:55 (UTC)Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia and Czekh are all alternatives for those who want to stick to Slavic language group.
I doubt however, it's going to become a fashion trend like buying prosperity in Spain and Malta for UK guys.
On the other hand, they're all small countries while Russian folks are getting richer and richer, and there's 140 millions of 'hem.
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 16:00 (UTC)Numbers is indeed what I'm counting on. It's a vast market, and being so close culturally and linguistically is a bonus. Hell, Russians can read some Bulgarian! Ain't that great?
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 16:04 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 16:21 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 17:54 (UTC)OTOH I don't think I can get used to the head-shaking for yes! ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 21:08 (UTC)Our head-shaking for yes is not exactly the same as the universal head-shaking for No. The universal one is side to side. Ours involves some diagonal moves, similar to what Indians do.
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 15:57 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 16:02 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 16:04 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 16:22 (UTC)"we in Britain prefer to either burn our hands or freeze them depending on what mood we are in. these newfangled mixers are so confusing with their "acceptable" temperature."
That sums it up, I think.
(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 17:48 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 17:56 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 15:58 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 17:47 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 21:09 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/12/12 19:03 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 00:58 (UTC)Coincidentally, I started learning 'hrvatski jezik' on Monday/Serbo-Croatian. Personally, I don't like the idea of Croatia joining the EU.
R.I.P. Josip Broz Tito (i wonder what Bolshevik heaven looks like).
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 08:02 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 11:20 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 12:20 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 12:31 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 14:18 (UTC)OK, let's explore this a bit further now if you like.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_McDonalds_franchises (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_McDonalds_franchises)
Major EU countries:
Germany 1361 outlets / 81.8 million => 16.6 outlets per million
France 1200 outlets / 65.3 million => 18.3 outlets per million
Italy 392 outlets / 60.8 million => 6.4 outlets per million
United Kingdom 2600 outlets / 62.2 million => 41.8 outlets per million
Netherlands 225 outlets / 16.7 million => 13.4 outlets per million
Sweden 230 outlets / 9.5 million => 24.2 outlets per million
Spain 490 oulets / 47.1 million => 10.4 outlets per million
Greece 29 outlets / 10.7 million => 2.7 outlets per million
New EU countries:
Czech Republic 87 outlets / 10.5 million => 8.2 outlets per million
Poland 287 outlets / 38.1 million => 7.5 outlets per million
Hungary 100 outlets / 9.9 million => 10.1 outlets per million
Romania 62 outlets / 19.0 million => 3.2 outlets per million
Bulgaria 36 outlets / 7.3 million => 4.9 outlets per million
Estonia 8 outlets / 1.3 million => 6.1 outlets per million
Non-EU European countries:
Russia 326 outlets / 143.3 million => 2.2 outlets per million
Ukraine 74 outlets / 45.8 million => 1.6 outlets per million
Norway 73 outlets / 5.0 million => 14.6 outlets per million
Switzerland 151 outlets / 8.0 million => 18.8 outlets per million
Serbia 15 outlets / 7.1 million => 2.1 outlets per million
CROATIA 19 outlets / 4.2 million => 4.5 outlets per million
Americas:
USA 18590 outlets / 314.9 million => 59.0 outlets per million
Canada 1400 outlets / 35.0 million => 40.0 outlets per million
Mexico 500 outlets / 113.9 million => 4.3 outlets per million
Brazil 1413 outlets / 139.9 million => 10.1 outlets per million
Argentina 468 outlets / 41.2 million => 11.5 outlets per million
Chile 69 outlets / 16.5 million => 4.1 outlets per million
Australasia:
Japan 3598 outlets / 126.6 million => 28.4 outlets per million
South Korea 243 outlets / 50.0 million => 4.8 outlets per million
China 1500 outlets / 1347.3 million => 1.1 outlets per million
Israel 153 outlets / 7.9 million => 19.3 outlets per million
India 192 outlets / 1210.1 million => 0.1 outlets per million
Pakistan 25 outlets / 180.4 million => 0.1 outlets per million
Saudi Arabia 114 outlets / 28.3 million => 4.0 outlets per million
Indonesia 110 outlets / 237.4 million => 0.4 outlets per million
Australia 780 outlets / 22.8 million => 34.2 outlets per million
Africa:
South Africa 129 outlets / 51.7 million => 2.5 outlets per million
Egypt 63 outlets / 90.0 million => 0.7 outlets per million
Morocco 27 outlets / 32.6 million => 0.8 outlets per million
Croatia's level of McDonalds exposure is already in the same segment with such long-time EU members like Italy, Spain, Greece and many other Mediterreanean countries. Meanwhile, other new EU members from Central and Eastern Europe have less McDonalds presence than Croatia itself. Further, most non-EU European countries from the same region (Ukraine, Serbia, Russia) are much less McDonalds-prone than Croatia. Speaking outside of the EU, Croatia is at the same level like Chile, Mexico, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, etc, and is much less McDonalds-dominated than emerging economies such as China, India and South Africa.
