European Union general discussion

[Antonio the Sixth]

It looks like Serbia's president has decided that it is better for Serbia's long-term interests to join the European Union (and side with the West) than to remain in Russia's orbit:

Serbia, caught between Europe and Russia, could move one step closer to normalizing relations with Kosovo
Russia's traditional ally, Serbia, may move closer to resolving running conflict with Kosovo, which will not sit well with Moscow

Smart move. If Serbia is willing to play ball with the international order and renounce nationalist expansionism, it should be encouraged and given as much economic support as possible. That ought to show some other countries what they are missing out on for the sake of their delusions of grandeur.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Based Meloni (??!?):

https://twitter.com/POLITICOEurope/status/1651254331394383873?s=20

We truly live in strange times

[Antonio the Sixth]

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/ecb-has-tough-job-fight-rate-cut-bets-inflation-falls-2023-12-13/

Christine Lagarde is such a f**king braindead neoliberal tool. It's really remarkable that someone who's accomplished nothing of note in her career and was on the wrong side every major economic issue of this century was still constantly rewarded with more and more high-prestige jobs. Her whole job is to toe the line on the most outdated austerity dogma even when all the available data points in the opposite direction. Americans are lucky to have Jerome Powell in comparison, honestly.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I can't imagine the EU going through with this unless it feels such action is absolutely necessary. Do it would only confirm (at least among eurosceptics) Orban's long standing claims that Brussels is a bully:

Good. The EU should be a bully to Orban and his ilk. It's the only language they understand.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Bullying works! https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/world/europe/eu-hungary-ukraine-fund.html