Fort Europa

Fort Europa is the biggest shame of modern Europe and of our civilized union. Fort Europa is there to keep the desperate and needy out and it works, but with a great cost of human lives and european values.
I suggest that we reinvent Fort Europa in to something that will benefit us all, both EU citizens and those looking for a safe harbour. Fort Europa should be and must be the safe haven for democracy, human rights and solidarity protected by a European constitution.

Euro skeptics and nationalists have air under the their wings

Euro skeptics and nationalists have gotten plenty of air under the their wings during the current global economic crisis. Criticism against the euro and the political battering on how to handle the crisis has rightly been very strong. Unfortunately, skeptics and nationalists failed to produce any concrete solutions to the proven weaknesses of Europe, but rather demanded that Europe once again be isolated behind nationalist walls. Unfortunately, the media have often uncritically blown air under the wings of nationalism during this crisis which in itself deepened the crisis and hampered the recovery. Above all, the political crisis in Europe has been affected.

What should be of interest in the media are the forces that did present and campaigned for various economic , but above all political solutions to the crisis.
Organised federalists and engaged citizens presented, through various initiatives proposals for reform and dared to debate them in various forums. Their work has had a major impact on social media and on the streets around Europe while traditional media focused almost exclusively on reactionary and doomsday prophecies, giving nationalists and sceptics a much bigger media coverage then their popular mandate.
A consequence of this is that the established politicians and parties did not and do not dare to lead the public debate, which in itself strengthens the democratic deficit in our current Union.
There is an urgent need to critically study the structure and policies of the EU if we are to emerge from the crisis and build a Europe that we want to leave to coming generations.

Our strength lies in our goals and our arguments

You can not measure what the European union has meant for Europe's democratic and economic development in the postwar period. 
From the historic turmoil in Europe, no one can imagine a Europe without the ambition to unify the European pot of historic good and evil and create a stable Europe for its people.. 

The Union has built a foundation which rests on its citizens. It is now up to us to build on this foundation and create a democratic and stable Europe, that not only Europe needs but the globalised world 
needs. We don't have a easy journey ahead of us, the resistance is established and sometimes economically strong, but our strength lies in our goals and our arguments. 
European Parliament is sadly not the institution that determines our future, it is up to EUCO and our national governments, but the elections in 2014 to the European Parliament is without a doubt the best tool in the near future to set the agenda for our struggle for a better and a more democratic Europe. We must therefore gather all our strength and courage to take the debate whenever the opportunity is given.

With democracy we shall win more democracy!  

I call for a PAN-European referendum

Europe needs to move forward! but it wont happen if we continue with the national battering we have in the council.

I call for a PAN-European referendum on a democratic federal European constitution. Let the people decide about their future. This referendum should be followed by national, on or off referendums in every member state.
This is the federal way, more democracy and in some cases more Europe and in others less Europe.

This would put an end to the unions within the union, it would mean no more first and second class citizens and it would mean that we could see the creation of a European federation of citizens. 

A internal borderless Europe is far from a reality in 2014

Schengen is in reality nothing more than a loose agreement between some European "states" which means increased freedoms for their citizens to move freely and without passport checks still exist. During the last few years we have many examples on how arbitrary this agreement is. 

The excuses could be and has been many for the states to break or improvise with Schengen, but no excuse has been particularly reasonable. Too often, it has been an expression of a power struggle at the expense of the citizens.

Truthfully, Schengen is a half hearted attempt from the beginning to bring the people of europe closer and to create a sense of citizenship, atleast it would appear so on paper. 

Here is why:

• Schengen don't include all EU states and therefore not all citizens.
• The Schengen area don't have a common border authority.
• Some EU states want to limit the freedom of movement all together for all or some citizens. 

A internal borderless Europe is far from a reality in 2014 and the freedoms of the citizens are more or less constantly being attacked by national leaders. 

Federalism is about securing democracy and diversity in Europe.

"Federalism means sharing of sovereignty and dividing power and competences. Federalism means no monopoly of power, no unique power center, but a number of power centers. Hence, federalism means democracy." - Herbert Tombeur

Most Europeans needs to be informed and educated on the essence of federalism before they can fully take part in the debate about European future, because the debate is largely about federalizing the union or dismantling the union. Sadly, sceptics still compere a federal Europe to a imperialistic super state. Nothing could be further from the truth but it works well for them and will do so until federalist manege to reach out to the masses and educate. 