In conclusion, if we're to go beyond the generalities, I'm not finding any clear correlation between a country being a EU member and having a lot of McDonalds exposure (and respectively, having less McDonalds exposure in case it is not a EU member) - other than cultural factors (well visible in Anglophone countries like Australia, Canada), or factors related to geographical proximity and/or strong economic ties to the US (like Japan, Brazil, Mexico and Israel).
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 14:47 (UTC)The European countries culturally/politically furthest from the main powers of the EU, e.g. pariah states such as Russia, Ukraine & Serbia, have a significantly lower average of outlets per million when compared with both the 'major' & new EU countries. Of course, Croatia is geographically & culturally closer to some of the 'major' EU countries, e.g. Germany & Italy, which would explain some of it - I would be interested to see the statistics for Austria, for example.
It is partly an issue of cultural hegemony & partly an issue of the EU making it easier for the US & the 'major' EU countries to spread their franchises & do business more profitably in the new member states, often at a huge cultural cost - everywhere becomes more & more similar, multinational monopolies dominate under the illusions of freedom of choice, convenience etc.
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 15:12 (UTC)I am not in favour of multinational monopolies by the way, but I found it odd that you would find a correlation between being an EU member and being dominated by the US. Cultural differences go much deeper than just being a member of a supranational union, which explains why US corporations like McDonalds are not evenly distributing their presence throughout seemingly similar regions (mostly due to of their internal cultural and economic differences).
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 15:30 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 17:24 (UTC)Also, the 'we must preserve our culture!' mantra has deep roots in bigotry.
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 17:37 (UTC)Definitely - as an Englishman born & raised, I am obviously also a staunch Croatian nationalist. Down with culture! Up with market forces! Preserve nothing!
(no subject)
Date: 14/12/12 00:56 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 14:19 (UTC)Ooo-kaaay...
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 14:56 (UTC)But I'm not just talking about fast-food, & I'm not just talking about US companies, I'm talking about nations being in charge of themselves - M*D's might provide jobs, but the money doesn't go back into Croatia as much as it should.
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 14:57 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 15:03 (UTC)The EU is a nice idea in principle, but mostly it consists of the economic exploitation & cultural degeneration of the smaller states by the bigger states - just look at Greece, for example.
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 15:20 (UTC)On the one side, yes, the way the EU is currently designed, it's being run by the big players and the smaller players just have to comply. On the other side though, what the Greeks did is inexcusable, and they should walk the whole thorny road to learning from their own mistakes. Let's hope they do it this time. But, seeing the way EU is trying to bail them out again, for the sake of its own fiscal stability, I'm not gonna hold my breath that the Greeks would actually learn anything, from the whole story.
What the rest of us surrounding countries can do is, do some damage control, be on the alert for risky situations, and pray for the best. And have some solidarity in a tough moment like this, because without it, each of us is again on their own. And we all know what this leads to, in the European context.
As for McDo's, yeah. I don't visit them. I don't like junk food, so I choose to ignore them. I suggest you try that too.
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 15:28 (UTC)What the Greek government did may be inexcusable, but it is the ordinary Greeks who are paying for it now, & in my opinion it was inexcusable of the EU to feign ignorance - the major powers seem to know what they have been doing & surely they must be aware of the human cost.
Perhaps what they really need is a Robespierre or a Lenin & not a Tsipras, but I know that such talk is unfashionable nowadays - it certainly isn't Samaras, anyway.
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 15:42 (UTC)Greece needs to roll up the sleeves, close the many holes in its leaking broken bucket, and never repeat the same mistakes again. And yes, better a technocrat who's willing to take tough decisions, instead of coy partisan politicians who only care about being re-elected, and thus succumb to useless populism.
(no subject)
Date: 13/12/12 15:44 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 14/12/12 01:12 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 14/12/12 08:25 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 14/12/12 08:24 (UTC)