Anna van Densky – Page 23 – Anna Van Densky blog

#Brexit: following Dutch elections

juncker-rutte-cameron

The Article 50 timing to evoke a process of negotiations for #Brexit fixed by Prime Minister Teresa May for the end of March 2017 is suspiciously coinciding with a date of Dutch parliamentary elections announced for the ‘Ides of March’ – the 15th.

It has been a long time the UK leads as a number one destination of Dutch investors, and for Britons it is the second. However the once declared role of Dutch as a promoters of the EU for the UK is not relevant any more and the broadening gap between Eurozone and the City of London doesn’t leave an opportunity to sit in two chairs – there is time to chose.

Previously Dutch Eurosceptic politician Geert Wilders said that he hoped for Britain to leave with a ‘knock-on” effect on his countrymen. Taking into consideration the symbiosis of the UK and The Netherlands in economy and finance, historic and cultural ties, one can agree with Wilders prediction of a considerable influence of #Breixt on the whole of the Dutch society.

Subsequently, in #Brexit aftermath Wilder’s party PvV has already enjoyed a spectacular raise in polls, reflecting growing deception in the EU. Only 14% of Dutchmenbelieve that the EU contributed significantly to economic growth in their country.

Summer holiday break showed some decline in Wilder’s popularity, however it remains high enough

to cease the majority of the seats in the Parliament. Notorious or popular, dependent on a point of view, Wilders firmly stays in the limelight of Dutch politics, and expression ‘Prime Minister Wilders’ is becoming increasingly current in European political debate.

Choosing for a politician promising a return of national sovereignty is no more a ficiton, but reality Brussels might face in a half-a-year, subsequently #Nexit referendum might follow by the end of 2017, bringing an ally to the UK at negotiations table with the #EU.

As follows the UK timing for a start of #Brexit procedure isn’t a game of chance, but a well considered strategy, aiming at achieving the best possible deal in talks with #EU27 reduced to #EU26.

The sinister prediction of Nigel Farage for Brussels Mandarins might come true soon: the UK will be not the last country leaving the crumbling Union.

Abussus abussum invocat!

#Gaddafi’s assassination

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gaddafi-sarkozi Book review.

Massive waves of refugees and migrants fleeing ISIS ravaging failed state of Libya cause the EU grave security concern. Dabbed as ‘Afghanistan at European doorstep’ it became a den of an international terrorism and challenge to the European political leadership, once promising a quick fix to an internal conflict with help of the NATO iron fist.

Five years after the collapse of the Libyan state followed the assassination of its ultimate Guide, Colonel Gaddafi, 20/10/2011, the solution of the conflict if more of a ‘mirge in a desert’ than a tangible political project. However experts insist that the path to reconstituting lies through an objective assessment of the past decisions, actions and strategies leading to the catastrhopie.

In ‘L’Assassinat de Kadhafi’ (in French) Belgium journalist and expert on Africa, Dominique Ugeaux (65) shares his vision on the causes of the Libya disintegration,, poining at the murder of Colonel Gaddafi’s as a fatal error, leading the chain reaciton of events beyond control of Western powers.

In five years passed after the assassination no light was casted on the abhorrent end of Muammar Gaddafi that shocked the world confronted with the frames from videos of tortures in his last hours. Although immediately denoucnced by some high officials as a ‘war crime’ it was never properly investigated.

Insisting that this crime opened a ‘green light’ to ascendance of international jihad in Libya, and beyond, expanding to the whole of African continent, and further, tormenting the East and the West, Ugeux claims justice for the slain Colonel for the sake of Libyans and… Europeans, namely French, who played an imminent role in Libyan tragedy.

Without failure Domingique Ugeux is a firm believer in international law as the universal tool of progress, and ideals making the world turn round.

Reminiscent of his father a humanist and a man of principle, who inspired him to pick up a pen, Ugeaux dives into memories of events, and encounters month before Gaddafi’s death, evoking of his sherpa role in engaging legal defence to conoured by Western powers Colonel.

In vain, the abrupt and violent end of Gaddafi’s, shrouding his death in mystery, left efforts of legal defence of Jacques Vergés unsolicited.

However Ugeux does not accept the crime scene as an epilogue to Gaddafi’s rule: he insists on an objective investigation of political actions of responsible at power internationally – NATO, interpreting UN ‘resolution 1973’ protecting civilians, and nationally, especially addressing questions to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, discarding African Union diplomatic achievement to convince Gaddafi to step down, while misleading public opinion in France pointing at military actions as an ultimate solution.

The role of the opinion leaders is of a special attention in the author’s narrative, revealing the intrigues around the destruction of the Libyan leader – Ugeux blames philosopher Bernard-Henry Lévy (BHL) for de facto replacing the minister of foreign affairs, not a petty misdemeanor in a democratic country as France. While mixing into political discourse with his own perceptions, BHL initiative to engage as an activist to travel to Tripoli meeting opposition played not the least role in Gaddafi’s tragic fate.

