Sweden warns UK over risks of EU exit
Published: 23 Jan 13 12:20 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/45774/20130123/
Sweden on Wednesday warned Britain it would hold less sway in the world if it quits the EU, after Prime Minister David Cameron vowed to hold an in-or-out referendum if his party wins the next election.
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"Soon we Europeans will be only seven percent of global population. We can only promote our values and protect our interests if we work together," Bildt wrote on Twitter.
He quoted Cameron's own reference to the weight Britain's voice carries as a member of the EU, where the British leader said: "We are more powerful in Washington, in Beijing, in Delhi because we are a powerful player in the European Union."
Bildt responded "Yes, so far...," seen as a warning that Britain risked losing that influence if it walked away from the 27-member bloc.
Sweden considers Britain a strong ally in the EU, seeing eye-to-eye on a number of key issues. Both countries have chosen to remain outside the eurozone, and both are in favour of sweeping EU budget cuts.
Sweden's EU Affairs Minister Birgitta Ohlsson said on Twitter: "We cant play pick and choose with the EUs future. Its [sic] about committed collaboration."
"I want a useful union not a noncommittal network," she added.
Cameron on Wednesday promised to hold a referendum by the end of 2017 giving British people the choice of staying in or leaving the EU if his party wins the next election.
AFP/The Local/dl
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Europeans could never work together.
And I'm equally sure Mr Bildt, Miss Ohlsson and the Swedish people will wish the Brits the best of luck in whatever direction they elect to take in their referendum in 2017.
Further, in the ECHR there are un-elected lawyers attempting to set laws that take precedence over national laws. That in itself is too far-reaching.
The inital form of the EU - EFTA would have been a far better setting, dealing - as it did - with trading. Now the eurocrats are wanting a bigger and bigger say in how countries should be run, and wanting an ever bigger budget to do so, without ever producing bookkeeping to show how that budget is being spent.
The future of Europe is where there are several levels where countries can choose their own level that suits their citizens.The EU is a corrupt organisation which have not had their accounts signed off for several years, bureaucratic, wasting money and even wanting inflation busting rises despite a credit crunch and austerity in most of Europe. People feel deatched from the EU...do not understand how it works and the EU MPs make no effort to change that. Ignorance allows them to pass laws without much fighting. I believe most people in the EU would want some say in how their country is integrated into the EU. But the EU are AFRAID of DEMOCRACY and that is what is at the heart of the problem.
It is highly irresponsible for a Swedish government minister to lie so openly to the Swedish viewers. Would she describe a Swedish party who fights for liberty, freedom and fairness for Sweden also "höger extremister"?
"Soon we Europeans will be only seven percent of global population. We can only promote our values and protect our interests if we work together," Bildt wrote on Twitter." Work together is one thing, surrender your sovereignty is another, why europe is getting stupid all of a sudden?
Somebody please tell this fool that it's not the number of people that gives you the power and influence, it's money and technology! Case and point, Israel vs arab world, USA vs China and India, 330 million americans vs 2.5 billion Chinesindians, which one is stronger and more powerful?
Rick 1: Unfortunately that is par for the course for extreme left politically-correct militants. They are already calling the Sverigedemokraterna "extreme right" in Sweden.
It's just one example of the key words or code words used by the militantly politically correct in order to try to shut down debate and cast their opponents as people who are not worthy of inclusion in the debate.
"Right-wing extremist," "Islamophobe," "homophobe," etc. etc. ad nauseum are the kind of meaningless intellectually dishonest political neologisms they are wont to shamelessly cast about.
Instead of criticizing those who are for progress and for a unified, strong EU Federation you should put that energy towards ensuring it is done with transparency, protecting the rights of every EU citizen no matter what state they are from and most of all insure that those corrupt individuals who would like to subvert this process for personal gains never get the chance.
Even if the UK has a referendum and just over 50% want to get out of EU, it is wishful thinking that it is ever going to happen. The UK has a lot more to loose getting out than staying in, and Cameron knows it, this whole referendum is just a PR ploy to get the votes from the ignorant and uneducated who may be swayed by political rethoric.
Carl Bildt - what European solidarity at the EU ideals forced upon us? The only solidarity is within the elitists, and if Europe is shrinking, it's not for lack of mass EU enforced immigration.