When Flanders Bares Its Teeth Eurosceptics Will Have a Field Day

From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Sat, 2007-08-25 10:42

belgiancrisis.jpg

A quote from Khaleb Diab in The Guardian, 24 August 2007
 
Well, the Flemish far right are all for separation. The anti-immigrant pro-independence Vlaams Belang’s strongman Filip Dewinter has called on the Flemish parliament to open the floor to discussions over independence. “Flanders must bare its teeth. The Flemish parliament must declare, without further federal negotiations, its autonomy and present it to the Flemish public in a referendum,” the extremist wrote on his website. It should be noted that the Flemish independence movement is not just a far-right phenomenon, but it is largely a conservative one. […]
 
On the wider European stage, Flemish independence would present the EU with an unprecedented dilemma. On the symbolic level, it would appear paradoxical that a country that has been at the forefront of European integration over the past half century has unravelled. With the union already faltering under the weight of enlargement, eurosceptics would have a field day, [...]
 
Although Flanders easily meets – and even surpasses – all the objective requirements of membership, it may not simply be business as usual, contrary to Flemish nationalist expectations. If the Walloons are not on board and decide to be obstinate, they could make it difficult for a breakaway Flanders. Moreover, European rules state that no change to membership is allowed without the unanimous approval of all member states which, in a union of 27 countries, is hardly guaranteed.
 
Other EU member states may be hesitant to take up the Flemish cause because they are no less an artificial construct than Belgium and would fear that nationalist movements within their own borders would be emboldened: the Scottish in the UK, the Basque in Spain, to mention just two examples.

What is an eurosceptic? Is

Submitted by Geraldo on Sat, 2007-08-25 12:43.

What is an eurosceptic?

Is it to be an eurosceptic to state that eurocrats want to kill european nationalities to build an amorph EU they can rule away democracy?

EU will be Europe of nations or will (are) going to be nothing.

Re: Commentisfree article

Submitted by missingmyumlauts on Sat, 2007-08-25 12:40.

It's symptomatic for the new Eutopian order that its wardens will always delegate a person with strong 'minority' credentials, in this case Egiptian Mr. Diab, to comment on the serious issues affecting majority of the native population (Flemish and Waloons).

"..any unilateral declaration of independence is unconstitutional", once Flanders declares independence, Belgium constitution will be as worth as chunks of Berlin Wall sold on city's market stalls after the Fall (so, hang onto yours, it will appreciate in value).

"Is it really in Flanders's self-interest to have a relatively impoverished and, hence, unstable neighbour at its doorstep?" It's already impoverished AND at its doorstep, and Flanders is already paying for food and clothes (nice of Khaleb to admit the truth for once - about Wallonian economy).

Why not dump it into ample bossoms of European Union so that other EU member countries can experience the joy of "massive solidarity transfers" (commonly known as 'payola' in the rest of the world).

And now let's engage for a moment in a good ole' Communism 101, the future is always much brighter than the present: "(economic) winds change and future Walloons could repay the relative Flemish largesse of today."   I guess, for Khaleb, aforementioned 'change' is ever positive process and there's no chance that Waloon economy could maybe become ...even worse off in the future?

Also, enfoced 'solidarity transfers' are now trivialised 'relative largesse', nice one.

"On the wider European stage, Flemish independence would present the EU with an unprecedented dilemma",  Why not place Waloonia under the EU/international protectorate until it's ready to become an independent country. Same framework as for Bosnia and Kosova.

" In short, it is in both communities' own long-term best interests to make the marriage work."

Marriage counselors need unhappy marriages to keep them in business (right Khaleb?).

And now, says Khaleb, for those who seek truth, click on the link to my personal website, http://www.diabolicdigest.net/ , and meet the Real Menace of Europe!!!

(hint: it mentiones 'Christian' and 'Jihad' in the title).

I say: Click! (but first sit comfortably in your chair).

"With the union already

Submitted by dethule on Sat, 2007-08-25 12:27.

"With the union already faltering under the weight of enlargement, eurosceptics would have a field day, [...]"

So after all, the entire concept could have been false? Yet, why not simply concede doing a mistake, instead of decrying those vicious euroscpetics? Matters of potency, might and money?

As opposed to what

Submitted by Dog of Flanders on Sat, 2007-08-25 10:59.

"If the Walloons are not on board and decide to be obstinate, they could make it difficult for a breakaway Flanders."

As opposed to what they are doing now? :-)

Anyway, who gets to decide which part is the successor-in-interest? Isn't that usually the part containing the capital?