Raising questions to former president Sarkozy, and his loyal friend BHL on consequences of the Libyan adventure the author is not just exercising in rhetoric, but is determined to raise public awareness that only with bringing responsible of breaching laws to justice one can attempt to construct better future for Libya and for all.

Festinatio justitiae est noverca infortunii…

‘Assassinat de Kadhafi’ Dominique Ugeux, Editions Surprendre, 2016

#NeelieKroes’ skeleton in closet

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#NeelieKroes engagement with Bahamas offshore is even greater blow to the EU bureaucracy in crisis of confidence than #Barroso’s Goldman Sachs employment.

It looks OLAF’s Emily O’Reilly has more work to do with the former European Commission major protagonists, who are fuelling debate about European Institutions as a cupola for international lobby.

If in #Barroso’s case there is an ethical ambivalence of a political nature, and widely discussed open move, #NeelieKroes (2004-2014) revealed chairmanship of a Saudi company in Bahamans – is a secretive affair of a legal concern, a real skeleton in her closet. The ‘Panama papers’ scandal goes on…

There is hardly a personal drama for a wealthy 75 year old Dutch politician.

However the financial reprimand of former EU powerful Commissioner for Competition will not wash off the stain on the reputation of the institution she was leading together with her opportunistic boss #Barroso.

The mumbling of #Kroes about being ‘unaware’ of the directorship of the company she though was closed, will not help much to the European Commission in calamity to restore its damaged reputation.

Further, there are not only losers, but winners in the Jungle of the European power-struggle: the ‘polticial animals’ with self-inflicted injures are easy prey for stronger spices, who anxiously precipitate to feast. Subsequently, the opportunism of the #EU top civil servants will add ballots to politicians calling for national referendums on membership following the #UK #Brexit.

The pathos of the EU Commission leaders has hardly any power to convince citizens with the masterpieces of their speechwriters, contrasting with the leading bureaucrats ‘petty misdemеanors’, reflecting the real level of their ‘European convictions’.

VERBA MOVENT, EXEMPLS TRAHUNT!

#Bratislava Summit: Roadmap Illusion

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treaty-of-rome

Assessing the perspectives of informal #Bratislava Summit #EU27 Roadmap one has a difficulty to see any light in the end of a tunnel. Paradoxically the first Summit of #EU27 without the #UK appeared to be tumultuous, marked by disagreements, pessimism, and blame-games between the leaders, who with astonishing frankness have drawn new dividing lines among European nations.

A symbolism of a common Roadmap requested by #Merkel can hardly mislead anyone by its highly illusionary nature within a new dynamic situation while polarizing groups of states with conflicting interests created among EU members .

While Mediterranean members complain about #Merkel’s austerity

policy, the East Europeans Vicegrad group vigorously oppose migrant open-door strategy, and its consequences for security, rejecting quota relocating system.

The Italian Prime Minister #Renzi informed press about his criticism of German surplus trade effects, rejecting any common press-conference by the end of the Summit. The crisis of Italian banks is becoming a pressing issue, but so far the #EU hasn’t changed its austerity line, which fired back on popularity of #Renzi government.

The Italian PM position came on the top of the wave of Mediterranean countries discontent with Brussels and Berlin worded in “Athens declaration” (9.09.2016) after conference of so-called Club-Med countries demanding to put an end to ‘Stablitiy and Growth Pact’, thus changing rules of eurozone, meaning the end of austerity imposed by Germany.

Rebellion of Mediterranean and East European leaders became more sound, than before #Brexit vote.

Moreover after the long pause between the #Brexit referendum and evocation of article 50 the warning of Luxembourg Foreign minister #Asselborn to suspend #Hungary from the EU for its dissent were not taken seriously as nobody knows how to carry out #Brexit, and logically one more country falling out would only adds degree of heat to the EU crisis.

Facing the rise of Euroskepticism reflected in a number of processes across Europe with Hungarian referendum on migrants, Italian referendum on Constitutional reform, German, Dutch, and French elections – the whole ensemble of events that might lead to serious reconstruction of the EU project to advantage of the nation-states, especially with ‘Prime-Minister Geert Wilders’ and ‘President Marine Le Pen’. The only way to survival will be in tempering the Eurocrat’s appetite and transferring of powers from Brussels to member-states, and сreating a flexible network for cooperation, in the other words a the notorious ‘à la carte’. The question is if Brusssls is ready for reform?..

However not everyone might be happy with these solutions, preferring organizations without foreign policy and military ambitions like EFTA, who express readiness to consider the UK membership, and might welcome some other discontent EU members.

From Bratislava Summit #EU27 in one year one might witness a birth of new alliances grown from current sub-groups of the EU: the UK and Nordic countries joining EFTA, and the fragilized EU with major subgroups of Mediterranean states, and Vicegrad group under symbolic Franco-German chairmanship.

Finally, by the 25 of March 2017 there will be a big question if there is much to celebrate after 60 years of the EU haphazard integration and galloping expansion.

By the time it might shrink back to its origins to European Economic Community (TEEC) as once it started in Rome in 1957 with slightly different list of participants

-back to square one…

De novo!