The UK to be replaced by economic power-houses of Albania & North Macedonia???
Here is a good question for Remain MPs along with FBPE Remainers…….. Which EU do you want to remain in?
EU Commission recommends accession talks to start — the UK is paying
These two countries combined have 1/100th of the GDP of the UK
In seeking to replace the massive economic and political might of the United Kingdom after Brexit, the EU took another step yesterday, recommending that accession negotiations should start with two of the poorest countries in Europe.
The two West Balkans countries, Albania and North Macedonia, had been given ‘accession status’ last year and yesterday the EU Commission recommended that negotiations could now start.
Announcing the decision, the EU’s unelected, de facto Foreign & Defence Secretary said.
“The Western Balkans are Europe and will be part of the EU’s future, of a stronger, stable and united European Union.”High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the commission, Federica Mogherini.
FACT
New Joiners — Albania & North Macedonia accession talks to start
The commission recommends the start of negotiations for membership of two of the poorest countries in Europe
- The UK will continue paying for this EU enlargement under the deal negotiated by Mrs. May
2. Juncker plans two more ‘acquisitions’ of other poor Balkans states by 2025
3. Brexit is ‘opportunity to bring the Western Balkan peninsular on board’
4. Total of 4 Balkans states plus Turkey will now be in accession talks
A ‘Reverse Brexit’
Yesterday’s announcement means negotiations towards full membership can soon start — like a ‘reverse Brexit’.
Albania and North Macedonia have been chosen to join the other two West Balkans countries which are already well on the way to EU membership: Serbia and Montenegro. Two additional West Balkans countries, Kosovo and Bosnia & Herzegovina, are ‘candidate countries’, which means they are just one step behind.
EU to replace the world’s 5th largest economy with two more minnows
Albania and Macedonia are of course currently sovereign, independent countries in their own right. However, they are tiny compared to the economic power of the United Kingdom.
- Combined total GDP of the 2 new accession countries is less than 1/100th that of the UK
2. UK GDP: $2,829 billion
3. Combined GDP of EU’s 2 new accession countries: $28 billion
Where are the Western Balkans?
Very broadly speaking, the Western Balkans countries are situated north of Greece and south of Croatia (newest EU member), Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. They ‘fill in a gap’ in the map of EU member states.
The Western Balkans
Significance for Brexit
Brexit has been mentioned by the EU many times in relation to these new enlargements.
“We’re having some very difficult negotiations in Europe on Brexit, and this really is an opportunity for us to bring the Western Balkan peninsular on board as the UK withdraws from the EU.
”Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov with President Juncker last year
How much is all this costing?
In terms of the amounts the EU spends on a regular basis, the sums involved are not the largest we have seen the EU spend, however, they are still significant, however, and the key fact is that the UK would continue to pay out in respect of the EU’s enlargement under the deal agreed with the EU by Mrs. May.
Fact
The EU pays countries to join
1.EU is spending €1.3bn (£1.15bn Pounds) on Albania and North Macedonia so that they are ready to join
2. The UK will continue paying for this EU enlargement under the deal negotiated by Mrs. May
3. Total bill for EU enlargement in the 2014–2020 framework. £10.35 Billion Pounds
EU’S (ex-communist) Foreign Secretary is heavily involved
Mogherini at the World Economic Forum in 2017, explaining how the EU would soon replace the UK.
“The big loser of the game that currently is being played will be the UK
“We always think the EU future will be 27. Actually, we are negotiating accession with several countries.
“When we talk about the future of the EU, we have to take into consideration that countries, especially in the Western Balkans, will eventually become members of the European Union so we will be more than 27. The power of attraction of the EU is still extremely strong.”
Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of EU Commission
Background to yesterday’s announcement
The EU has six Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAAs) in force: with North Macedonia (2004), Albania (2009), Montenegro (2010) and Serbia (2013), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2015) and Kosovo (2016). Four of the countries will now be in official negotiations for EU membership: Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia.
Serbia and Montenegro have already started negotiations. These are the two countries that President Juncker says will soon be members.
“I do think that the two countries [Serbia and Montenegro] will be members of the European Union before 2025.”
Jean-Claude Juncker, speaking with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov late last year
In addition to the four countries above, two more countries have been promised the prospect of joining when they are ready:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
2. Kosovo (still not recognized by many countries around the world)
The Western Balkans?
This is a very difficult region in many ways, torn apart following the break-up of Yugoslavia, and the scene of foreign policy and military disasters for the EU. Given the geographical proximity, it is still felt by many that the EU’s actions (and inactions) did not constitute its finest hours.
Readers will no doubt wish the six Western Balkans countries well in their gradual development following some difficult decades. The UK, of course, was a significant global player in the region and still is, although we look forward to the day when the British Foreign Office is not hidebound by the foreign policies of the EU and can act with complete independence.
A great deal of UK Aid has of course been sent to the region over the years. Some British aid has been ‘badged’ as EU Aid, but this will change eventually, once the UK has left the EU. In due course recipients of British donations will realize just how generous the UK is.
The EU’s Foreign Secretary — Anti-UK, fanatical federalist
Based on the innumerable speeches we have listened to, Ms. Mogherini is no fan of the United Kingdom. She studied political science in Italy and France and did her dissertation on Islam. She spent the first eight years of her political life as a member of the Italian Communist Youth Federation.
It seems Ms. Mogherini is happy to replace the UK with two more countries whose combined GDP is less than 1% of the UK’s. Good luck with that, Federica.
Significance for Brexit
The fact that the EU is having to point to the Western Balkans as an indication of how “The power of attraction of the EU is still extremely strong” (to quote Mogherini) is beyond parody. I would suggest that it demonstrates just how bad things are in the EU.
In her talk to the World Economic Forum last year, Ms. Mogherini explained that soon she will have the responsibility for the EU’s future relations with the UK, saying that she ‘will have the file’ once the EU’s initial demands have been met.
[ Sources: EU Commission | World Economic Forum )