Rewriting history, EU style
From a Deutsche Welle interview with Viviane Reding, EU InfoSoc commissar:
"....that there was a lot of criticism of past EU expansions -- huge criticism of those countries that went from Communism to democracy. But it was the most wonderful reunification project you could imagine in world history. It was the first time that such a large number of people moved into freedom and self-determination; and that, not through war, but on a voluntary, democratic basis".
Right. Let us say that '89 was the year that Central Europe freed itself from Soviet tyranny, and Eastern Europe broke free from Moscow in 1991. It was not until 2004 that eight nations from Central and Eastern Europe joined the EU. Is the Reding woman seriously suggesting that the Czechs were in limbo for some 15 years before they joined the EU, and the Latvians for 13? Or still worse that pre-EU they were neither free nor possessed of self-determination? Yes, I think she is, because I am unaware of anyone bar tankies thinking shrugging off the red wheel was a bad thing, so she can only be referring to controversy over the eastern / central eight joining the EU.
"....that there was a lot of criticism of past EU expansions -- huge criticism of those countries that went from Communism to democracy. But it was the most wonderful reunification project you could imagine in world history. It was the first time that such a large number of people moved into freedom and self-determination; and that, not through war, but on a voluntary, democratic basis".
Right. Let us say that '89 was the year that Central Europe freed itself from Soviet tyranny, and Eastern Europe broke free from Moscow in 1991. It was not until 2004 that eight nations from Central and Eastern Europe joined the EU. Is the Reding woman seriously suggesting that the Czechs were in limbo for some 15 years before they joined the EU, and the Latvians for 13? Or still worse that pre-EU they were neither free nor possessed of self-determination? Yes, I think she is, because I am unaware of anyone bar tankies thinking shrugging off the red wheel was a bad thing, so she can only be referring to controversy over the eastern / central eight joining the EU.
Labels: EU fun and games, Reding
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on Monday, February 11, 2008 at 8:33 am.
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