Serbia

Member of Schengen area: No

Political system: Republic

Capital city: Belgrade

Total area: 77 474 km²

Population: 7.4 million

Currency: Serbian dinar

Serbia inherits membership of the United Nations and other international institutions.

Serbia and Montenegro, the two republics still left in the old Yugoslav federation, had agreed in 2002 to scrap remnants of the ex-communist state and create the new, looser Union of Serbia and Montenegro.

The EU-brokered deal under which the union came into being in 2003 was intended to stabilise the region by settling Montenegrin demands for independence and preventing further changes to Balkan borders.

The same agreement also contained the seeds of the Union’s dissolution. It stipulated that after three years the two republics could hold referendums on whether to keep or scrap it. Montenegro duly voted for independence in a referendum in May 2006.

The two republics had been united in one form or another for nearly 90 years. With separation from Montenegro, Serbia is cut off from the Adriatic Sea and becomes landlocked.

Road to Europe

In late 2005, the EU began talks with Belgrade on the possibility of reaching a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. These were called off some months later because of the continuing failure of the Serbian authorities to arrest several war crimes suspects.

One of the most notorious of these, the former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, was arrested in Belgrade in July 2008 by Serbian security forces and extradited to The Hague, weeks after a pro-Western government took office. European foreign ministers praised the arrest as a significant step for Serbia in its efforts to join the EU.

In December 2009 Serbia formally submitted its application to join the EU. The beginning of accession talks was delayed while two major Serbian war crimes suspects were still at large, but with the arrest of former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic and Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic in 2011, this block to Serbia gaining EU candidate status was removed.

The European Commission duly recommended Serbia for EU candidate status in a report in October 2011, but said that talks could only start after Serbia normalised ties with Kosovo. Continued Serbian refusal to recognise Kosovar independence undermined hopes for swift progress.

Study

Why study in other Eastern European countries, when you can study in Serbia, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Dentistry or Master of Pharmacy. For the same price (even cheaper living expenditure) you will study in the best upcoming EU country. Bologna system, standard of education (which is not available as of yet in lets say, Russia or Ukraine or other post soviet countries) you and your colleagues from EU countries will have the same curriculum. Notification for Switzerland and most other EU states, US & Canada is minimal. Unlike if you finish in other Eastern European countries. Already Serbia has visa free arrangement with EU, by 2011-12 will be EU candidate! That means by the time you finish, Serbia will be an EU country. If you live in Serbia 3 years, then you may apply for permanent residence, then after that citizenship. Anyway you look at it, by the time you finish; you will get your diploma from an EU country. NO skinhead or racism is tolerated here! Foreigners mingle with local residence very well, and are loved and appreciated. You will be studying in a town bordering Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Greece are only a drive away.

Work

Serbia offers jobs ranging from Information technology to finance, it is strongly recommended to look for a job in its capital Belgrade.

Accommodation

Serbia has many historic sites and is full of culture. If you want further information on accommodation visit http://www.metroroommates.com/state_rentals/serbia_rentals.asp. Alternatively view the accommodation provided by the university you choose to study.