This morning I wrote that I hoped the European Union leader they would get the message sent by the British people. You all know that I am a little romantic and I like to give “second chances”. I was wrong. Or better say : I was so surprised this morning to see the EU Referendum outcome that I did not have time to reflect on the EU.
The joint statement issued by four EU leaders confirms what I have been thinking all the time: that the EU is such an incredible bureaucratic institution ruled by incompetent non-elected dinosaurs who make it impossible to see a glimpse of hope.
The EU Four
- Donald Tusk, President of the European Council
- Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament
- Mark Rutte, holder of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU
- Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission
were quick to issue a tough statement on Brexit and urge UK to activate Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty – rejecting any option that the UK might decide to play the Tsipras-Referendum-formula and implement a different policy than the one people voted for – theoretically speaking, of course. But the undemocratic EU
The EU Four rush to express their “respect to the decision of the British people” and urge the UK government to “to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible”, pointing out at “rules” that have to be followed and stressing that the Referendum decision was “final” and that there will be no re-negotation with UK of the Settlement in February 2016.
“In a free and democratic process, the British people have expressed their wish to leave the European Union. We regret this decision but respect it.
This is an unprecedented situation but we are united in our response. We will stand strong and uphold the EU’s core values of promoting peace and the well-being of its peoples. The Union of 27 Member States will continue. The Union is the framework of our common political future. We are bound together by history, geography and common interests and will develop our cooperation on this basis. Together we will address our common challenges to generate growth, increase prosperity and ensure a safe and secure environment for our citizens. The institutions will play their full role in this endeavour.
We now expect the United Kingdom government to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be. Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty. We have rules to deal with this in an orderly way. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union sets out the procedure to be followed if a Member State decides to leave the European Union.
We stand ready to launch negotiations swiftly with the United Kingdom regarding the terms and conditions of its withdrawal from the European Union. Until this process of negotiations is over, the United Kingdom remains a member of the European Union, with all the rights and obligations that derive from this. According to the Treaties which the United Kingdom has ratified, EU law continues to apply to the full to and in the United Kingdom until it is no longer a Member.
As agreed, the “New Settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union”, reached at the European Council on 18-19 February 2016, will now not take effect and ceases to exist.
There will be no renegotiation.
As regards the United Kingdom, we hope to have it as a close partner of the European Union in the future. We expect the United Kingdom to formulate its proposals in this respect. Any agreement, which will be concluded with the United Kingdom as a third country, will have to reflect the interests of both sides and be balanced in terms of rights and obligations.” (euconsilium)
It is not only Greeks but also foreign nationals who reckon the “respect”the EU showed to the decision of the Greek people in 2015-Referendum. people voted No, but the EU and the Troika exploited all blackmail tools they had available and had Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras twisting NO to Austerity Package into a YES to Europe with a 3rd bailout.
But the EU Four & Co felt their feet under water today. They were surprised by the outcome and shocked. And they reacted the German-way they know: with rules and articles and paragraphs urges and expectations.
Would it be possible, the EU Four & Co would do their best to kick UK out of the European Union Friday afternoon. Too big is their fear that other member-states and people might follow the UK example. And they do.
Just hours after Britain’s’ historic decision to leave the EU, far-right politicians across Europe have called for their own referendums: in France, in Holland, in Denmark and in Italy.
If referendums are being held in other EU countries, what do you believe the outcome will be, if the EU continues its rigid neo-liberal and strict-austerity policies ignoring the people’s wish for transparency, jobs and prosperity and a space to breath?
Of course, it will be much more difficult for a €urozone-member state to leave the union. the economic impact will be much bigger, although we cannot estimate yet the economic impact of the Brexit.
PS I am not anti-EU. I just do not like the undemocratic way an EU of blackmailing oligarchs has been operating with in the last years.
I don’t why you were surprised at the Brexit vote KTG. I think that if all member states were given a referendum, the surprise would be if anyone wanted to stay in! The British are politically lazy creatures, but we do hate being lectured to, and threatened – from Obama to unelected EU presidents – it was never going to work. I,m fairly sure that some people did not want to remain in a club that treated some of it’s members so badly. It may have been easier for us to go, we have our own currency and Germany does not own us, and cannot control us. Time for Tsipras to do some constructive thinking.
I was surprised this morning due to polls yesterday and the ‘exit polls’ 1 hour after ballots closed. and more: I didn’t believe they would do it!
I was surprised, but in a way this was to be expected. Everyone in my circle was for ‘Leave’ – not one person was for ‘Remain’. I thought this was because I live in the country. However, there was an article in the Daily Mail a couple of weeks ago where their hack had gone canvassing in Leeds and Stockport in solid Labour areas and he was shocked at how hostile people were to the EU. A Guardian hack discovered the same thing in Stoke. For me the main reason to Leave was Sovereignty of Parliament, but to most the reason was the free movement of people – this has caused huge problems. It is a pity the EU elite didn’t take more notice of Cameron’s Bloomberg speech and taken heed, and perhaps negotiated in better faith. They didn’t. Had they done so we might not be here today.
very informative thanks
There were no exit polls, other than secret ones managed by banks. This too was a disgrace, indicating how problematic everything to do with democracy actually is. Incidentally, malakas Farage announced before any results came out that the result would be Remain, according to his sources in financial markets. It shows you how stupid both Farage and the banks are: they learned nothing about their own incompetence with the financial crash they caused.
it was Farage I heard & thought Remain won. ah, the famous polls for ifnancial markets . the whole system is a joke
Most of the polls had moved in the final week (since the murder) towards ‘Remain’, so I was not surprised that Nigel Farage thought ‘Remain’ would win. The final poll I saw was 52/48 for ‘Remain’. When I got up on Friday I could hardly believe it was the other way round ! Even the bookies were calling it for ‘Remain’, so again I’m not surprised.
