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Sun, Nov 22 2009
Serbia’s most miserable generation comes of age
Fri, Aug 14 2009 10:01 CET
Perhaps the most miserable generations ever born in Serbia, whose crime was only to be born in that country, comes of age this year. One can only hope that these children’s birthdays mark the moment that they can finally begin to live their lives as "normal people".
Those born in 1991 may not even realise how much they suffered, from birth through childhood, and through to their entry into the adult world.
During their lives these children have faced war and the disintegration of their country, the (Socialist) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They spent their childhood under sanctions, isolated from the rest of the world, only to celebrate adulthood at a time of unprecedented global economic crisis, which has also reached Serbia.
Their main wish, when they blow out the candles on their birthday cakes this year, would probably be to be able to live quiet and carefree lives, much like their peers in other countries. Recently, economy and regional development minister Mladzhan Dinkich said that, in addition to existing problems, this generation faces a difficult search for employment at a time when many businesses are closing and the government has been forced to freeze hiring in the public sector.
The only positive point is that the country is expected to join the Schengen area, which would allow this and future generations to travel without bureaucratic obstacles. Travel abroad, however, is still a luxury for young people in Serbia. On average, only 15 per cent travel once a year to other countries, while 49 per cent did not leave the country over the past five years.
Aside from the usual problems, culturologists and sociologists believe that there is no adequate youth culture in Serbia and that youngsters face uncertainty and disappointment.
In an interview with TANYUG, culturologist Ratko Bozhovich said that young people in Serbia inhabit a society "that lives in the past", one that could have "warped values" as well as "diminished psychological and spiritual enthusiasm".
Bozhovich said that young people in Serbia lack the drive to achieve more because they are used to others taking decisions about their lives and that their gains and successes are frequently ignored.
According to Bozhovich, the country has made "major mistakes" with its young generation. And because employment and independence prove elusive, youngsters are forced to make money in other
ways.
Unable to travel
Tiyana Markovic, a fourth year student in a high school in Arandzhelovats, is part of the "miserable generation". She says that most of her peers are unaware of the severity of the economic crisis and hope it will pass quickly. So they wait for a better future.
Markovic planned to apply to read political science. She hopes that by the time she graduates, the situation will have normalised and she’ll be able to find suitable employment.
"I hope that by then I can travel abroad because I have never been abroad, except to the seaside in Montenegro," she says.
Commenting on the quality of the school system, Markovic says that, in general, it’s all down to learning lessons parrot-like, collecting knowledge that cannot then be applied in practice.
She says that in her school she has not had the opportunity to participate in volunteer work or practical courses because few people register and courses are terminated on account of the low number of registrations.
According to the Institute of Psychology, few young people in Serbia have hobbies, while extracurricular activities are unpopular.
The impression is that young people learn and read less than preceding generations while using technology, including computers and mobile phones, primarily for recreation, not for education.
Home computers are used for entertainment – to play music, download movies from the internet or to play games, by 85 per cent of youngsters.
While experts warn of the importance of ordinary conversation and communication, young people prefer internet social sites such as Facebook, and indirect forms of contact with each other.
No doubt, everyone will be hoping that a more fulfilling life awaits the ‘class’ of 2009.
*The article was published by Bulgarian news agency BTA
Those born in 1991 may not even realise how much they suffered, from birth through childhood, and through to their entry into the adult world.
During their lives these children have faced war and the disintegration of their country, the (Socialist) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They spent their childhood under sanctions, isolated from the rest of the world, only to celebrate adulthood at a time of unprecedented global economic crisis, which has also reached Serbia.
Their main wish, when they blow out the candles on their birthday cakes this year, would probably be to be able to live quiet and carefree lives, much like their peers in other countries. Recently, economy and regional development minister Mladzhan Dinkich said that, in addition to existing problems, this generation faces a difficult search for employment at a time when many businesses are closing and the government has been forced to freeze hiring in the public sector.
The only positive point is that the country is expected to join the Schengen area, which would allow this and future generations to travel without bureaucratic obstacles. Travel abroad, however, is still a luxury for young people in Serbia. On average, only 15 per cent travel once a year to other countries, while 49 per cent did not leave the country over the past five years.
Aside from the usual problems, culturologists and sociologists believe that there is no adequate youth culture in Serbia and that youngsters face uncertainty and disappointment.
