By Frrok Çupi
The EU does as if nothing has happened with the EU. It does as if it has the keys to the crisis in Albania and everywhere else. It does as if EU accession is the “daily bread” for every citizen of the East. The EU does as if it is the “master race” and that there is no corruption or evil in this “castle”.
It didn’t take a lot for this big 60 year “castle” full of dilemmas to awaken. It only took a short declaration issued by an MEP. Eduard Kukan slammed Albania about the “boycott” of the elections and said that “boycott is unacceptable in the EU”. And this happened on the day when the United Kingdom left the EU once and for all. The British Prime Minister, Theresa May and EU President, Donald Tusk, sealed the biggest boycott in history: Britain’s departure from Europe. The word “boycott” originates from the name of a European farmer called “Boykot”.
Not that yesterday was a coincidence; whenever a declaration was issued by an EU representative, then that that day was deemed to be a coincidence.
Can we stop just for a little on the Albanian issue? Yesterday, rapporteur Kukan declared that “boycott will leave you outside the EU”. A week ago, another European envoy said that “Balkans is no longer a primary focus for the EU”. That was Miroslav Lajcak. He too is a Slovak, like Eduard Kukan. Lajcak too is Slovakia’s Foreign minister, like Kukan used to be. He, too, has studied International Relations in the Moscow State University, like Kukan has done. These coincidences seem to be apocalyptical.
But in general, the EU does as if… Briefly: Was it not Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the Council of Europe who a few days ago said that if “Balkans (including Albania) leaves the EU, then there will be war”. They have also brought Russia into this picture, which every one seem to “hate” so much and the majority of them have studied in Moscow. The EU does as if it’s glorious:
On Sunday, the leaders of the 27 remaining countries celebrated the 60th anniversary of the EU Treaty in Room. And there was an emblematical coincidence there. The slogan that was chosen was: “United for the future”. At the moment this slogan was unveiled, a letter of congratulations arrived from Britain, which means from Theresa May “Congratulations, but the British have chosen another direction”, the letter stated. As soon as the meeting was over, Austria announced that it would leave the EU’s program on Emigration. Le Pen is winning in France. She has declared that as soon as she takes office, she will demand “an exit from the EU”. However, the EU does as if “we are united for the future”.
The EU does as if corruption and vices do not exist:
In Albania, where the EU was a “dream”, there are now very few people who believe that they are the “master race”. And if someone from the EU comes here, he will launch criticism against “corruption” and “traffic”, but who believes him?! Had we believed them, we would not have so much corruption today.
People have eyes to see:
The villa for the EU ambassador to Tirana has been bought for a price four times more than it actually costs. Europe knows this, but the EU is something else, the EU is the castle that “does as if”. As the head of the EU Foreign Policy, Mogherini was arriving in Albania for a “clear hands mission”, as she met with the Prime Minister, her niece trafficked Albanian narcotics in the Adriatic. On 13 October, her niece was caught along with other notorious traffickers.
The President of the European Parliament, the German social-democrat, Martin Schulz, was accused of corruption as soon as he resigned and ran his candidacy in Germany. Meanwhile, the finger is being pointed toward Brussels about the half a billion euro lost in the CEZ affair.
The EU “does as if” it has an influence.
Although the European Union is attempting to keep its old objectives alive, things don’t seem to be on the bright side. According to experts, the EU no longer has an influence on its “satellites”. Mrs. Merkel withdrew from her objectives in the Western Balkans, as soon as she realized that things were not going in the “other direction” in her own country.
The head of the EU has warned: It’s either war or Russian influence. But neither one nor the other will happen. Everything is a big “if”. But the EU, unable to take responsibility, makes up “threats” from third parties. The EU is failing with “new arrivals” and it cannot exert an influence with new accessions. Poland and Hungary, accepted as part of the EU in 2004, are waiting their own “Brexit”.
Political crisis in Tirana is proof of the inexistent EU influences. As for the EU, the “Tent” will remain in the boulevard until it turns into an archeological object. People are waiting for solutions from the United States or from “another EU”, as the Hungarian Viktor Orban, one of the most famous Euro skeptics, put it.
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Note: The stances expressed in the Opinion section do not necessarily represent the editorial line of Albanian Free Press