Wider, I think this result is a consequence of the arrogance and blind stupidity of the European elite. They are completly and utterly detached not just from reality but for the lives of the people they are supposed to govern. You only have to look at the penury that has been wrought in Greece to see that in stark reality.
All these polls must be fake, except from the last 9 months in Greece nowhere is covered the 30% non-voters, they just don’t exist.
The first thing the idiots did after voting out was having a google bomb about the impact it has, but wait, not all were idiots, only 70% were voting, but the 30% ordinary and smart people who don’t like to get punked are ignored like always.
you can;t expect voters hanging 24/7 on internet to get their info.
Yeah, but if one is too stupid to know this before voting and thinks believing lies is smart enough one shouldn’t vote at all, I mean capitalism or any (re)production-process doesn’t need them anyway, telling touch-screens yes or no swine or apes can do much better and they are also much more intelligent than these cannibals, they don’t believe in god.
The unfortunate thing is that the leaders of the EU will learn nothing from this. It is not their style to admit that they may have made a mistake. The EU failed miserably in making a case for continued membership in the union. Rather, they harped on the negative impact on the UK that Brexit would have. Disenfranchised and marginalized British workers found no benefit from EU membership, nor did the EU try to claim any such benefit. They are of the mindset, “The beatings will continue until morale improves”.
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I laugh at the hubris and clueless mentality of the EU. 40% of the Greek population is in poverty as a result of the austerity program imposed upon us, yet on Facebook, I receive regular and routine EU propaganda about how they are spending millions and millions to aid the poor outside the EU. And it’s even more insulting in light of Juncker’s false and never delivered “pledge of 2 billion in humanitarian aid to Greece”, in April of last year.
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Yesterday, Poland’s president said that the EU “must do everything to prevent another nation from leaving the union. “Prevent”, not “keep in” or “make membership more attractive” or “be responsive to those who see no benefit from membership”.
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I very skeptical about how the EU masters will handle all this. The odds are that they will be generally punitive in working out the details of the UK’s withdrawal, for to do otherwise, in their eyes, would only encourage others to do the same. After all, the people exist to do their masters’ bidding. Even though Article 50 makes no mention of punitive action in response to a withdrawal, you can bet your knickers that such will be the case.
yes, Master from Germany thinks “punitive”, the rest just follow the Master
Be careful everybody. Cameron resigned but instead of leaving immediately, overnight, as is British custom, his resignation will be in….September. And the UK voted for OUT but the British PTB are not going to invoke article 50….until September – despite the request from the EU Four above.
As we all know, September is a long way away and a lot can happen: war, market crashes (Soros is already betting on it) Etc.
in fact , EU did not ‘request’, it demands
Which is another example of the EU showing little or no respect for national sovereignty or the will of the people. Article 50 simply states: “A Member State which decides to withdraw shall notify the European Council of its intention.” No mention of a member state’s referendum being the actual “notification” by that state. It would appear that the UK government, which is normally what is considered “the state”, wishes to select a new PM to guide them through the withdrawal process. That’s a rather rational idea. Take a couple of extra months to get your ducks in line to maximize the chances of an orderly exit.
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Note that when Greece conducted a referendum, the EU said that it was nice, but carried no legal standing. Now the UK conducts a referendum, and key EU leaders say exactly the opposite, saying that not only are the results binding, but immediately so, co-opting the UK government’s right to act in a manner best suited to an orderly exit. Even though the referendum was an internal action, not an official action of the legitimate government, which must now take the necessary steps to responsibly execute the will of its people.
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It would seem that the philosophy of the current heavyweights in the EU is that the people or a member state say “No” at their own peril. Fortunately, they can no longer make a death sentence automatic for being part of The Resistance.
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Note that a state’s membership and terminating membership is totally voluntary. Article 50 offers no mechanism for expelling a member state, a situation that I’m sure frustrated Wolfie in dealing with Greece, leading him to be an even more brutal occupying power, in the hope that Greece would simply seek refuge via Article 50. Driving off the weaker states would make Wolfie ever so happy. But when a strong state exercises its sovereign right to withdraw, the petulant megalomaniacs in Brussels still must extract their pound of flesh to make an example of those who say “No”.
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Perhaps the Borg was modeled after Brussels?