In an interview with TANYUG, culturologist Ratko Bozhovich said that young people in Serbia inhabit a society "that lives in the past", one that could have "warped values" as well as "diminished psychological and spiritual enthusiasm".
Bozhovich said that young people in Serbia lack the drive to achieve more because they are used to others taking decisions about their lives and that their gains and successes are frequently ignored.
According to Bozhovich, the country has made "major mistakes" with its young generation. And because employment and independence prove elusive, youngsters are forced to make money in other
ways.
Unable to travel
Tiyana Markovic, a fourth year student in a high school in Arandzhelovats, is part of the "miserable generation". She says that most of her peers are unaware of the severity of the economic crisis and hope it will pass quickly. So they wait for a better future.
Markovic planned to apply to read political science. She hopes that by the time she graduates, the situation will have normalised and she’ll be able to find suitable employment.
"I hope that by then I can travel abroad because I have never been abroad, except to the seaside in Montenegro," she says.
Commenting on the quality of the school system, Markovic says that, in general, it’s all down to learning lessons parrot-like, collecting knowledge that cannot then be applied in practice.
She says that in her school she has not had the opportunity to participate in volunteer work or practical courses because few people register and courses are terminated on account of the low number of registrations.
According to the Institute of Psychology, few young people in Serbia have hobbies, while extracurricular activities are unpopular.
The impression is that young people learn and read less than preceding generations while using technology, including computers and mobile phones, primarily for recreation, not for education.
Home computers are used for entertainment – to play music, download movies from the internet or to play games, by 85 per cent of youngsters.
While experts warn of the importance of ordinary conversation and communication, young people prefer internet social sites such as Facebook, and indirect forms of contact with each other.
No doubt, everyone will be hoping that a more fulfilling life awaits the ‘class’ of 2009.
*The article was published by Bulgarian news agency BTA
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Serbia, Macedonia welcome Schengen visa decision
European Commission recommendation to allow citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia Schengen visa-free travel from January 2010 welcomed by those countries, but disappointment in Bosnia and Kosovo as they are left out.
EU gives Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia visa-free travel from January 2010
Citizens of the three Western Balkans countries with biometric passports will be able to travel to the Schengen countries visa-free, according to a proposal approved by the European Commission on July 15 2009.
Schengen deal for Serbia will not include Kosovo
The European Commission will on July 14 include Serbia, but not Kosovo, among the countries for which Schengen visa area access will be liberalised.
Serbian signals
Ahead of a visit by the Dutch foreign minister and the July EU ministerial, Belgrade insists it is co-operating with The Hague tribunal. The Dutch are not persuaded.
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Macedonia offers olive branch to Bulgaria
Under pressure from Brussels on the name issue dispute with Greece, Skopje seeks to re-build relationship with with Sofia.
Kosovo’s governing coalition breaks up – reports
Parties that governed together in Pristina fall out because of their battle in Kosovo’s local government elections.
Regional fallout from Macedonia name dispute
Media reports say that the EU will pressure Athens and Skopje to come up with a solution to the Macedonia name dispute by December 7, or Brussels will take a cooler approach to Macedonia’s EU hopes; while a row breaks out in Belgrade after Serbia’s foreign minister takes sides in the dispute.
A special purpose base
Russia’s planned humanitarian base in Serbia could hold deeper strategic interests
Renewed bank re-assurances for Romania despite stalled bailout-mandated reforms
The IMF has withdrawn its mission, which was due to assess Romania's compliance with the terms of the bailout, and now expects Romania to miss the fiscal deficit target set by the bailout agreement.
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serbia is an evil country.
Serbia is a horrible little third world country. I hated every minute of that country.
Serbia deserves EU and US embargoes and Sanctions.
Yes that article is very true when I went there the Serbs are some of the most depressive miserable people I have ever seen, the Moldovan's are worse.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained не е по темата на статията.
Benzo,
my virtual Serb, friend;)
personally I don't think it matters where you are, but what you are.
I blame the politics of both countries - Serbia and the US for delaying our Euro integration.
That war there and the embargo that tha US placed on the Serbs, served to create this criminal elite in BG, money made from smuggling, and others in a very fragile period of transition.
We are just now beginig to shake that
legacy.
Benzo, with all respect you don't zoom in LA. I lived there for a while.
