Showing posts with label European Union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label European Union. Show all posts

Wednesday 23 October 2019

UK and EU and their Brexit deals

The Brexit saga looks a big complicated soap.

More than once it looked like the United Kingdom and European Union agreed on a new Brexit deal, and the British Prime Ministers Theresa May and afterwards Boris Johnson announcing that they had "a great new deal".

At one point Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the EU Commission, also described the deal as a "fair and balanced agreement" that is "testament to our commitment to find solutions."

However, the many proposals and worked out deals did not get the approval of the UK Parliament to pass into law.

Johnson's predecessor Theresa May, was voted down three times by the House of Commons, forcing the UK to seek an extension to the original Brexit deadline of March 31 this year. May's deal was criticized heavily on all sides of the political spectrum, with some arguing it left the UK too closely aligned with the EU, and others saying that it failed to protect workers' rights and would damage the economy.

This time the prime minister Boris Johnson said he would abandon his Brexit bill and call for a general election if MPs voted down the government’s three-day timetable. Johnson told parliament if the programme was rejected and the EU confirmed a delay to the 31 October exit, he would instead push for a general election.

Boris Johnson paused his attempt to get his deal through parliament after MPs refused to allow him to fast-track it. Despite MPs having decided to pass the legislation that would implement the deal to the next parliamentary stage, Johnson took it off the agenda because they refused to agree to accede to his demand for a three-day timetable.

For the so maniest time it looks like the English receive another delay from the European Union. The European council’s president, Donald Tusk, said he would recommend the extension be signed off and it was suggested that 31 January 2020 would be set as the new deadline, though it would be superseded if there was an earlier ratification of Brexit by MPs.

Tuesday 4 April 2017

After display of unity back to disunity

European countries according to the EU
European countries according to the EU (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Back to reality After a display of unity in Rome, it was back to disunity in Brussels as EU countries split - again - over how to deal with refugees in the block. Interior ministers discussed how to boost “returns” (deportation, to you or I) and had the now traditional row about relocating refugees across the EU.  “We had an honest and frank discussion,” said Dimitris Avramopoulos, the commissioner responsible for migration.

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Monday 20 March 2017

Fight against nationalism main struggle for feminists today

For Feminist activist Sasha Shevchenko, "the main struggle for feminists today", apart of "the fight against patriarchy, the Church, the sex industry and any kind of totalitarianism", is "the fight against nationalism" and "Nazi ideas" that are "growing like mushrooms after the rain". 
During a debate at the European parliament in Brussels, Shevchenko and fellow Femen activists Oxana Shachko and Yana Zhdanova, said that
"the situation in Ukraine is much worse today than it was under former president Viktor Yanukovich", but their main concern today is "the situation of refugees in Europe."
"As we are refugees ourselves" – the three women fled Ukraine and have applied for asylum in France – "we see that society does not accept easily refugees. Although we are white women, we face many obstacles in getting asylum. Bureaucratic obstacles and also politicians using the refugee crisis for their own purposes. We don't want to be manipulated by Marine Le Pen and other populist politicians. The European Union should stay united and spread the idea of a place that accepts everyone. Nazi – meaning far-right – ideas spread across Europe and are the major threat to it. People should fight Marine Le Pen and the likes the same way they fought Hitler."





Wednesday 27 January 2016

A stain of shame for the European Union

Relief map of Europe and surrounding regions
Relief map of Europe and surrounding regions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A smudge of shame unto Europe by the Danish lawmakers who voted on Tuesday in favour of controversial legislation empowering authorities to seize cash and valuables from asylum seekers to help cover their expenses.

Such a law not only discriminates people willing to enter a country of the European Union, it also creates  a possibility for police constables to steal from those entering the country.

When the police officers may seize valuables worth more than 10,000 Danish kroner (about $1,453) and are given the choice to take off items which they do consider of no "special sentimental value" such as "wedding rings, engagement rings, family portraits, decorations and medals" opening is given to lots of variety.

Once more in Europe the extreme right is given more power to put certain groups of people in the corner and to threaten them.

Thursday 20 March 2014

Russian take-over of Crimea

The Ukrainian capital, Kiev, erupted in violent demonstrations and street clashes in late January, culminating with the removal by Parliament of President Viktor Yanukovych. Tensions mounted in the Crimea region, where additional Russian troops and armoured vehicles were reportedly deployed.


English: Ukrainian Presidential Election Octob...
Ukrainian Presidential Election October 2004 - Viktor Yanukovych (First Round) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The last few days we saw how how the Crimean people could only give two votes in Sunday's referendum of which we can question if it was legally installed. The referendum in which 96.8 percent of Crimean residents voted in favour of the secession could also been seen as a voice of the majority. The voter turnout in the referendum stood at 83.1 percent. Those who did not turn up to give their vote in a certain way can now not complain.
It for sure did not resolve in Ukraine the country’s ongoing political crisis.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Monday, March 17 the proclaimed independence from Ukraine, will further worsen the situation around Ukraine. 