Yes, t6o all that. Art 50 was included in the 2009 treaty revisions, as previously there was no formal mechanism for a member state to leave the Union. It is legally possible to denounce the Treaties as a country can for any treaty in international law. The Article 50 provisions try to allow a formal mechanism — negotiations for 2 years — alongside what lawyers call a standstill provision for those 2 years.
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What the Nazis seem to be demanding is that the Treaty provisions should be abandoned, and the UK told what to do. Let us be clear about this: the Germans want to break the law (as they have been doing with everything) and threaten a sovereign power. The most likely outcome of that is war.
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As far as the referendum is concerned, it is advisory and an internal matter of the UK. It is up to the UK government to decide how to act on its results — meaning what, how and when. The other EU member states could privately communicate their desire for things to be expedited, for regional and global stability. They should not be saying anything in public — instead of which, they are making demands and threats. The fact that they are doing so, makes even those (like me) who voted Remain wonder if the EU should be allowed to continue to exist. It has turned into an abusive structure, acting illegally at every opportunity, and representing the interests of Germany predominantly.
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One clear conclusion: the northern EU states thought that they could threaten and intimidate the British public and politicians in the same way as they did to Greece. They failed to learn their lesson, even now. As I have stated previously here, the historical fact is that every few decades the Krauts did a violent kick up the backside to keep them in their place. Those in a wheelchair can instead be taken to a cliff edge. It pains me to have to state these obvious conclusions.
“need” not “did” in the last paragraph. I find it very difficult typing in these boxes, where you cannot edit…
Well those with a knowledge of history will tell you that there has been nothing but trouble since Germany was united through War. She ought to have been broken up into the smaller states from which she was formed.
The original idea of the European Community, ECSC and Euratom was for Germany to be controlled by other powerful European countries, such as France, Holland, belgium and italy – for which the USA financed their reconstruction. Also, the German basic law (constitution) was written by the victors and prohibited Germany from having an army and doing any more than running its economy.
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The turnaround occurred with reunification in 1990 — which Thatcher opposed. The problem is with all of these stupid European countries that were occupied by the Nazis and seem to have forgotten about it. France is the most stupid of them all — obsessed with visions of a Roman Empire and a common currency to the exclusion of dealing with reality. Now, Germany is the dominant European power through the moronic failure of France and Benelux: Italy too had a megalomalakas called Berlusconi running it. Now, the only solution looks to be another world war.
before world war, they can dissolve EU + EZ and everyone lives in own country + own currency. Experiment FAILed
I don’t think they know how to do that. My guess is that they will just carry on regardless — waiting for events to overtake them. That has been their “strategy” with everything else, why would they change?
The trouble is they have invested so much Political Capital in Monetary Union it is almost inconceivable that they would abandon it. You Greeks should have never entered the damn thing in the first place and your only hope is to leave, but by amicable agreement because you will need huge help. I have heard it said that if Tsipras falls there will be a debt deal, but the debt really isn’t the issue at the moment. You have a dying economy – a third of it has already gone up in smoke – so it is important that you save as much as you can. If you stay in the Euro I do not see Greece recovering at all, merely staying in the deep freeze of stagnation and depression.
But the result of Drachma will be millions of pensioners from Euro-countries plus millions of people with welfare-cheques from the same countries flying in once a month with Easy-Creep that will make Greece become their paradise.
Funny will be also to see what will happen after reunification to the tens of thousands of pensioners that some comedians were selling Greek land and houses in the occupied north.
I seem to recall Nicholas Ridley described, quite accurately, monetary union as ‘A German racket to take over Europe’. How right he was.
Yes. At the time, I disagreed with his views, but history has judged him as being more astute than the rest of us.
Regarding war, Greece should be very fast and send her tanks over the Alps to get the war-debts out of this fathasuckers, German army is not strong any more, one can doubt it exists. But may be wait a bit until the German-Turkey trouble gets more serious, so to prevent Turkey from adventures.
i’ll sail with my boat to the Alps
I agree with all of you. I also subscribe to the idea that the rest of the EU, led by the German Masters, will become even more authoritarian and totalitarian in their behaviour.
Of course “the rules” are only good when they serve the Masters: let us throw the book at the UK via our precious “rules” but do nothing when the German Masters have forever exceeded the trade surplus rules. Also let us do nothing when the His Master’s Voice Mario Draggi plays politics via the “neutral” ECB and causes bank-runs in Greece, starves banks of liquidity and eventually closes them (Greece/Cyprus) or threatens to do the same in Ireland, Italy, and other PIIGS.
In the meantime, I salute the brave British people. They gave all other Europeans a lesson in defiance against the Brussels/German tyranny and a lesson in democracy. The British today are the only people in the EU who deserve the title “citizens” and “Europeans”, for they are more Europeans than any scared Greek, Italian, French, etc lapdog.
A second chance to steal more Greek assets & watch more Greeks fall into abject poverty.
WOW … you are really a good guy.
They in turn would not give you a second thought, as & your family starve to death.
What is really cool and totally in the name of “against illegal immigration” is that now in Europe there is enough space for all Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians, just to make the world more just and give back the stolen land they’re squatting.
One has just to figure out which countries should leave too and then we’ll see a Free America finally after 500 years, an America that will be free like Greece from the Ottomans.