Thanks to internet and social media the possibilities are greater then ever. Federalists have a unique opportunity to get the message out all over Europe and this in times when the future of Europe more then ever is open for the people to build there own future. 

Federalism is about securing democracy and diversity in Europe. 

Democracy can give confidence back to the people.

The European Union is not a western project, the eastern states have just as a big role in the building of the European house. All the people of Europe share the same struggle for democracy, safety and economic development, then and now!

The freedom that was won by the people in the eastern states during the late eighties and early nineties gave the union a much needed injection of development and enlargement.

The current economic, social, political and democratic crisis could do the same for the union.
The European Union needs a new injection of democracy in all "levels" of government from the north to the south to the heart of Brussels.

Democracy is the way forward for Europe and only more democracy can give confidence back to the people.      

Euromaidan

EuroMaidan is a great and a very needed inspiration to all Europeans and to our everlasting struggle for unity and democracy in Europe. We stand together in our struggle to always better Europe and against all attempts to weaken the people, our unity and our democracy. Thank you!

European identity

European identity is just as real and authentic as any local or regional identity in Europe.

" United in Diversity" sums it up pretty well, but I'll try to describe, according to me what is our European identity.

It's hard to find a place on earth where all or even a majority's of the people share a general identity. I think you must search in isolated tribes of indigenous people to even come close.

In most democratic parts of the world, just like in Europe, countless identities coexist with each other, locally, nationally and in larger unity's. They are cultural, political, religious and even academic identity's. Its not always without conflict but still in coexistence and with different levels of integration among themselves.

The European identity is found in and around us. Not least culturally where local and regional identity's are clear and strong on there own but just as clearly intertwined with other local and regional identities. It is equally evident in the political struggles that's been played out in Europe, where we currently, without taking something for granted can say that democracy and freedom have taken the longest straw across the continent. I don't stick my neck out by saying that no fight, no struggle and no victory for democracy has happened separately from others in Europe.

Europe has been the centre of two world wars, the Cold War and that's only in the last 100 years. Europe is also the place where the industrial revolution took off and changed conditions drastically. Religion had its borderless fights for century's. In all this, Europeans has for more than 1000 years intertwined in social, cultural and economic enterprises that shaped and developed Europe.

Many women and men from all over Europe have fought and sacrificed there life and limb for liberty and peace so that Europe would achieve what Europe is today.

It is not possible to hide from our European heritage and identity, just as we cant forget the traditions of the community that we where born in. If we do, we do nothing but lie to ourself and our children.

Öppet brev till ordförande för Europeiska kommissionen, ordföranden för Europeiska rådet och ordföranden för Europaparlamentet. (Swedish translation)

Öppet brev till ordförande för Europeiska kommissionen, ordföranden för Europeiska rådet och ordföranden för Europaparlamentet 

José Manuel Barroso, Herman van Rompuy, Martin Schulz

Vi är djupt oroade över Europas framtid.

Den pågående politiska, sociala och ekonomiska krisen hotar att återigen dela upp kontinenten. Misslyckandet med att effektivt hantera krisen har skapat en stor misstro mot unionens institutioner bland sina egna medborgare. Populism och nationalism är på uppgång i alla medlemmsstater och i kölvattnet av krisen finns starka politiska krafter som öppet förespråkar en upplösning av vår union. Detta är en mycket farlig utveckling! Krisen har också lett till skapandet av ett antal organisationer bestående av engagerade medborgare som förespråkar ett mer demokratiskt, starkare och solidariskt Europa. Dessa organisationer och individer tar olika initiativ och skapar forum för debatt, information och kampanjer för att öka medborgarnas deltagande i uppbyggnaden av det framtida Europa.

Vi är alla mycket stolta över vad EU har åstadkommit under de senaste 60 åren men vi ser också att det mellanstatliga systemet inte längre kan möta utmaningarna i det moderna Europa. Detta system har också en top down-strategi som skapar en stor klyfta mellan ledare och medborgare. Vi söker efter alternativ till detta system. Vi söker delaktighet, demokrati och ansvarsutkrävande. Det demokratiska underskottet kan inte längre tolereras.

Krisen har gjort det mycket klart att om vi ska rädda Europa måste vi bygga om och reformera EU, inte bara ekonomiskt utan även socialt och politiskt. Vi står vid ett vägskäl där vägen vi väljer kommer att påverka många generationer framöver. Detta är utan tvekan den största utmaningen som det enade Europa har mött.

