Many core members of the EU share a common currency already - the Euro. Millions of citizens from new member Central and Eastern Europe countries are living and working in Western European countries with full access to job markets, accommodation, schools, medical care and other benefits. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the current global crisis has not turned the tide, and many of these folks are staying put in their newly-chosen countries of residence.
Below is a portion of an article on the proposed European Union Lisbon Treaty from Wednesday's today's London 'Times'. The Treaty is intended to make the EU "more democratic, more transparent, and more efficient", but would also mean forfeit of more national sovereignty by EU member countries - increasing the possibility of the EU becoming a fully fledged federal superstate.
"The original EU was supposed to secure the postwar prosperity of Western Europe and ensure that France and Germany never took up arms against each other again. Until 1989 the European mission was essentially to stay happy, rich and out of harm’s way. The Havels and Lech Walesas changed all that. The two Germanys merged and the eastern longing for acceptance made enlargement a sensible goal.
Now, two decades on, the EU has realised that it is become significantly poorer, less secure along its borders and is probably unhappier than for half a century. For mainland Europeans the fulcrum of the continent has shifted significantly eastwards. On the borderlands there are wobbly dictatorships such as Belarus, blood feuds in the Balkans and, in the popular imagination, hordes of potential immigrants from Ukraine. Berlin and Vienna are little more than a hop, skip and jump from some dirt-poor communities.
Enlargement once seemed to give the EU a moral purpose; now it is seen as trouble. The moral purpose has been lost in a tangle of treaty-prose. How does it deal with this? It should be quarrying out a new sense of purpose. Instead it has cobbled together a treaty of which the deepest purpose is to find institutionally acceptable ways to block the entry of Turkey or Ukraine."
3 comments:
Here is what is absolutely ironic.
Ukraine has the potential to be one of the most powerful economies in the world, especially because it used to be known as the "breadbasket of Europe."
But thick-skulled, Neanderthal Ukrainians can't get their act together.
So Ukraine's government is a sewer of "political elite", the people are held in slavery by oligarchs, and the EU looks down its nose at Ukraine - for good reason.
When the stupid, thick-skulled Neanderthals in Ukraine finally get their act together, all of that will change.
But until then - the EU, and the rest of the world, will keep spitting on Ukraine - for good reason.
EU enlargement has been the economic dynamo driving and underpinning the European economy providing EU companies a source for expansion and significant profits.
Ukraine greatest threat is itself. Political stability is the key to Europe's door. Sadly its President Viktor Yushenko has undermined Ukraine's political and economic development.
Ukraine needs to embrace European democratic values and adopt European models of governance.
The first major stage of reform and integration would be to follow in the foot steps of the Baltic States and adopt the Euro as the basis of monetary exchange. Ukraine should also look at standardizing its visa requirements with the EU opening up opportunities for cultural tourism and investment opportunities.
Ukraine, like other former Soviet States, has the potential to further expand Europe economy, its independence and security.
Ukraine, sadly, has been in a void for the last five years. Its integration with the EU having been set back 10 to 15 years as a result of Yushchenko's failed policies of division.
Hopefully with Yushchenko out of the way Ukraine can begin to rebuild and relay the foundation stones for a new European democratic state.
No chance - even with Victor Y gone next year - it will be NO different here. Its a circus of self fulfilling parasites running this potential agriculture haven into the ground to feed their own disires
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