Opening of the job market too late

On May 1 Germany and Austria became the last Western European countries to open their job markets to workers from the countries that joined the EU in 2004. The years of sealing themselves off were pointless, according to the conservative daily Lidové noviny: "A bubble has burst that poisoned the air for seven years. For seven years we 'slovenly types from the East' felt discriminated against. For seven years the Germans and Austrians trembled at the idea of an invasion of 'Polish plumbers'. To what end? All it really accomplished was to make us in the East not feel like full fledged members of the Union. ... Anyone who really wanted to work in Germany found a way to do so eventually. The others went where it was easier to find work. Now, after May 1, will the Germans have access to the IT specialists, mathematicians and technicians they so badly need? No. But before they complain they should ask themselves why they waited until the very last minute to open their labour market."

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