Europa går mot en federation eller en upplösning. Ett uppbrott skulle sannolikt flytta Europa mot en ny era av divisioner och kriser som ingen av oss vill uppleva eller lämna som ett arv till våra barn och barnbarn. Allt fler medborgare ser ett federalt Europa som den mest pragmatiska och långsiktiga lösningen för Europa. Frågan är, skall denna federation baseras på ett fundament av medborgare eller på nationalstaterna?

Detta brev speglar den starka övertygelsen som en grupp av EU-medborgare från många medlemsstater har och vi inbjuder, ordförande José Manuel Barroso, ordförande Herman Van Rompuy och ordförande Martin Schulz till att främja en ny fas i reformen av Europeiska unionen, mot en demokratisk federation av medborgare.

För ett Europa vi alla vill leva i!

Brevet i orginal hittar du här.

Made in EU

The main consequence of the crisis in Europe is unquestionably unemployment and especially youth unemployment. The consequences of this are not only economic and social but also political.

Although the crisis and the unemployment has very little to do with the Union the Unions economic and political future depends on solving the youth unemployment. It requires both political and private action. Unfortunately, the crisis has so far been fought ineffectively with national interests at heart on the expense of ordinary people.

If Europe should be able to compete in the new world, we the citizens must review our consumption patterns, not only for economic reasons but also for environmental, social and democratic reasons. We must recognize and take responsibility for the fact that cheap Asian goods can have a very high price.

"Made in EU" can be a recipe for combating youth unemployment and something we all can contribute to.

Nelson Mandela

The greatest of all inspirations have left us. 

Cameron calls for limit on European freedom of movement

Eurosceptics, with Cameron at the frontline are attacking the foundation of the European Union, the Citizen’s, as a strategi to slowly dismantel the union.' Freedom of movement is the perfect exempel of this and if Cameron succeeds with his attempt to discriminate against certain European citizen’s, we won’t have a true European citizenship to fight for anymore.

Who could of thought that European leaders in 2013 seriously want to take back freedoms claimed by the people. If we let this happen, it will be the beginning of the fall, not only for the Union but also for many other of our citicens rights.
I say we have taken to much crap from Cameron and it is time that we stand up for each other against this kind of compromising with our rights.

I support the people of Ukraine

This brutality must not go unnoticed! Keep spreading the word: We are all Europeans    

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/reports-police-forcefully-break-up-protest-site-on-maidan-nezalezhnosti-this-morning-332674.html

National politics in the EU

EUCO is with out a doubt the European "institution" that possess the real power over European policy. EUCO is additionally, undoubtedly Europe's great stumbling block and represents the democratic deficit in European politics. EUCO is the European institution where national interests often wins over common sense and the common good of the European people.

The fact, that this European institution, with the greatest power don't represent the interests of Europe as a hole is a democratic disgrace for the union.

Let's be clear, i don't mean that Member States interests shouldn't be taken seriously in European politics, but it can't be at the expense of the common good and we can't allow for Europe to be the battleground for national politicians who wants to take easy political points before national elections.

The Member States representation in Europe must therefore be distinguished from national govertnments and elected in separate elections.

The year of citicens

2013, the year of citicens draws to a end and it would be fitting to make a short evaluation.

YOC was initiated by the Union as a means to get closer to the people or perhaps the citizens closer to the Union.

What's the result? 

The first question should be if the majority of the citizens are familiar with the YOC and its purpose.
The second question, if it brought them closer to the Union.

Something that must be raised as a very good example in this evaluation is the vice presidents citizenship dialog. It is unprecedented in European and national politics that a leader of this magnitude are meeting with citicens for a open dialog in this way.
The dialogue, however, would have made a greater impact with better media coverage and a greater commitment and support from national governments.

On the negative YOC just confirmed  that European institutions is a extension of national governments and therefore lacks the ability to single-handedly push for closer ties to the citizens.

My conclusion is therefore that Europe needs independent democratic institutions acting within a given mandate independent of national governments. This means that national representation to the union must be independent from national governments. (more on this later)

YOC was without a doubt a great attempt by EU institutions to narrow the gap to its citicens but without the right tools to properly succeed.

In the footsteps of nationalism

Nationalism has reached its strongest position in Europe since World War II and it looks the same in most European states. We see both moderate nationalism and fundamentalistic nationalism on the rise.
Postwar reconciliation and integration policies are facing its biggest threat in 60 years. I am not referring to the economic crisis, but on how populist and even fundamentalistic movements utilise the crisis, that is the real threat. The established parties in Europe often respond by abandoning its own ideals and just copy these populist ( at best ) policies. Some examples of this is the migration policy and free movement in the EU.
So what follows in the footsteps of nationalism?
Europe can testify about the impact of nationalistic politics, the scars are still evident. The result was and is appalling.

