Enlarged EU - are we mad ?

[vehelpfulguy]

So we are going to let in Romania and Bulgaria. But we have lay down these conditions below. It is like opening a door to a burlglar and saying come on it and steal all you want.

Conditions

Unless Bulgaria cracks down on organised crime, legal decisions taken by its courts could be disregarded in the rest of Europe.

Both countries will have to report every six months on progress in fighting corruption.

By March, they also need to set up agencies to handle millions of euros worth of EU farm aid, or risk losing a quarter of the cash.

Both will face food export bans due to outbreaks of animal diseases like swine fever, while Bulgarian planes could be banned from flying into EU airspace until the country improves its air safety standards.

[admarlow]

you just wait until Turkey gets in then!!!!! I know this is politically inccorect and I am going to get shouted at, but I feel that these poorer countries bring nothing to the union and only become paracites off the richer ones, why else do they want to join?

[metagirl]

Does anyone know if any immigration quotas will be implemented - I think I read somewhere that the government was considering it?

[OBonio]

You make it sound as if 'we' have a choice.... I doubt many civilians in the EU have a choice of who makes it in and who doesn't... it's up to the dictators in Brussels.

[Loosehead]

"Enlarged EU are we mad?" can I modify the question slightly:

"EU are we mad?" - Yes stark staring raving bonkers!

Imagine you live in a nice house you worked hard for, you have a reasonable standard of living. Now imagine someone said "go to the local sink estate and find yourself a problem family with no income". "Now I want you to merge finances with them and give them access to your house and your life generally". Now who would do that? Not me I hear you cry. Well that's what we did by joining the EU, make sense? you decide!

[OBonio]

Not forgetting, Loosehead, that when they visit your house, you must give them a room and pay them to sleep there.

[admarlow]

Obonio - Its more like giving those ''neighbours'' they keys for your house, so they can come and go as they like.

[youngmafbog]

Until we get a Government with some balls who will yank us out of this mess it will get worse and worse.
At least if Turkey joins we could perhaps outsource our prisoners to them, after all they do know how to run a jail.

By the way I grew a really curvy cuecumber this year. I'd better go and eat it before the EU police find out.

[admarlow]

Is there anyone (on AB) who thinks this will be a good idea?

[sp1814]

Oh Lord...this will run!

I'll keep out of this one...for once, I'm more interested in hearing the arguments AGAINST further expansion of the EU.

Are any figure kept for recent increases in NHS/Social Security costs weighed against our expanded economy (re: the recent influx of Polish workers).

Let me just say...I am not actually expounding a view, I honestly would like to see figures for my own benefit.

[noxlumos]

Yes I am all for it, for reasons previously stated at least 100 times. The narrow short term view is not one to take with such a large decision and all I've heard so far is the usual anti European isolationist claptrap, so I've not changed my mind.

[bustergutt]

Isn`t Turkey a muslim country?

[Loosehead]

Fender, if corruption is rife then they should fit in perfectly! I mean the commission hasn't had it's accounts accepted for 12 years, welcome to corruption on a continental scale.!

[Lonnie]

I think, the way the worlds going now, we have to go with a trading block, either the US or the EU, personally, regardless of recent global happenings, I would prefer the US.

The EU is still finding its feet, but trying to run before it can walk, it'll implode, and these recent and planned inclusions will hasten it.

[johnizere]

to every one of the "conditions" vehelp....dream on! (I know they're not your words!)

[Dom Tuk]

Yes Turkey is a muslim country (not that it should matter) but the bigegst supporter (and there is no doubt about this) for Turkeys inclusion into the EU is Tony Blair.

Romania and Bulgaria are here this January.

Ukraine, Croatia and Turkey to follow very very soon.

With the exception of Croatia, they are all packing their bags. Note how budget airlines never have cheap flights to these destinations. Thats because the flights are full.

[Hgrove]

I personally have benefited from the influx of people from Eastern Europe. I am using Polish builders to do some work to my house. They are highly skilled, polite, efficient, friendly, helpful. Worth every penny.

[Dom Tuk]

The czechs/poles/lithuanians etc make excellent workers in the service industry too. They are good looking, clean and efficient.

[admarlow]

The problem with all the cheap labour guys is that we now have to pay dole money to the people who used to do the jobs the eastern europeans now do!