You have strict speed limits, which are lower tha anywhere in the EU, and your cops don't mess around.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained не е по темата на статията.
Btw you know where I'd be driving to right?
Greece.
It's as if some one brought the sea that much cloler to Sofia, with that EU!
There's a great new autobahn to Thessaloniki - hopefuly all finished soon, and as I drive my hot new German car on it, I'll zoom pass all kinds of sighs, Greece, this, that, if there's a "Makedonia" among them I don't see how tha changes my life - so long as I don't have to slow down for border retards with uniforms...
Sorry I am typing from my phone so I am probably making more mistakes than usual.
If 1/4 of BG wants to become part of Makedonia, all that, to me personally means tha the sign:"Macedonia", as I drive with 200 within the EU, would be moved 100 km closer to Sofia.
A few years from now, it wouldent make any difference.
It's pretty simple, but a little poitive imagination is helpful.
Benzo,
we have our idiots too - you've heard of Ataka - but the bottom line is tha it didn't happen in BG.
With all the problems, all the crime and poverty in the 90s, it didn't happen.
I think it's because we, as people, the majority, do not see ourselves as superior to others.
It's not part of our collective thinking.
If folks in Pirin region were made somehow to feel different or excluded, you bet they would want to separate - what else would keep them in BG - the honest politicians or the polite drivers?
Personally, with most of the Bulgarians spread all over the world, I think that the idea of country is becoming increasingly vitrual. Land isn't as much part of nationality as it used to be. My land is the whole of the EU, and the whole of the EU is welcome to call BG "their land".
I own a home in western EU, and I bought it by re-selling land on the Black sea to Europeans mostly;) think about it!
good points my friend!!! only time will tell for sure...
as to break up of yugo remember serbia devided itself into 4 parts so as not to be excessively larger then croatia and slovenia -serbia only wanted what slovenia and croatia received and that was to go back to borders pre yugo and for serbia that means bosnia montenegro macedonia and far eastern croatia. serbia gave too much for the creation of yugo and didnt get its land back when yugo ended..all those places felt like nationalities / countries but after so many yrs thats to be expected
im interested in what bulgaria would do if a quarter of western bulgaria wanted to join vadar macedonia ..how calm and cool would sofia be ??? hmm maybe sofia would be like czech?? maybe give people what they want ..yes of course
Well benzo,
you can tell each other anything you want, but the fact is that Serbia (and the other two) will sell their mothers to be in the EU.
With good reason.
FYI we all have access to the Internet and we can read statements from your politicians.
Benzo
Serbia is an embarrassment for the neighborhood - you guys managed to revive the worse stereotypes of the Balkans, those of wars and hate among similar peoples.
I peronally don't care about what people think, but I have to tell you, most Americans (uninformed as they can be) are surprised tha BG is in the Balkans, because the haven't heard of us in the wars.
You guys have to stop with that nationalism and realized that there nothing good about having neighbors that are worse off than you - it drags you down.
I wish tha Serbia was richer and more integrated than it is.
Your wars set us back imensly, and probably helped creat the criminal rule in BG in the 90s. Had Serbia devorse the others quietly, like the Czechs, we would've had Europe to the west of us, unstead of Afghanistan.
We wish you the best, but you've got to shake the mentality...
valeri, this is exactly what the eu wants you/world to think..that they are some grand club only lucky can join..this was true until 2002+ -very different in 2009..serbia could have been in eu quite some time ago if they wanted so now eu leaders work hard to make it seem as if they are being courted by serbia or croatia or turkey very funny but it seems their efforts are working with some ..usa saved 80% of eu economy in november 2008 with bank bailout that was mostly for eu banks more then for usa banks. eu banks turned around and gave the money to bailout eu companies like daimler in germany. my point in 2009 + things can change sooo fast the only thing we have is dignity...so hold on to it
Benzo,
sorry to be the first to tell you this, but Serbia is in the middle of major butt kissing session with the west.
Not only is she in the process of turning in her "war heros" but she's so eager to comply with so many other rules... and why? So that she earns the privilege of being ruled by "the big guys"... in the EU.
Benzo,
some of you are smart enough to recognize that the only true power is that of money.
