[LINK] "Let's hear it for the Yugosphere"

Eastern Approaches' T.J. has an English-language translation of an article from the Serbian Vreme newspaper talking about how the former Yugoslavia is beginning to form a coherent region, a new community.

Two years ago I coined the term "Yugosphere" in an article for The Economist. I thought the word encapsulated some of the dynamics I had seen developing in the former Yugoslavia in recent years. Some misunderstood me, but the fact that the word has since entered the lexicon suggests that it usefully captures something many people instinctively knew existed—and indeed lived every day.

Two years later, the idea of the Yugosphere bores me rigid. But it appears to be here to stay; if anything, the idea is more necessary than ever.

Let me explain. First, the Yugosphere was simply a way of describing the renewal of thousands of broken bonds across the former state. (Kosovo is a partial exception, for obvious reasons.) It does not mean that the state of Yugoslavia is coming back. Moreover, although I think it is a beneficial development, it is not irreversible.

To a great extent the Yugosphere is an economic and social phenomenon. When a Croatian company like Atlantic Grupa buys a Slovene one, Droga Kolinska, which in turn already owns Serbian ones, which in turn distribute across the former Yugoslavia, that is the Yugosphere. (And, I might add, nothing to do with " Yugonostalgia".)

When the Regional Cooperation Council in Sarajevo, headed by a Croat, organises endless meetings covering culture, law, industry, environment and whatever else, that is the Yugosphere. I could talk about which musician is performing where this summer, or why the Ratko Mladic story was broken by Jutarnji List, a Croatian newspaper.

But the idea also has political application. I expect to see ever-more co-ordination among the states of the former Yugoslavia. There are many models to follow. Think of the Benelux countries, which once worked together intensely before much of their co-operation was made redundant by the European Union. Another is the Nordic Council, which brings together a natural group of Scandinavian countries, some in the EU and some not. Likewise, there is the example of the Visegrad group of central Europeans.

[URBAN NOTE] On the scrapping of the Jarvis Street bike lane

blogTO and the Globe and Mail both report that the controversial and recently installed bike lands on Jarvis Street will likely be taken down.

In response to a motion put forward by Councillor John Parker, the Public Works Committee has voted 4-2 to remove the Jarvis bike lanes. The committee does not, however, have the authority to make this decision on its own, and the item will thus go to a full council vote in mid July. Given Council's track record, however, it's probably not a good idea to hold one's breath that the lanes will remain in place.

Needless to say, cycling advocates are shocked at this news, especially as it comes so quickly after the 2011 Bikeways report indicated that street has experienced a threefold increase in bike traffic since bike lane implementation. While there have been some delays to vehicular traffic post-installation, it's not a stretch to categorize these as minor (see the specific numbers below). City staff also noted that an improvement in traffic flow would likely follow the addition of an advance left turn lane for northbound traffic at Jarvis and Gerrard street.

blogTO notes that bike traffic increased by three times without a drop in motor vehicle traffic, and that increases in travel time will be remedied by the construction of new diversions.

Elizabeth Church of the Globe and Mail, meanwhile, notes that this is part of a larger campaign.

he motion was introduced just hours after Mayor Rob Ford declared to reporters that the Jarvis Street bike lanes had to go.

“I get a lot of people calling me. They want to get rid of them,” the mayor said. “I do what the taxpayers want me to do. They want them gone, so we are going to try to get rid of them.”

The decision to scrap the lanes, which will go to city council next month for a vote, came at the end of a day-long debate on a proposed bike network, which the committee recommended go forward.

That network includes plans for a system of separated bike lanes in the downtown that drew praise from many of the more than two dozen speakers that appeared before the committee.

By the time the day ended, the committee also had voted to scrap eight kilometres of bike lanes, that include those on Pharmacy Avenue and Birchmount Road in Scarborough. The east-end routes sparked strong opposition from local residents and were a central issue in last fall’s election battle.