EU enters intensive care, and even forgets who its member countries are
Extraordinary and desperate moves reveal extent of panic in Brussels
© Brexit Facts4EU.Org
The EU has not had a good Corona crisis, and it’s getting much, much worse
Brexit Facts4EU.Org summarises some of the catastrophic developments across the EU this week, as the institution descends further into chaos.
In what must be one of the oddest announcements we have seen from the EU in the last few years, the Commission seems to have forgotten which countries are members of its wannabe superstate.
The EU ideologues are desperately trying to recover, having done very little for weeks
On Tuesday the EU Commission – heavily criticised for weeks – put out a press statement in what seems like a desperate attempt to regain some vestige of credibility across the EU as a whole.
We should first remind some readers that Norway is not a member of the European Union. It never has been. Despite continuous attempts by its politicians and establishment, the Norwegian people wisely voted against EU membership – more than once.
Nevertheless on Tuesday the EU Commission took credit for a generous act by some non-EU Norwegian doctors and medical staff to help the hard-pressed people of northern Italy.
© EU Commission - click to enlarge
Readers will note that the headline of the EU’s announcement is: “Coronavirus: EU Medical Teams deployed to Italy”. In our “Observations” below we suggest a more accurate alternative might be:
“Some Romanian doctors are going to Italy, and Austria is sending some disinfectant.
Much more help from non-EU Norway, though.”
What price ‘Quitaly’?
Feelings are running high across the EU’s member countries right now, on a variety of topics and levels. One of the countries where emotions are running highest is Italy. The EU’s reputation in Italy is now so low that mayors have not only removed EU flags from their town halls but have even boasted of burning them.
A few days ago a prominent Italian MP posted this video of himself on YouTube, removing the EU flag from his offices.
Last week, a group of Italian mayors and other politicians even bought a page in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – a prominent German newspaper - to remind Germany that it was never made to pay back its debts after WWII.
The EU’s crises just keep on deepening
Last week, a group of Italian mayors and other politicians even bought a page in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – a serious German newspaper - to remind Germany that it was never made to pay back its debts after WWII.
In more bad news this week, the EU’s new head of its €2bn per year “European Research Council” resigned on Tuesday in a blaze of publicity, condemning the EU’s inability to coordinate an effective Coronavirus campaign. He described the plan he had devised as having created an “internal political thunderstorm” and that it had “disintegrated upon impact” with parts of the EU Commission.
The financial crisis went from bad to very much worse this week, when the Eurogroup ministers failed to reach any agreement after an acrimonious, 14 hour, through-the-night meeting. The arguments are complex but in the end they come down to a key question: Will the financially-sound EU countries agree to mutualise (share) the debts of the ‘ClubMed’ countries? If Germany, the Netherlands and the others continue to refuse to a plan to issue ‘Coronabonds’ or come up with something similar, financial disaster looms for the Euro.
“The future of Europe and the euro are at stake,” says French Finance Minister
Once again Italy is at the epicentre but harsh words are also being flung around by other governments too. Here’s Bruno Le Maire, the French Finance Minister, a few hours after the Eurogroup meeting broke in disarray at 5am yesterday:
“While we have hundreds and thousands of deaths, the finance ministers are playing with words and adjective. It is shameful for the finance ministers, shameful for the Eurogroup, and shameful for Europe. We must have a common understanding of the gravity of the crisis and decide on a strong joint response.”
”We will be severely judged first by the markets, then by our populations then by other countries which will see us unable to overcome our differences of opinion. The future of Europe and the Euro are at stake.”
© Raul Mee (EU2017EE)
Observations
Starting with the nonsense about the EU racing to the aid of Italy, the EU’s statement is so bizarre that we hardly know where to start. We have many years’ experience of reading the ever-increasing propaganda coming from the EU. There was a time when the EU’s Press Office issued information. These days it would be hard to differentiate its output from that of the propaganda organ of a totalitarian state.
The announcement of “EU Medical Teams” being sent to Italy really does take the biscuit.
In reality the headline should have read: “Some Romanian doctors are going to Italy, and Austria is sending some disinfectant. Much more help from non-EU Norway, though.”
The EU actually has a Commissioner for Crisis Management
Yes, the EU has a Crisis Management Commissioner. Given all the EU’s problems this must be the worst job in the world right now – putting aside the massive salary, benefits, perks, pension, accommodation, limos, and expense account.
The Commissioner’s name is Janez Lenarčič and he’s from Slovenia. Slovenia is an EU member country which has a population of 2.1 million – smaller than that of West Yorkshire. Its economy is less than 1/50th of the size of the UK’s.
Like almost all EU Commissioners, Mr Lenarčič has never held what we would call “a proper job” in his life. He has only ever worked in politics and the EU.
On Tuesday he said:
“I thank Romania, Norway and Austria for coming to Italy's support in a time that is so difficult for the whole continent. This is EU solidarity in action. Our EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre is working 24/7 with all Member States to make sure help is channelled to where it's most needed.”
Has the EU lost all grip on reality?
Someone really should explain to Mr Lenarčič and his fellow Commissioners that Norway is not a member of the EU. The fact that the Norwegian government chose to participate in an EU agency which was primarily set up to address humanitarian emergencies in far-flung parts of the world does not make it a member of the EU.
Somehow we doubt that Matteo Salvini, head of La Lega (the most popular party in Italy) would see the EU’s help in that light. Opinion polls in Italy right now are showing right-wing Eurosceptic parties with more than 50% support, and we expect this to increase further.
Brexit Britain – a ray of sunshine
In all of this dysfunctional EU chaos there is of course a bright, shining Brexit light. Talks are continuing between the UK and the EU on the new trading relationship. This was confirmed yesterday by both the Chancellor and by the UK’s lead Brexit Negotiator David Frost.
It is more imperative than ever that the UK exits the Transition Period on 31 December this year. The possibility of contagion with a floundering EU in intensive care is a serious concern. Sadly a whole variety of Establishment types are now hell-bent on stopping us from fully leaving the EU at the end of this year.
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[ Sources: EU Commission | FT statement by Mauro Ferrari | Statement by Bruno Le Maire | Statements by Rishi Sunak and David Frost | Biography of Commissioner Janez Lenarčič submitted to EU Parliament at approval hearings ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thur 09 Apr 2020
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