Ban Ki-moon is “deeply concerned and disappointed” that this weekend’s Crimea secession referendum will only exacerbate an “already complex and tense situation.”

Since the beginning of the crisis, the UN chief has urged all parties to avoid “hasty steps” that could exacerbate tensions.
“He encourages all parties to work for a solution that is guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respecting Ukraine’s unity and sovereignty,”
 said Mr. Dujarric.

What we in the West hear is only that most Tartars stayed at home and did not go to vote. So you could wonder if they now can complain. Looking at the results,in case they where received honestly the majority of the voters in Crimea overwhelmingly supported leaving Ukraine and joining Russia. The referendum caps months of political unrest, triggered by the Government's decision last November not to sign an agreement on broader European integration. The Ukrainian capital, Kiev, erupted in violent demonstrations and street clashes in late January, culminating with the removal by Parliament of President Viktor Yanukovych. Tensions mounted in the Crimea region, where additional Russian troops and armoured vehicles were reportedly deployed.

In his statement today, the Secretary-General condemned the violence which occurred over the weekend in eastern Ukraine and which resulted in injuries and loss of life on all sides.
“The Secretary-General once again urges all parties to refrain from violence and to commit themselves to de-escalation and inclusive national dialogue in the pursuit of a political and diplomatic solution,”
 said Mr. Dujarric, adding:
“A deterioration of the situation will have serious repercussions for the people of Ukraine, the region and beyond.”  

The UN chief also urged all parties in Ukraine and those with influence to avoid any steps that could further increase tensions.
“Above all, the Secretary-General urges all concerned to intensify their efforts and engage constructively toward a peaceful solution to this crisis, with the aspirations of all the people of Ukraine foremost in mind,”
said Mr. Dujarric, adding that Mr. Ban remains ready to work with all parties to resolve this situation.


Moscow and Kiev are on the brink of conflict following a breakdown in relations in the wake of last month's overthrow of Ukraine's former Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych.
On Tuesday, Putin signed a treaty absorbing the Ukrainian region of Crimea into Russia and on Wednesday pro-Russian troops stormed a Ukrainian naval headquarters on the peninsula.
 

Much of the international community, including the United States and the European Union, rejects the annexation of Crimea as illegal, but Moscow in turn refuses to recognise the Ukrainian government. 

The Secretary-General will travel to Kiev on Friday, where he will hold talks with top Ukrainian officials, members of the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission and representatives of civil society.
The statement said the visit was "part of (Ban's) diplomatic efforts to encourage all parties to resolve the current crisis peacefully". Key elements of the charter include respect for fellow U.N. member states' sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the peaceful resolution of international disputes.

The Christadelphian brothers and sisters in Kiev, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Crimea thankfully can report that they are all well, and unaffected so far by the protests and the Russian take-over of Crimea. However their cost of living will increase as the grivna devalues against foreign currencies, and imports cost more.

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Monday 3 June 2013

UK forces EU to lift embargo on Syria rebel arms


English: Brasilia - The president of the Syria...
The president of the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar Al-Assad during a visit to Congress Português do Brasil: Brasília (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Europe's sanctions regime against Syria was plunged into uncertainty after Britain, backed by France, forced a lifting of the EU arms embargo on what it identifies as the moderate opposition to President Bashar al-Assad. Britain claimed victory in a long day of acrimonious negotiations, winning an easing of the arms embargo. The vast majority of EU states opposed the shift, but assented in order to preserve a semblance of unified policy. A meeting of EU foreign ministers descended into recrimination with a vast majority against lifting the arms embargo, but William Hague, the UK foreign secretary, blocked a compromise deal. Hague sounded satisfied, however, although others said 25 of 27 EU governments opposed the Anglo-French policy. "EU nations agreed to bring the arms embargo on the Syrian opposition to an end. This was the outcome that the United Kingdom wanted," Hague said.


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As usual Europe was divided over this decision. Europe is hardly ever united. There are of course 27 governments all with their own agendas so it is hardly surprising. The Bible speaks of Europe in this way in Daniel 2 v 41. However what is interesting in this decision is how Britain pretty much stood alone in pushing through the lifting of the embargo of arming the Syria rebels. France was the only other nation backing the UK.

Britain is increasingly at odds with the rest of Europe. It has a different agenda. When it comes to Syria Britain’s imperial instincts kick in and it believes that more arms given to the rebels will help overthrow Assad. Britain is Bible prophecy’s king of the south. It is pushing into the territory of the ancient king of the north (Syria.) America is also part of the king of the south and it has begun talking of a no fly zone over Syria. All this is “pushing” the ancient king of the north (Syria) and the new king of the north (Russia)

Andy Walton

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And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
Daniel 11:40
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