Serbia goes to polls deeply divided over Europe

(BELGRADE) - Serbia's path towards the European Union divides its political scene and society to such an extent that weekend polls are bound to have a huge impact on the country's future, analysts said Friday.

In the general elections on Sunday, voters face a stark choice between pro-European forces gathered around President Boris Tadic and eurosceptic nationalists led by the Serbian Radical Party.

The early polls were called after a coalition of Tadic's party and a nationalist alliance of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica collapsed in a rift over EU integration after Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia.

"The average voter is totally confused with big words and political slogans and lack of explanations of the possible impact on their lives," said psychologist Bojana Damjanovic.

Damjanovic, who counsels young professionals who have trouble finding jobs due to Serbia's painful economic transition, said the "black and white messages that politicians send to the electorate do not answer their main questions."

"People are worried about their living standards, unemployment, inflation, possibility to travel, things that matter to every single human being, and the answers they are getting are vague and full of empty promises," she added.

These bread-and-butter issues were exactly the topics which Nina Aralica, a 38-year-old shoe designer, wants to be settled in Serbia.

Since pro-Western forces ousted late autocratic president Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, "things have changed and, after 10 years of life without the possibility to plan anything, I was able to turn a page and start contemplating my future," she said.

"I got a bank loan to launch my business, I was in debt, but at least I started making a future for myself," Aralica said.

But she was afraid her little shop in central Belgrade would lose customers if an incoming nationalist government isolates Serbia by halting ties with the European Union or neighbouring countries.

"I have no more time to waste," said Aralica. "I don't want the black market to be again a source of income, I don't want to fear anymore whether I will have enough money to survive till the end of the month.

"I want to develop my business, to travel, to have my family enjoy in everything other families in the Western world enjoy."

In a move to bolster pro-Western forces, the European Union signed last week a pre-membership accord with Serbia, considered a first step towards candidacy in the 27-nation bloc.

For Aralica, this was the "only good sign for our future," but for Marko Vojinovic, a postal clerk, the accord "could only mean that we will become slaves to more developed countries."

"It's clear why Europe wants us to join: a cheap working force, big market for their products and full control of our politics, life and country," Vojinovic said.

"EU countries did not prevent Kosovo breaking away from Serbia, they even supported it, so what can we expect in future?" he asked.

Anti-European voters like Vojinovic, who account for almost one third of the electorate according to the polling agency CeSID, were unaware of the benefits and disadvantages of stronger European ties, said sociologist Dubravka Popadic.

"They hear only what politicians want them to hear -- instead of explaining what their moves mean for the lives of citizens, they use mottos," Popadic said.

A recent CeSID opinion poll of 1,500 people showed 41 percent of those polled supported stronger ties with Europe, while 28 percent were "neutral" about the topic.

"The choice for or against Europe is unfortunately based on questions like Kosovo and thus linked with politics, and not the economy, which is the most important issue for most of the Serbs," said Popadic.

Another survey, published in the newspaper Politika showed the economy was the most important issue for 67 percent of voters in the country with almost one million unemployed and an average wage of around 350 euros (540 dollars).