I have just one question: what’s in it for them?
The EU’s only good feature is freedom of movement of people. How must the negotiations sound to Bulgarians now?
“You can join the EU!”
“Oh great, what are the benefits?”
“Freedom of movement of people; unfortunately there’s loads of expensive regulation and bureaucracy but you get freedom of movement.”
“Excellent, when can we join?” replied the Bulgar.
“1st January 2006 — oh, but you won’t be able to move around freely within the EU.”
“So, could you list those benefits again please?” (warily)
etc.
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#1 by wonkotsane on September 27th, 2006 - 4:14 pm
EU: “Did I mention that because you’re bankrupt you’ll qualify for billions in grants and subsidies paid for by the English and Dutch for the next 20 years?”
Bulgar: “Sold.”
#2 by Dave on September 28th, 2006 - 4:07 am
lol right on wonko. But don’t expect the ‘English nationalist’ Gav to be worried about that.
Besides I don’t see that ‘freedom of movement’ is an advantage for them anyway, Poland has had to try to get workers from further East because so many people left the the country Romania and Bulgaria could have similar problems if they get emigration on a similar scale.
#3 by Gav on September 28th, 2006 - 9:36 am
Whoever said I was a “nationalist” of any sort!
#4 by Dave on September 28th, 2006 - 4:53 pm
Well those who support their own national parliament are usually called nationalists are they not? Scottish nationalist SNP, Welsh nationalists, Irish nationalists…
And now the English nationalists of the CEP..
I have tried to pin down your stance on this before but I still don’t get it, if you are not an English nationalists then why do you want an English parliament, you might say because the Scots have too much influence but there are more ways to address that problem than a new Parliament.
#5 by David B. Wildgoose on September 29th, 2006 - 10:08 am
Note to Dave, (comment 4): Those who support their own national parliaments are usually called DEMOCRATS.
On the other hand, those who support a different country making decisions about what happens somewhere without those affected being able to make similar decisions in that different (unaffected) country, that’s usually called IMPERIALISM.
So just to get this straight, Gavin is a Democrat and you are an Imperialist – at least, that’s what it looks like to me.
#6 by Dave on September 29th, 2006 - 9:01 pm
Not at all Mr Wildgoose, I am no supporter of the EU and if the Scots want independence I wouldn’t try to stop them although I think it would be a subject worthy of a full debate first.
Its possible to be a nationalist as well as democrat.. I just think its a strange kind of ‘nationalist’ or ‘democrat’ for that matter, who supports policies that will lead to a massive demographic change in their country against the will of most of the people.
#7 by David B. Wildgoose on September 29th, 2006 - 10:04 pm
Fair enough. For what it’s worth, I’m in agreement with you on all your points. I want out of the EU, I wouldn’t stop the Scots going independent, and I am both an English nationalist and a Democrat, who is deeply worried at the massive rates of immigration we are sufffering – faster than we can assimilate which as a result means ghettos and balkanisation, problems faced most acutely by the poorest and most vulnerable in our society.