Without it, you are just like a bunch of blacks, brandishing guns, gold chains, and generally talking yourselves into greateness, while being quite helpless and without real power.
serbs have done things their way for the last 800 years..never giving in to bigger powers..not ottomans, germans, russians and now not to eu..we are the only country in europe that can say that. trust me it will happen under our terms as it always has ...has china given up any of its identity to become worlds second most powerful country??? (maybe most) butt kissers will get a pat on the head now and then or a treat sometimes.. but they will ALWAYS be butt kissersssssss
Serbia will continue this voyage until they recognize Kosovo as a independent country, and all their dreams will become reality...Nationalism is pulling Serbia to the bottom. But still they’re fighting for a better life, but they need to realize the time is passing and the whole Balkans is suffering because of that. Wake up Serbia and grow up.
So short list,
Don I am disappointed. C’mon man I want to see more …;-)))
This comment has been hidden by the moderator because it contained квалификации.
benzo,
that rule wasn't different before WWII.
The parts of eastern Europe that belonged/governed by Austo-Hungary are still better off than the parts that weren't.
Collective mentality and societal organization are best when part of a heritage.
We humans act from habit, and they are hard to change...
my friend..ratings are created by EU financial standards/economic laws and dollar/euro currency valuations. very difficult to compare systems not using EU standards. yes north west europe is better off but it can not go without being said that is the very part of europe the usa has spent trillions of dollars in over past 50 years in aid. france runs a 20-30% of gdp deficit every year..they would never allow serbia or bulgaria to do the same... there are only 2 components of a powerful economy 1)gaint banks that lend and reinvest wisely 2)jobs for people ...
Serbia rating is lower than RO and BG, but 50 years of relative openness to the West, can't help but have an effect.
Serbia has always been better off than BG, but again, relatively speaking, Serbia has never been worse off in comparison to BG, with other words, BG has never done better compared to Serbia.
Putting things in perspective is important.
Wealth in Europe in general radiates from Germany.
North of Italy, south of England, west of Austria and Czech. France's industry is in the north-west too. Similarly Slovenia has always been better off than Croatia and Croatia than Serbia.
There are a few exceptions, but this is generally the pattern.
Serbia could've leave us in the dust, but they screwed up major time.
I have no doubt life for people in the balkans has improved for all, with all the new debt/credit people have taken on to have "stuff" and go "places",it should. But when u look at realities (and everyone in the west is in agreement)serbia's talent and business infastructure puts it at the top of the class in south eastern europe. remember if you're making 10 times more then 10 years ago but spend 12 times more ....are you really doing better..or is it a ponzi scheme that will eventually show it self....??
Note that the authors of the article are Serbs.
I guess they too have that same Balkan inability to grasp reality in relative terms.
If you listen to most Bulgarians, BG is the worse place on earth.
We are miserable, corrupt and so on.
In the whole of Stockholm there aren't as many $100,000 cars as in 5x5 blocks in Sofia.
Everyone is out and about, and I can never find my friends on weekends - if they are not at the sea, or skiing, they are out and about Europe. (just last year 5 726 767 Bulgarians traveled outside the country, a number surely counting the multiple exits of the same person but still)
http://www.nsi.bg/SocialActivities_e/Tourism_e.htm
Life has never been better, especially for the young and more energetic among us, and that's a fact.
I my wildest imagination I couldn't conceive anything like that 25 years a go, growing up in BG....
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained реклама & спам.
I agree with the previous posts, this article seems to be a bit bias. I'be been to Serbia couple of times and in many ways there life standard seems to be higher then in Bulgaria. There wages and pensions are higher. Belgrade looks great, much more clean then Sofia. And the people are not much different then in any other ex Yugoslavia countries.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained не е по темата на статията.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained не е по темата на статията.
I would have to agree with Benzon. I've been to Serbia for the last couple of summers, and I've never seen more vibrant people or society. The night life there beats ANY of the major cities I've been to in the Midwest. Serbia is not as drab as this article makes it out to be, and you will not see any people feeling as sorry for themselves as this article makes them out to be.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained реклама & спам.
seriously...no really seriously..come on seriously..yes times have been tough for serbia for not being a disrespected puppet as have all balkan countries done but come on i will say life in in serbia is still better then most of balkans in last 5 yrs and quickly getting better. friends recently toured balkans Serbia,Bulgaria,Romania and Greece and said serbia seemed much more developed then the rest .....so come on seriously!!!