Even moderate nationalists strive to achieve total homogeneity. Not only when it comes to language, faith and sexuality. Here is the dividing line between the moderate and the fundamentalistic nationalists very thin. Nationalism in all forms celebrates and strengthens the likeminded and oppresses the liberal minded. Putin's Russia is a recent example of this.
EP elections in 2014 will set the political agenda in Europe for many years to come and is therefore crucial for Europe.

The Union grew a lot stronger today

I welcome Croatia to the European family! Peace, unity and prosperity.

Only a European constitution can grant every European citizen there democratic and fundamental rights

Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, UK. NSA, Golden dawn, Rule of law, freedom of movement, freedom of press.
The list of member states and organizations ( internal and external ) that are compromising with democracy and our fundamental rights can be made long, and sadly it seems to be getting longer for every year.
Are we, the people helpless to stop this dangerous development?
The EU seems powerless and fails to act strongly against this threats. That means that we, the people stand unprotected, but not that that we are helpless.
It is up to us to act and act now!
We must organize ourselves and demand a European constitution that protects our democratic rights on both European level and on 'national' level. Together we have the strength to make it happen.

Comment on paper No 4. European federalist papers

To the paper

Paper No 4 is a very inspiring paper for all of us who wants to see change in how our Union functions.

Just as paper No 2,  paper No 4 really don't present any special  ideas but it gives a good educational base for the reader. It also builds up expectation for what's to come.

I have chosen to quote and comment on the following passeges from paper No 4.

"States are indeed no longer independent. More than ever they are economically interdependent due to the explosion of international trade, led by the multinationals. They have bound each other politically to many international rules, especially in international agreements and treaties, including the power to enforce the execution of that which has been agreed upon."

The author argues against the nationalist idea of the independent state and he is right. There are now independent nation-states in the modern world if there ever has been one.

Independence comes out of the possibility for citizens to influence policy and politics that affects them and the power to demand accountability on how the policy is implemented.
This is where the federal organization comes in.

"We must learn from the past but we should not plainly accept the consequences, nor let our head hang down. We must fight the crisis of intergovernmental Europe. A tragic culmination of this crisis is the inflation of four presidencies, one on top of another."

Yes, something can and must be done! But it needs to be done by the people of Europe. On the foundation of our union, we the citizens must build a new European house. And it must be a strong house supported with a democratic constitution, by and for the citizens.

"I believe that this teleological paradigm of the European treaties has put the germ of Euro-skepticism into the institutions, resulting in the Union’s political inability and the widening of the fault lines between Member States. Hence, it has become even easier for national politicians to portray the European Union as a threat to their respective societies, even though they themselves have contributed to this effect of European decision-making. Apparently, the intergovernmental, if not hybrid, decision-making in the Union leads to schizophrenia in some policy makers from the Member States – as a result of which they run from one raging fire to another. Each time for short-term relief, but without a final solution."

This passage of the paper deeply reflects the political crisis of Europe and its member-states.
We all recognise the inability of EUCO to present a common (European) solution to the crisis, at the same time the EUCO members play the blame game before there voters on there home base. Creating nothing but division.

"‘Integration’ is usually a sympathetic word, but not in this context. Protecting the autonomous individuality of the constituents in a desirable cooperation cannot be realized through intergovernmentalism, but exclusively through federalism."

To me, the word integration always is a positive. Integration is what happens when two or more,
voluntarily comes closer together for pragmatic reasons and for the common good.

Nationalist often see this as a betrayal against cultural identity and the 'romantic' ideals of the homogeneous nation-state.

Integration cannot happen, with a top-down approach, it can't be forced (that is something different). The last century gives us many examples of that in Europe alone.
Integration happens spontaneous and starts at the roots and grows with the tree, to the crown. My point is that integration happens when there is a need for it and can therefore not be a negative.

I know the author don't sympathise with nationalists and I do strongly agree that autonomous individuality is necessary from a democratic/independence perspective.
I also believe that the history of Europe and our diversity is what makes Europe great and our future bright.

P.s. Traditions (identitys) are great, we create new ones all the time out of a need, but when they don't serve there purpose anymore, we should forget about them and once again let new traditions take there place.